Forty Years Ago UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS (See Inside Back Cover) September 20, 2001 Improvements to the Roanoke Yard had General Meeting been completed. The complete article from the Norfolk and Western Magazine will appear in a future issue of Turntable Times. September 24, 2001 These two aerial views depict (top) look- Cass Outing ing east from Shaffers Crossing shows the addition on the south side of the yard of October 2, 2001 Volume 33, Number 9 September 2001 seven tracks for classification and forward- Board Meeting ing. The car department repair facilities are The Official Newsletter of the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. at lower left. The bottom view is of the new October 18, 2001 east and westbound tracks, and pull-in General Meeting tracks for 200 car trains are central. The relocated Roanoke River channel required November 6, 2001 the relocation of almost 2/3 mile. The Board Meeting Veterans Hospital is at lower left. The grad- ed area in the upper right is the Blue Ridge Industrial Park. The former Virginian is at November 15, 2001 the right. Annual Meeting Turntable Times is published monthly as the newsletter of the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. Opinions and points of view expressed herein are those of the staff members of the Turntable Times and not necessarily reflect those of the members, officers or directors of the Chapter. Items of interest should be sent to Editor Kenny Kirkman, 590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, VA 24078-2128. Non-Profit Editor, Turntable Times Organization Roanoke Chapter NRHS U.S. Postage P.O. Box 13222 PAID Roanoke, VA Roanoke, VA 24032-1322 Permit No. 89 Meeting Notice The Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will hold its next general meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2001 at 7:30 pm. The meeting will be held at the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of McClanahan and Crystal Spring Avenue in Roanoke. Our program will be announced at the meeting, but it will be a good one! Volume 33, Number 9 September 2001 From The Head End EDITOR Kenney Kirkman Cards and Flowers If you know of a Chapter Member who is sick, lost a loved one MIXED FREIGHT or has a new birth in the family, please contact Bonnie Molinary. Robin R. Shavers Bonnie is responsible for Chapter cards and flowers and can be reached at 362-0273. SMALL RAILS Dave Meashey Deadline for Turntable Times SPLINTERS The deadline for the next issue of Turntable Times is Tuesday, Bill Arnold September, 18, 2001. Please send articles, information and all exchange newsletters to: Kenney Kirkman, Editor, Turntable HISTORIAN Times, 590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, Va. 24078-2128. Kenneth L. Miller Material For Turntable Times All materials should be sent directly to the Editor: We are always in need of articles, photos or news items for the Kenney Kirkman Turntable Times. Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot reprint 590 Murphy Road articles from many newspapers; a condensed or rewritten article Collinsville, VA crediting the source is acceptable. 24078-2128 Turntable Times is published monthly as the newsletter of Cover Photo the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. Remember when 600s hauled passenger trains through Opinions and points of view Southwestern Virginia? These are not what most people first Two views from August 1961 depict expressed herein are those of the changes made to the Roanoke the staff members of the think of with that statement, but it was done for a time before Turntable Times and not nec- the introduction of the Hilltopper and arrival of the GE units. Yard after merger with the Virginian. essarily reflect those of the See the back cover for more details. members, officers or directors Amtrak’s infamous SDP-40 No. 607 leads the eastbound of the Chapter. Both: Norfolk and Western/ Mountaineer on a beautiful October 15, 1976. K. L. Miller Photo K. L. Miller Collection 1 Election will be by secret ballot. Any mem- The High Falls alongside Notice of By-Laws Change ber may vote by absentee ballot. The nomi- West Virginia Central. n accordance with Roanoke Chapter, nees will be included in the November Bill Arnold NRHS Bylaws (revised October 6, 1987) I issue of Turntable Times, and announced Article VII, notice is hereby given of at the October meeting. amendment to Article II, Membership in Please Note: if you are interested in run- Corporation, Section 6-Quorum as follows: ning, or know of another chapter member Present: who is, please contact the nominating com- “A Quorum for Members meetings for mittee as soon as possible. Members of the the transaction of business and election of nominating committee are Chairman Bill officers shall consist of at least twenty-five Mason, Brian Crosier, and . per centum (25%) of the entire To vote by absentee ballot, one must: Membership of the Corporation, or fifteen 1 - Request an absentee ballot from the (15) Members, whichever is greater. Secretary or a member of tile nominat- Change: ing committee. You will receive (a) one “A quorum for Member’s meetings for ballot; (b) one "ballot" envelope; and (c) one the transaction of business and election of mailing envelope. officers shall consist of fifteen (15) 2 - Mark the ballot (vote for not more Here and There its 1950s appearance. Members.” If you're interested in riding the Amtrak than four (4) directors. If more than four by Kenney Kirkman The above change is consistent with the Carolinian to the North Carolina State Fair (4) votes are cast, the ballot will be discard- homas the Tank Engine will be at the National Railway Historical Society Inc., at Raleigh, book your trip early. The Fair ed). North Carolina Transportation Museum Bylaws. T will be held from October 12 through 21st 3 - Place the ballot in the "ballot" enve- at Spencer, North Carolina the weekends of The Board of Directors approved such a and the Carolinian makes a special stop lope and seal. Do not put your name on the October 5-7 and 12-14. For more informa- change at their regular scheduled meeting right across the street from the main ballot or "ballot" envelope. tion contact the museum at 704-636-2889 on September 4, 2001. entrance. This writer has ridden the east- 4 - Place "ballot" envelope in the mailing or visit their website at: nctrans.org The membership can comment on said bound Carolinian from Greensboro to the envelope. Write your name and return According to a report in the August, 2001 amendment at the General Monthly Fair where one can visit for about 5 hours address on the mailing envelope and mail to; issue of The Company Mail, newsletter of Meeting of October 18, 2001 or so until the westbound train arrives, Roanoke Chapter, N.R.H.S. the Samuel Spencer Chapter, NRHS, the plenty of time to have lots of fun. Notice of Annual Meeting P.O.Box 13222 first phase of a long awaited Roanoke, VA 24032-1322 he Annual Meeting of the Roanoke restoration/move of the Hamlet, North or Chapter of the National Railway Carolina depot has begun with the station T The envelope may be hand delivered to August Newsletter Historical Society will be held at the First being surrounded by a chain link fence the Secretary anytime before the election at or our readers information, the August Presbyterian Church on the corner of while the lead-based paint/asbestos is being the annual meeting. removed. After completion of this it will be FNewsletter was mailed on August 20, at Crystal Spring and McClanahan Street on made ready to move to what is now part of this writing (September 3) it has still not Thursday, November 16, 2001. The meeting Mixed Freight - August Main Street. The move will be undertaken arrived in any local mailboxes. If this is any will begin at 7:30 pm. At this time we will as soon as the City of Hamlet relocates indication of the present state of the postal hold our annual election in which four (4) by Mr.Robin R. Shavers Main Street some 150-feet south of its cur- service, the electronic media seems to have directors will be elected. n my column and via other sources, it rent location. After the depot is moved to a huge edge! Instructions for Absentee Ballot: This Iwas reported months ago that Norfolk its new site the facility will be restored to year we will be electing six (6) directors. Southern would reduce it's freight car 9 2 inventory by 12,000. As of this writing over The Federal Railroad Administration man- Our T6 No. 41, coach 1827 and tool-car 1407 9,000 have been sold thus yielding the rail- dates that when a car reaches 50 years of returning to Elkins. road $33.3 million. I also reported that NS age, it must be retired. I do not know what Bill Arnold plans to reduce it's motor vehicle fleet by role rebuilding plays in the retirement deci- 1,000. So far, 500 vehicles have been dis- sion. Back in 1951 American Car & Foundry posed of. Of this, 278 have been sold manufactured 400 covered hopper cars for adding $740,000 to the railroad's account. CSXT predecessor Atlantic Coast Line. CSX Closing some facilities to reduce costs has recently retired over 100 of the cars to and secure the bottom line are on Norfolk Mansbach Metals of Ashland, Kentucky. Southern's agenda. The Hollidaysburg Car The cars were in dedicated service hauling Repair Shops near Altoona, PA and the phosphate rock and fertilizer in Florida.