The Norfolk Southern that ran into Norfolk was NOT the current Norfolk Southern. It was a regional that ran into North Carolina. The current Chesapeake and Albamarle runs on much of their track. So the roads that used the Norfolk depot were the N&W, Virginian, and Norfolk Southern.
I have done that. In S gauge, I kit-bashed several Bachmann On30 boxcars to A&D pulpwood cars. A&D did this after they could no longer ship the cars on to other lines. I have also custom decorated an RS3 for A&D #107. This was the only RS3 the line owned. They owned several RS2s and later the RS36s that Atlas produced in HO scale. Photos and videos of these are on my Youtube page.
Dear friends, I don't know if this is the proper place for my comments but I just found your site tonight, got excited, and had to throw in my own twobits. I have been an A&D fan since the 1950s. One set of grandparents lived in West Norfolk and the other in Danville and there was a steady line of family members travelling by rail courtesy of the Southern until 1949. I have copies of Bill Griffiths' work on the A&D (the latest edition and the earlier 1980-something edition). There was once an A&D historical society but it folded about 1990. Is there any interest out there in reforming it?
Monty Rainey Dustin: I do not know where you are located, but you may want to make a trip to South Hill, Virginia, and see the model train exhibits in the remodeled A&D/N F & D train stattion. There is an exhibit showing the old A&D line and two engines pulling the trains: the #1 and #2 which came back into service after the A&D had been sold. They were refurbished from the old No. 101 & 102. The train station is immaculate and houses the South Hill Chamber of Commerce and the train and doll museum. Many great pictures and old treasures of the A&D are within. It is open 7 days a week from 9:00 to 4:00. My father, Matt Rainey, was the depot manager for many years and was the early telegrapher on the line. I have a picture of him in the station with a calendar on the wall showing August 1935. It would be a good trip for you and your family. I have a copy of the A&D newsletter, The Chatterbox, dated 1951 with my picture in it. I was two years old and considered the first "new baby" born after the A&D began independent operation at midnight on July 30,1949. I would be happy to meet with you on any occasion. The museum is free to the public and close to our Tobacco Life and Farm Museum. I hope this reply is not to long for the forum. Thanks, Monty Rainey.
Dustin: I do not know where you are located, but you may want to make a trip to South Hill, Virginia, and see the model train exhibits in the remodeled A&D/N F & D train stattion. There is an exhibit showing the old A&D line and two engines pulling the trains: the #1 and #2 which came back into service after the A&D had been sold. They were refurbished from the old No. 101 & 102. The train station is immaculate and houses the South Hill Chamber of Commerce and the train and doll museum. Many great pictures and old treasures of the A&D are within. It is open 7 days a week from 9:00 to 4:00. My father, Matt Rainey, was the depot manager for many years and was the early telegrapher on the line. I have a picture of him in the station with a calendar on the wall showing August 1935. It would be a good trip for you and your family. I have a copy of the A&D newsletter, The Chatterbox, dated 1951 with my picture in it. I was two years old and considered the first "new baby" born after the A&D began independent operation at midnight on July 30,1949. I would be happy to meet with you on any occasion. The museum is free to the public and close to our Tobacco Life and Farm Museum. I hope this reply is not to long for the forum. Thanks, Monty Rainey.
Definately make the trip to South Hill! Was just there a month ago. The station hold not only the RR part (displays, two layouts, etc) but also has a section for "dolls" and up front holds the SH CoC. The folks inside are definately nice folks and have no problem letting you check out the displays.
The layouts are standard museum types - self operating. One of which is modelled from South Hill to Clarkesville. The JH Kerr dam project model was fascinating to see. They mentioned that there was a club there. You may want to ask about it. The man who started all this has now passed. If im not mistaken he was of Aussie background.
There are alot of pictures there on the walls and scattered about. Very nice historical ones i might add. There is also a tip jar on the wall as you enter, they accept donations. There are many display shelves along the walls, not of A&D stuff as much as it just models in general. Some neat 'old stuff' in there!
My family has owned property there (east side of the dam on Rt4) for so long i remember when the line was still active. Sad to see all that is gone now when we hit town. Do stop by "Wilson's" for some great food! (Rt58, just on the outskirts of town on the west side, cant miss it!)
On one of our last fishing trips there this year we were in one of the many coves. Old railroad pylons still exist in the water. And you can still see the trails left in the woods. The Main bridge across the lake is still there and i hope always remains. Ive grown up seeing it everytime we went from the dam over to Clarksville. Hate to see that get torn down. Alot of history around Kerr Lake. (makes the new Microsoft Data Center in Boydton stand out!)
One of these days i am going to walk the tracks that remain. Always wanted to when i was younger.
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