1941: Class J locomotive, #600, departs the N&W's Roanoke Shops establishment. The locomotive, using the 4-8-4 ("Northern") wheel arrangement, was the first of fourteen to be built, from 1941-1950. They would see service in the N&W's passenger service, pulling the railway's Powhatan Arrow, Pocahontas, the N&W-Southern Tennessean, and other passenger trains throughout the then-small N&W system.
The locomotives would serve from 1941 until 24 October, 1959, when #611's last run was made. By this point, the Norfolk and Western's new management. i.e. Stuart T. Saunders, had committed to a program of diesel locomotives, thus obviating the need for steam locomotives. Locomotive #600 had been retired at Lambert's Point on 16 June 1959.
Posted by Country Pundit at October 20, 2004 11:20 AM