Tag Archives: N&W

NS, NS

NS in the 1990s

What was the NS like in the ’90s era?  Things were still pretty much

Photo of NS in 1990s 1-West Productions

the same as in the ’80s, with standard older units in NS, N&W, & SOU paint, fallen flag freight names on equipment, a few cabooses, older track layouts, original signals, and more.  The 90s also brought the new Triple Crown service between CR & NS, and the newer W&LE Class 2 regional RR out of Bellevue & Brewster, OH.  NS 1990s Part I is a good example of this coverage.

 

Photo of W&LE train 1990, 1-West Productions

 

Also the ’90s brought more freight cars with the applied NS roadname, CSX cars were showing up more on trains as well.  NS GP30s and SD35s were showing up in loco deadlines, fewer cabooses were being seen on freight trains, although still being used on most locals.   Steam excursions were still on the rails, but coming to a slow down due to NS’s concern over liability concerns, after a few derailments.

 

 

Photo of N&W 1218 steam by 1-West Productions/PJ

The NS merger proved to be one of the very few mergers that made sense, and actually prospered financially and efficiently, until the CR break-up in 1999 with CSX.

 

We will cover NS in the ’90s in our NORFOLK SOUTHERN 1990s™ Series as they become available.  We also cover NS in the 90s in our Keith’s Trains™ Series.

 

 

 

 

Blog Article & All Photos © Copyright 2016 1-WP™/PJ

 

NS, Railroad General Discussions

Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Latest News

What has NS been up to recently and this past year?  We’ll discuss in this blog Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Latest News.

Photo of an NS locomotive from 1-West Productions™(Image of NS at Hamilton, OH)

11/2022:
NS Derailment, Moorman Hump Opened, Profits Up:

October 8, 2022, NS had a tank train derailemt full of wax near the Columbus Ave. bridge, in dowtown Sandusky, OH.  Both NS Mains on their Chicago Line were out of service, and Amtrak had to reroute & combine various trains (Sunset & Capitol) south of Sandusky, through Fremont, Clyde, Bellevue, etc. on their NS Toledo District.  NS had the mains back in service about a day or so later.  NS also has reopened their new hump at Moorman Yard in Bellevue, OH.  Main facilities however have been closed since their last update of the terminal.  NS continues to run more freight with increased profits.

1/2022:
NS Profits, More Updates to Come:

NS had another great quarter in profits, which they credit to their continued PSR service.  They have plans to run more longer trains, replace more rail and crossties, increase lengths of some sidings in VA, OH, and GA, replace and update bridges across the system, and more.  NS believes investing in the plant helps the overall strength and profits of the railroad.  Revisit our blog for more updates.

7/2021:
NS & CP Talk About NS’s Fostoria & Chicago Districts:

Recently NS and CP held talks about CP possibly purchasing NS’s Fostoria and Chicago Districts, from NS’s Great Lakes Division, that connects Chicago, IL to possibly past Cleveland, OH.

2/2021:
NS Pan Am Southern Acquisition;  Stock; UP:

CSX and NS have worked out a deal to split Pan Am Southern, in order for both railroads to get another route into Boston, MA.   NS stock still up, and NS has hired an ex-UP exec. to help NS gather more traffic, since traffic has declined within the past year or so, due to the pandemic and the economy (even before the pandemic hit).  Update:  CSX to take over Pan Am Southern, with NS having trackage rights into Boston, MA.  As of 6/2021, STB rejected CSX’s plan to purchase Pan Am Southern, with Amtrak also protesting the take over.

11&12/2020:
More Changes at NS:

NS talks of closing down more of their Bellevue, OH Terminal- Moorman Yard, with shops closing.  NS to close and take up their part of Buckeye Yard, in Columbus/Hilliard, OH.  Buckeye was built by Penn Central to help offset the congestion and clearance restrictions with their ex-PRR Columbus, OH yards.  A piece of history on the brink.  Presently CSX own and uses a few tracks from that yard.  Stock still high, however traffic is down 40-45%.  How long can the money last?  This is the reason for the cuts throughout their system.  As of 12/2020, NS to close their loco shops at their Bellevue, OH Moorman Yard.  NS now to see what CSX will be doing with their plans of aquiring Pan Am Southern- a railroad NS had invested in.

10/2020:
NS Moving Ahead:

Work has finished with new switches, ties, and roadbed work in NS’s Blair Yard- Fostoria, OH.  They’ve made these updates to help with additional capacity with industry in town.  NS is to retire more standard cab locomotives from their fleet.  Get your photos while you can.  NS stock is still high, even with about a reduction of 40% in traffic capacity.

9/2020:
NS Fostoria, OH Updates:

NS has been rebuilding track in their Fostoria, OH Blair Yard, which includes new ties, rail, and switches.  Looks like they’ll be using Blair more, due to new/expanded industry SW of town.

8/2020:
More NS Changes:

NS will have a new COO in September, who will help with their profit planning.  Executives were riding and inspecting their lines, using their Heritage Unit SD70ACE Penn Central 1073.  They are still downgrading their Bellevue, OH Moorman Yard, and concentrating on other busier locations, such as Toledo, Cleveland, and Elkhart.  NS is also purchasing Pan Am Southern, to expand routes to Boston.   NS stock over $200 a share.  Is rail traffic picking up?  It seems to have its up and downs.  The US economy will only tell.

6/2020:
NS Downgrades Bellevue Terminal:

In the midst of a slowing economy and lower traffic demands, NS will be downgrading their Bellevue, OH Morman Yard facility.  This includes closing both humps (only after 5 years of the 2nd expansion of building the 2nd hump), going to flat switching, and moving most of the switching to their Toledo Airline and Cleveland, OH yards.

5/2020:
NS Axes Oil Trains:

CSX has outbid NS with contracts for oil trains.  CSX will now gain all of NS’s oil trains.  NS will still be delivering ethanol however.  The oil market downfalls may be NS’s reason.

2/2020:
New for 2020:

NS has plans of downsizing their double main to single main track on their line from Mansfield to Alliance, OH to cut costs.  NS presently own the line from Crestline, OH through Pittsburgh, PA, called NS’s Ft. Wayne Line-Pittsburgh Div. (CSX owns the line from Crestline, OH to Ft. Wayne, IN, called CSX Ft. Wayne Line/Ft. Wayne Secondary Subdiv.-Chicago Div., & CF&E leases the track on the CSX side).  This was the ex-PRR Ft. Wayne Line, later PC Ft. Wayne Division (Pittsburgh to Chicago Main Line), & CR Pittsburgh Division-Ft. Wayne Line.  NS Has also listed more locomotives to sell.

NS has been making major cuts to save on costs.  They will be closing their Roanoke Loco Shops, and moving everything to their Altoona Shops.  They’ve also been retiring many locomotives, including EMD SD40Ms, SD40-2s, and a pair of their F units.  They will be scrapping some rebuild projects, and continuing 400 GE rebuilds- with GE doing 200, and the other 200 by NS at Altoona.  They also have plans of selling off more trackage in order to save on costs.  NS, like most of the other roads will be focusing more on intermodal traffic, in order to compete more with the trucking industry, since coal traffic has been down 40%+/- overall (due to power plant companies switching to cheaper natural gas, etc.).  Mergers in the forecast? Some say no, some say we’ll see- history has shown when the industry is scraping by, mergers tend to follow…

11/2019:
NS Woes & Improvements:

NS had a derailment in PA recently.  NS stock still over $100 a share, continues to implement Precision Railroading.  NS has put their NS F units in storage.  They will most likely repaint all Heritage units to black once they need repainted.  NS concentrating more on making money.

9/2019:
NS Continues its Precision Railroading:

NS has adopted similar Precision Railroading tactics in order to cut costs, and to make more profits- similar to what CSX is doing, since the days of Hunter Harrison.  This is also due to requests by NS’s stock holders.  NS has moved all of their dispatchers to Atlanta, GA, combined trains, and recently has laid off workers at their Juniata Shops.  Since NS has combined trains, they have been using less locomotives, and their number of locomotives needing maintenance has decreased.

5/2019:
NS on the Move:

Since the merger talks which have stopped, NS has been busy making more money.  As of May of 2019, NS’s stock has gone over $200/share.  Yes, over $200- they must be doing something right.  NS has always followed an efficient way of running a railroad (not counting the 1999 CR breakup with CSX, which caused high congestion and other problems, which they finally got through).  NS has also gone more toward flat switching- something CSX has been trying to do, by also closing down a lot of hump yards.  Also NS is always updating their track, and have moved all dispatchers to Atlanta, GA (another thing CSX has done with Jacksonville, FL).  Will NS be closing more small yards throught the system?  They are looking at several options to increase  efficiency.

6/2018:
NS Merger Talks?

NS & UP in June had a meeting with each other on possible future merger ideas.  this is nothing new however.  All railroads have been in future merger talks at different times in the past.  They keep the future in mind, in order to prepare for any possible hard times ahead.  Although traffic is up, the current North American Railroad situation has most of the railroads in a bit of trouble.  From CN loosing freight, to NS shortage of power, and most of the railroads with congestion, delays, and other problems.

3/2018:
NS Derailment:

In February, NS had several stack containers and cars derail on their Sandusky to Columbus Line, just north of Attica, OH (papers stated Republic, OH which is nowhere near Attica!) .  Their track tends to be in great shape, so weather- high winds- were most likely the cause.   NS had double-tracked that main line after the Conrail split with CSX in the early 2000s, to help with increased traffic flow as a result of that split.  The mainline was originally PRR, mostly single-main, with passing sidings, and was sold to N&W in 1965 (per an agreement with the ICC, before the Penn Central merger of NYC & PRR in 1968).

12/2017:

NS stock has continued to increase by this year’s end.  Meanwhile, CSX is still having problems adjusting to the new changes CSX CEO Harrison has implemented.  With his passing as of 12/2017, time will tell which route the current CEO stand-in will take for CSX.

10/2017:

NS moving ahead.  Although coal has been diminishing due to the market demand (utilities and other facilities have been going to natural gas, since it costs less for them to use), NS has constructed a new long siding for coal trains that arrive from BNSF out West, located near Swanton, OH (on the ex-NYC/PC/CR Water Level, now NS Chicago Line, Dearborn Div.).

NS has also been expanding Fostoria, OH Mixing Center tracks for future Auto Rack switching.

NS has ordered new and have been rebuilding more GEs since earlier this year.

Triple Crown:

The most recent as of 9/2015, NS announced they will be phasing out Triple Crown roadrailers from the main tracks.  they will still plan on having service with roadrailers from Detroit, MI and south, with evnetually phasing them out 100%. They will still keep the name and trailers, but most trailers will now be transported on TOFC flat cars, and no longer be mounted on railroad wheel trucks.  This means the Sandusky, OH and other terminals will be closed.   Get your photos while you can.

Image of a Triple crown train from 1-West Productions™(Image of NS Triple Crown in Indiana)

Top Gons:

NS has been slowly phasing out these re-built 100 ton coal hoppers, and being replaced with new aluminum cars.  Top Gons were from a project NS had in rebuilding many of their coal hoppers in the 1990s, mainly from their H11 and 12 hoppers.  Over 2,000 cars were rebuilt in order to fill the void of coal cars they needed.

Added Route:

NS was having problems with congestion on a number of their lines, especially the Chicago Line on their end of the ex-Water Level Route, from Cleveland to Chicago.  even tho congestion was a problem after they took over their half of conrail in 1999, as oil trains increased on the system, so did congestion.  So in 2014, they leased the ex-CR Pittsburgh Division- Fort Wayne Line from CSX.  This also included NS paying to have the tracks and ties rebuilt in areas needed.  The towns this line runs through are Crestline, Bucyrus, Van Wert, and other towns in OH, and Fort Wayne, IN, etc.

New Logo:

The horse head logo started to appear within the last few years to add a small change.  The logo looks more impressive as a result.  This has been applied to locomotives and freight cars.

“New” Locomotives:

Due to a shortage of units, NS aquired wide cab units from UP, and many of them are still running around on the system still in ex-UP paint.  They also aquired SD40-2s from BNSF.  They have also been in the process of chopping all high-nosed EMD units that originally came from the N&W and SOU.  High nose on the NS will be a thing of the past.  Standard cab GE units will be converted to wide cabs in the near future as well.

A Railfan Runs The Railroad:

Even tho he has been the CEO of NS for a few years, Wick Moorman has brought back the heritage of railroading, along with turning NS into a great money-making company.  They always were a profitable railroad, but he has increased NS’s value.  He has also put out numerous heritage units, brought back steam train excursions, and has had countless events, such as an F and  E unit display event.

As railroads progress, changes are made in order to help keep them in business.  We capture things of today that will become things of the past.  Those things that are now considered vintage, were once things that were modern.  What a great way to preserve the changes of railroads- in Railroad Video DVDs and Audio CDs.

© Copyright 2015, 2018 1-West Productions™/PJ
N&W, NS, Railroad Audio Product Reviews, Railroad Scanner

New Norfolk Southern- N&W 1980s Vol. 11 AUDIO CD

New Railroad AUDIO CD for September 2015, of NS action from 1987 (and more- see below!):   NORFOLK SOUTHERN- N&W 1980s, Vol. 11.  This CD was produced by 1-West Productions™, and contains recordings of freight action- no pictures.  Why an audio-only version?  It gives the listener something new to use with their imagination.  Back in the day, radio shows were the hot item for entertainment before TV.  Listeners had to use their imagination for the scenes as they took place, and would become a different world.  Although having a picture is nice for seeing certain features and such, having a variety of formats can be appealing as well.

Back in 1987, we recorded the trains around the Bellevue, OH area during NS’s early merger days of the N&W and Southern Railway.  We used directional mics to help give the natural movement affects of the trains, as we hear them in person.

The CD contains older standard cab locomotives from GE & EMD, background ambient sounds, and horns that have become more rare compared to today’s horns we hear on units.

Image of Norfolk Southern- N&W1980s Vol 11 audio CD cover

For more information, please visit this page here.  Update 3/2022:  We now have Norfolk Southern-N&W 1980s Vol. 1-12, Vintage Scanner Radio Audio Albums/Recordings of NS, CR, & CSX,  and Modern NS Audio Albums/Recordings now available!  Please click here for a full list!  You can also find a few samples of our Audio Albums on our 1-West Productions™ Soundcloud Page and YouTube Page.

 

 

© Copyright 2015, 2022 1-West Productions™/PJ
Conrail, N&W, Penn Central

Railroads We Grew Up With

Most of us like the railroads that we grew up with, and in that same area. Or could be we had a relative or friend who worked for that certain railroad. Maybe on a trip it stuck in our good memory bank in some way, and brings us back to those happy times. Whatever the reason, that railroad name stuck with us through the years.

The N&W / NS and Penn Central / Conrail stuck with me from those days. Seeing those “half-moon” and “zigzag” N&W logos on faded blue and black locomotives respectfully, stuck with me. Also the previous roads that made up the N&W. GP7s, 9s, 30s, 35s, 38s; SD40s, 45s, 35s, etc., especially the high-nosed units made an impact.

Let’s not forget the freight equipment with those logos as well. Even the MofW green equipment, the smell of diesel, running locomotives, generators, etc.

When it came to the PC & CR, seeing those blue engines run at higher speeds on different lines, and seeing they meant business made an impact. Also especially seeing black PC units still wearing the PC logos stuck with me. That PC logo was the neatest thing- I never saw such a design in my life. In the very early 80s, I saw a PC GP7 or 9 switching open PC auto racks in Orville, OH. The sound of the engine, the smoke, the image. Also seeing a few green PC cabooses, with that same logo was just cool. Seeing old PC ROWs, abandoned facilities, track, equipment, deadlines, & more added to the engraving of the N&W and PC likeness. The visual and historical preservation aspects is what motivates me.

When it came to modeling, I could build my dream railroad with those road names. Plus photographing, filming, and restoring equipment of the same road names built even stronger memories and appreciation.

What road names stuck with you, how, and why? We all have reasons for what we like.  Keep those memories alive.

 

 

Pete

Conrail, Conrail, Penn Central, Penn Central, PRR, Railroad History

PRR/PC/CR Logan Side-Bradford Line- Part of The PRR Panhandle Route

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This article will discuss a section of the PRR/PC/CR Logan Side-Bradford Line, Panhandle Line, that ran from Bradford, OH to Logansport, IN, called the Logan Side.  The PRR railroaders gave the section that ran from Bradford & Logansport the “Logan Side” name.  The Panhandle Line ran from Pittsburgh, PA to Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO, splitting at Bradford, with Bradford being a major yard, halfway, and crew change point of the line.

The line was first part of the Columbus, Chicago, & Indiana Central- leased by PRR subsidiary Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis (formed in 1868), that was formed extend the PRR’s westward expansion.

In Ohio, the Panhandle also ran through towns such as Dennison, Columbus, etc.  This line gave the PRR a westward expansion in the States.  The name “Panhandle” came from a section of WV where the line passed through years earlier, with the Panhandle Ry., and the name stuck years later.

The line was double track, until the 1950s, when PRR downgraded it to a single line, at least between Union City & Logansport, IN.  PRR would use J1 steam engines, and later GP7s and 9s to pull 100-car coal hoppers from the N&W via this line from Columbus, OH.  They hauled coal to power plants in Fort Wayne, IN and Chicago, IL.  PRR also hauled coal from the L&N Railway.  Marion, IN had a GM plant that depended on this line for service as well.

The Logan Side was downgraded by PRR after the yards at Bradford, OH were not being used as much anymore, and because the Richmond, IN yard was phased out.  Also when the N&W merged with the NKP & WAB in 1964, this gave the N&W other routes to use for their coal transport to Chicago (such as the ex-NKP Chicago Line).  Penn Central used the line however for some traffic, with Bradford, OH becoming an important part of the PC.  Most of the traffic however was eventually run on the Panhandle from Columbus, OH to Indianapolis, IN when PC reconfigured the crossover-connection with the ex-NYC Bee Line at Logansposrt, IN, in the early 1970s.

When CR came into existence, they increased traffic again between Columbus & Indianapolis through Bradford, OH, via the crossover-connection at Union City.  Most of the downgrading came with CR later in the early 1980s. CR diverted a lot of the traffic onto other more feasible lines, such as the ex-NYC/PC Bee Line, as they were doing with a lot of lines throughout the CR system.  The part of the Panhandle through Bradford to Union City was torn up by CR in 1985.

At Ridgeville, IN the Logan Side line crossed the ex-GR&I/PRR/PC/CR, that went north and south.  The PRR used a local and a few freights on the GR&I line.  Ridgeville was used as a local crew change point, where they also turned the trains, and interchanged cars.  The GR&I line was mostly removed in the late 1970s by CR.  There were small yards north of Ridgeville on the GR&I line, and west at Ridgeville on the Logan Side-Panhandle Line.

kt33saratogaex-prr-1994-faceSEtowardsunioncity-=================x

(Logan Side-Panhandle Line, Ridgeville, IN, facing west, after CR removal.)

kt33deerfieldINexprrtieplates===================x

(CR crews picking up tie plates at Deerfield, IN)

At Logansport, the Logan Side-Panhandle Line joined with the Pittsburgh Division Line that ran between Chicago and Pittsburgh, PA (through Ohio towns of Van Wert, Dunkirk, Bucyrus, Crestline, etc.).

kt33crcrcr================x

kt33crrllll==================x 

(Both photos above:  CR taking up the rail in Union City, IN)

At Union City, IN, the Panhandle originally crossed the ex-NYC/PC Indianapolis Bee Line.  After the crossovers were removed at Union City, the Logan Side-Panhandle line connected onto the Bee Line, and went west towards Redkey, IN.

In 1994, Conrail removed the rail, starting at Redkey, IN, heading east towards Union City.  Rail was left in about 2 miles east of Redkey, in order to be able to continue to service a few customers who still needed rail service.  There was a connecting track with the NS, so NS could pick up grain cars for Anderson’s.  Also in 1994, a small section was left in at Union City, connecting to the Bee Line, to be used as a short siding for a local industry.

kt33crrailtrain==================x

lt33railtrainoutofredkey====================x

(Both photos above:  The last train out of Union City on the ex-PRR/PC Logan Side-Panhandle Line- CR 601 moving east to Crestline, OH, via the ex-NYC Bee Line)

At one point the CR crew accidentally left too early east towards Crestline, OH on the ex-NYC Bee Line,  before the project was finished, and had to back-track to finish removing and picking up the rest of the rail.

Eventually, the rail was removed east of Redkey, IN, along with the ex-NKP/N&W diamond there, and a switch was put in by NS, south of Redkey, so they could go northwest and pick up the cars for Anderson’s.  The line is still in from Redkey to Dunkirk, removed from Dunkirk to Hartford City, and still in from there to Marion, IN, used by NS.  The line today is removed from Columbus, OH to Redkey, IN, except for a few short sections near Greenville, OH.  (See sample video below for CR’s Redkey interchange with NS’s Frankfort Dist., taken from our CONRAIL REMEMBERED™, VOL. 3 Featured Series DVD Video.)

At one time an important line for the PRR & PC, it almost stayed an important line for Conrail, until they decided against it later.  CR had even rebuilt part of the line, only to downgrade shortly after.  As most railroads have done in the past, some lines were favored over others, in order to help cut costs.  What is interested is today in 2015, railroads are re-opening and upgrading lines they at one time saw as unimportant.  This is due to increased rail traffic causing congestion on lines, especially due to the transporting of oil.  This makes the railroads and historians both happier.

The removal of this part of the Logan Side-Panhandle PRR/PC/CR Line is covered in Keith’s Trains Series™ (from the camera of Keith Lehman, from 1-West Productions™), Title #33 CONRAIL RAIL REMOVAL BRADFORD, OH –REDKEY, IN 1994.               

As railroads improve their plant, they make changes in order to help keep things profitable and to save costs. Even though changes are made today, history is kept preserved in films and photographs for tomorrow. Also a lot of abandoned railroad ROWs are being made into bike trails, which can also help preserve its history. But sometimes railroads change history by bringing back to life a downgraded or abandoned line or ROW. Presently NS and CSX are working to bring back to life the ex-PRR/PC/CR Pittsburgh to Chicago line, in order for NS to be able to relieve traffic congestion on the ex-NYC/PC/CR Water Level route.  Also there is talk that NS will be purchasing and re-using the ex-NKP/N&W line to Lima because of congestion problems on other NS lines.

Sample of our CONRAIL REMEMBERED™ VOL. 3 Video available for purchase, that shows CR action at Redkey (line now removed):

Like more Penn Central/CR Routes information?  Try this Penn Central Website.

[All photos are screenshots taken from the Keith’s Trains Series™, by 1-West Productions™ (from the camera of Keith Lehman).   Sources used for this article/blog information are:  K. Lehman;  P. Jordan;  A Sampling Of Penn Central, Jerry Taylor, Indiana University Press, 1973, 2000 ]

Article & Photos © Copyright 2015, 2018 1-West Productions™/PJ, Duplication Prohibited.
Railroad Audio Product Reviews, Railroad General Discussions

Railroad Audio Recordings

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There’s a form of recording trains besides by film- Railroad Audio Recordings.  For years Railroad Audio recordings have been a favorite of people who enjoy just listening to the sounds of trains passing by. They were introduced mainly on vinyl records, then to cassette tapes, and now on CDs.

Remember the old time radio shows that were popular back before TV? If not, that’s how Americans were entertained in their homes, besides the occasional trip to the movie theater. These were audio shows transmitted live over mainly AM radio stations that were usually on some kind of schedule. The shows were comedy, horror, drama. news-related, adventure, and more. When people listened to these shows, it made them use their imagination. sometimes that’s better than seeing the actual picture on screen. Nothing beats a picture on screen, but when our imagination is put to use, it can be a wondrous thing.

Train recordings have been around and produced since the 1940s and earlier. These were recordings of steam- powered trains. As diesels came into use on the railroads, more recordings were of diesel locomotives. As time went on, more powerful and improved diesel engines were manufactured, and recordings of these were also made.

Also as time went on, better audio recordings were made, with stereo and even panning effects. Panning is where one can literally hear something move from one speaker to the other, in at least a 2-speaker system. What a great affect for the listener of a railroad audio recording. That effect is produced with separate mics on separate channels, each facing direct opposite of each other, usually spread very far apart. Producers of audio recordings have been using that effect on Railroad Audio since at least the 1950s and 60s.

That’s how we recorded most of our vintage Norfolk Southern, N&W, and SOU Railroad Audio material in the 1980s and later.  You will hear that effect in most of our recordings that we offer.

Norfolk Southern 1980s Vol. 12 Audio is a good example, recorded in Ohio in 1987 (found HERE).

NS1980s- N&W Vol. 12 AUDIO CD 1-WP™

We all love our Railroad DVDs and video, but we also should love our Railroad Audio CDs to spice up our imaginations from time to time.  Enjoy!

 

© Copyright 2015 1-WEST PRODUCTIONS™/PJ
N&W, NS, Railroad General Discussions, Railroad History, Railroad Paint Schemes

N&W’s Diesel Locomotive Paint Schemes

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For modelers and those who are interested in N&W’s diesel locomotive paint schemes and their variations, this article should be of some use.

Road Locomotives:
For years, the Norfolk and Western Railway had a Steam Era scheme that they used on all freight locomotive equipment. It was the road name spelled out in a Roman-Serif style gold lettering on the long hood, on freight locomotives, with road numbers, and no logos. The locomotive color was black. They used this same scheme on their diesel locomotives as well. The first diesel units to receive this scheme were the N&W RS3s around 1955.

Then in 1958, they added the 24″ D Gothic logo, that had a curved “N” and “W” inside a circle, with an “&” symbol in between the letters. Some had “RY” inside, some not. Locomotives only had these logos applied on the ends and under the cab windows, with the road numbers placed below the logos. The road name was 10″ high, still spelled out on the long hoods of locomotives, but in a gothic block type font in yellow, and was a reflective Scotchlite type sticker, also for the numbers. The locomotive color was black.

In 1963, the N&W had the same paint scheme, only they now adopted a new logo at the time, that some call the “hamburger” or “half-moon” logo. This logo has straight letters “N&W” in between two circle halves, and the whole logo inside a circle border. The road name, logos, and numbers were the same reflective Scotchlite stickers, and locomotives were still black. The first new units delivered new with this scheme were the GP35s in the 200 series.

In 1966, they had the same paint scheme, only dark blue paint was applied to the engines to replace the black. In photos of newly-painted engines taken back then, it shows that GE and EMD had slightly different shades of this color. When the blue faded, it turned to a light blue/gray, due to the lead in these industrial paints back then. This color was applied because around this time the N&W and C&O were in serious talks of merging, due to the fact that they saw the Penn Central merger between the NYC and PRR was approaching fast. Some GP9s in the 500 series received this blue version first in 1965, before being the standard application in 1966 to freight locomotives, beginning with the new GP40s.

In 1970, the N&W kept the same paint scheme, but went back to the black car body color, at least applied to the newly-delivered U30Bs in the 8400-8500 series.

In early 1970, they tried an experimental scheme that was the same as before with the black body and half moon scheme, but a yellow Serif-style 24″ “N&W”, similar to what was applied to coal cars, was added to the middle section of the long hood of the locomotives, replacing the spelled-out road name from before. Only 50+ units had these “N&W” stickers applied. More than likely this was the N&W’s prerequisite of a new simplified scheme they were searching for, to blend in with most other railroads at the time, that were adopting a more conservative/simple paint scheme of just abbreviated letters and logos. The N&W continued to apply these logos even during the application of the next “NW” “zigzag” scheme to come next.

In 1971, they changed the road number fonts, and the logo was changed to a 42″ “zigzag” “NW” placed on the long hood side, and 12″ nose logos. This logo variation had both letters connected at the top. The cab numbers were a different style, about 10″ in size. It is possible they came up with this logo that was similar to Penn Central’s “C” inside the “P” logo. All lettering at this point was in white, and the car body was black. One of the first new locomotives to receive this paint were the 4100 series GP38ACs. The N&W also had this scheme with the body Tuscan red and gold lettering, for all special N&W official trains. SD40-2 6175 and C30-7s 8010, and 8076-8080 received the Tuscan version.  (Examples of some of these units still in this scheme during the early NS years can be found in the Railroad DVD category: Norfolk Southern 1980s, Ohio Lines Series (by 1-West Productions™ Featured Series).) 

During 1981, the N&W came up with the “skunk” scheme that was a variation of the Southern scheme, only in black and white. The wide center stripe was white, with the road name, cab numbers, nose 15″ zigzag logos in black. The 15″ road name was slightly larger, with the “AND” being 10″. Also the cab numbers were made slightly larger. Only four units- all GP38ACs, received this scheme: 4104, 4105, 4107, and 4129.  (An example can be found on Railroad DVD Norfolk Southern 1980s, Ohio Lines, Part 1 & 2 (1-West Productions™).)

Towards the end of 1981, the “Claytor” scheme was applied to N&W locomotives shortly after. This was the same paint scheme, only the whole body was black, and no stripe, and all lettering was in white. The road name was the same as used in the “skunk” scheme, but with 12″ nose logos and 15″ cab numbers.  (Many examples of the “Claytor” scheme can be found on several of these Railroad DVDs here: Norfolk Southern 1980s, Ohio Lines Series (by 1-West Productions™ Featured Series).)

In 1982, the Norfolk Southern merger happened between the N&W and SOU. Between that time and 1984, the N&W used the “Claytor” scheme and the SOU kept their original paint scheme during this time of green and an off-white, with gold-yellow lettering. Around 1984, the NS began to paint their locomotives in the new horse scheme that we see today, but they still had the reporting marks of “NW”, “SOU”, etc., under the road numbers on the cabs.  By 1990, they were painting the reporting marks as just “NS”.

Some shops had variations in paint schemes due to the access to lettering, or for whatever reasons. An example would be the N&W F7As. There were at least three variations: -gray roof with blue car body, yellow lettering in the half-moon scheme, -same variation but no road name applied, only logos and road numbers, -all blue body with full lettering, -all blue body with logos and road numbers applied only.

Switcher Locomotives:
N&W switcher locomotives basically had the same paint schemes as the road locomotives during the time-frame previously discussed, with a few variations. Some variations would have been the T6 ALCOs that received the spelled out road name in small-case lettering.

Passenger Locomotives:
In the beginning, the N&W painted some of their passenger diesel units just like their first freight diesels. The same for the gothic and half-moon logo schemes, only the car body was Tuscan red, and wore a 3″ thick yellow stripe on the side frames. Also some wore the half-moon scheme with the blue body and a yellow pin stripe along the side frames. The E8A’s wore a variation of the blue half-moon scheme, with a pin stripe on the nose and upper side of the car body, and along the lower sill of the car body, similar to the ex-Wabash scheme applied to these units previously.

In the early days, railroads had “busy” paint schemes, with a lot of stripes, and/or spelled out road names, with/without logos. But by the 1960s, they saw that painting their locomotives this way was expensive, so they omitted most of the stripes and spelled-out road names, and went simple. Although some loved the fancy paint schemes, the simplified schemes can be just as interesting or sharp.

More railroads began to use simplified and “connecting” type logos, with only letters or variations of the first letters of the road name, made into a shape, or connected, to make their image have a more modern look. Such examples would be CN’s 1964 “noodle logo”, CP Rail’s 1968 “Pacman”, PC’s 1968 “worm”, N&W’s 1971 “zigzag”, GT’s 1964 “noodle”, SOO’s large “SOO”, BN’s 1970 N inside a B, SP’s large SP letter logo, etc.

This should give a guide to what the N&W used through the years, and also a glance at what other railroads at the time were also doing during these various eras.  Several Railroad DVDs about the N&W and early NS showing these paint scheme examples can also be found in these Railroad DVD Categories:  1-West Production™ Featured Series, NS, N&W, and Keith’s Trains™ Series.

 

Sources:
All information was provided from researching many books (such as the N&W 1st & 2nd Generation Diesel books, diagrams, various internet research sites, and talking to informative people, such as railroaders, ex-railroaders (Ed Durnwald to name just one), hobbyists, historians, etc.
PJ 3-2015
 
All content in this article © Copyright 2015 1-West Productions™/PJ.
1-West Productions™ Series Railroad DVDs- Vintage, Featured Products

NORFOLK SOUTHERN 1980s Ohio Lines Series from 1-West Productions™

NORFOLK SOUTHERN 1980s Ohio Lines Series from 1-West Productions is produced and available for purchase on this website, exclusively from 1-West Productions™.  We have Vintage titles, such as in our NOROFLK SOUTHERN 1980s Ohio Lines™ Series avilable for purchase.  Converted from original color VHS tape, filmed in the 1980s, this Series captures what NS looked like during its early years of the merger.  Most scenes are shown around the Bellevue, OH area, one of NS’s main Terminals of the time.

1wpftrsrsBBBellevue originally was home of the PRR (Sandusky Branch Main that later was purchased by the N&W in the 60s), Nickel Plate (Buffalo and Chicago Mains), Wheeling & Lake Erie (Toledo and Brewster Mains), and the New York Central (Toledo Branch that went to Elyria).  In the 1960s and 70s, Bellevue was the home of just the Penn Central, and N&W, and then just NS in the 1980s to today.

NS was formed in 1982, by the merging of the N&W and Southern Railways, to keep up with the soon-to-be merging of Chessie and Seaboard System, to form CSX in 1986.

This Series shows many fallen flags on freight equipment on NS trains, older facilities, crossovers, track layouts, and switches that have since changed, older signals, some cabooses, older EMD and GE locomotives, caboose and locomotive deadlines, older yard shots, and more.  Not all trains are the same, and the transition of the merger shows as time goes on. This Series is a must-have for collectors and railfans alike.

All DVDs in this Series have part narration, subtitles, disc menus, original sound, and color, original content, approx. 60 mins each, and video to Standard Digital and 4:3 format.

Buy yours today for your collection or library Here.

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1-West Productions™ Series Railroad DVDs- Vintage, Railroad DVD Product Reviews

Railroad DVD Preview: NORFOLK SOUTHERN 1980s, PART 4 & 5, Ohio Lines™ (1-WEST PRODUCTIONS™)

Image of NS 1980s, Ohio Lines Series™, Part 3 & 4 Railroad DVD from 1-West Productions™

We have now available:  NORFOLK SOUTHERN 1980s, PART 4 & 5, Ohio Lines™ (1-WEST PRODUCTIONS™), originally filmed in 1986, in the Ohio area.  This DVD is found in our Featured 1-West Productions™ DVDs Section, under Railroad DVD Categories.  We filmed mostly near Bellevue, one of NS’s main terminals at the time, which today is even more important.  A lot of railroad history comes out of Bellevue.  Originally a Nickel Plate, PRR, New York Central, and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad town,  in 1986, it was now down to just one:  N&W, or NS actually.  Even though the N&W wasn’t absorbed into the NS merger on paper until the 1990s, NS was starting to show their presence in the area.

You could still see a lot of N&W and SOU equipment on their trains, but the NS scheme was slowly taking over- at least on locomotives.  Freight cars wouldn’t carry the NS logo until the 90s.  One could also see older EMD and GE locomotives still working hard on freights arriving and leaving Bellevue.  Let’s not forget all of the now fallen flag railroads seen on freight cars as well.  This was a time of roads like BN, N&W, SOU, ATSF, SP, CR, Chessie-B&O/C&O/WM, WC, D&H, Guilford, ACL, FEC, B&M, and more.  But even older fallen flags were noticed on freight cars during this time:  PC, NYC, PRR, NH, VGN, NKP, WAB, NP, GN, CB&Q, RDG, LV, EL, L&N, SCL, MKT, ROCK, MLW, etc.

CSX was formed by ’87, but their new paint wasn’t seen on the rails until much later.  They were formed in 1986, with the combining of Chessie, Seaboard System, with L&N, ACL, and SCL.  This was also before the 1990s formed Regional RR- the newer Wheeling & Lake Erie.

Add this DVD to your collection today, sit back, and take a trip back in time, the way things use to look in the 80s on American Railroads.  In all-original color and sound, captions on each scene, a short preview with some narration at the beginning, disc menus,  original video transferred to digital DVD, approx. 60 minutes, and 4:3 format.  Produced by P.Jordan and 1-West Productions.

This is just 1 Part in this Series.  Collect all Parts!  This DVD is found in our Featured 1-West Productions™ DVDs Section, under Railroad DVD Categories.

Find Part 3 & 4  Directly Here 

& Check Out The Rest Of The DVDs In This Same Series Here

Keep checking back here on our Blog, for more updates, news, posts, and great information.

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