Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know

Well with this nice 3 day weekend, my grandparents decided it'd be a nice trip to run down to Roanoke to visit the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and the O Winston Link Museum.We'll be staying in a hotel, and using Saturday and Sunday as the days for activities, utilizing Monday as a leisure drive home.Now, my question to you is:I'm an avid railfan, and I've alot about Shaffer's crossing terminal, and the railyards in Roanoke. Knowing what I know about Norfolk Southern, I don't want to take any chances.What are some good spots for watching the action, and is it possible for me to get closer to the action around the engine terminal?
Is there any way I could get permission to be allowed on NS property?? I'd also like to see the dead scrap lines if at all possible.
Any other sites that a railroader might be interested in?
And finally, since I'm clueless as to NS, could someone tell me which lines come into Roanoke, a list of freight trains I might see (I know NS uses a number/letter combo, ex. "45T".)Is there anything special I'm not aware of visiting Roanoke this weekend, like a special peice of motive power (Like that SOU painted GP59?)?Give me any info you think would be valueable. Thanks a bunch-Jeffrey

Courteous Future Engineer
NKP 2-8-4 #765. www.765.org
Chessie System Historical Society. http://moosevalley.org/cshs/
My Website; www.xanga.com/csxd765
THE RAMONES
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RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, ATF1224, Feb-15-05, 10:26 PM, (1) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, NW_611, Feb-16-05, 00:09 AM, (2) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, ATF1224, Feb-17-05, 01:49 PM, (3) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, FURX, Feb-17-05, 05:08 PM, (4) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, ATF1224, Feb-17-05, 08:53 PM, (5) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, FURX, Feb-18-05, 08:56 PM, (6) RE: Goin To Roanoke: Questions For those Who Know, jay611, Feb-18-05, 09:22 PM, (7)

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Roanoke is a big place...NS does not allow anyone on the property, they are very strict about that.As for railfanning spots.... The sunny side of the tracks is the south side, pretty much all day long. One good spot is right behind the Trasportation museum, there is a small paved area between the museum fence and the propane tanks, this is the only place that is not fenced now. As long as you don't go past the No Trespassing sign, you should be ok. There is also a bridge (with sidewalks) that crosses over the hump yard, it's a pretty good spot.There is a road that runs along the south side of the East End Shops where you parallel the "moat" and the old N&W line. There is a small area between the road and the moat towards the east end of the shops where you can park and get fairly good shots. Last time I was there, they had some scrap units parked along the track there that you could shoot.I don't hang out on the west end of the yard too much, so I can't really tell you any good photo spots out there.South Yard is pretty much wide-open, and it's easy to shoot the power there, but it is NS property, so be careful.Shaffers Crossing is a difficult place to get photos at, you could go up on top of the hill somewhere behind the tower and shoot down into it, but you would either be on NS proprty or someone else's, so do so at your own risk.**Roanoke is crawling with NSPD Agents, they drive both marked and unmarked vehicles. It's helpful to listen to 161.205 so you can try to keep up with what they are doing.As for trains, so much moves in and out of Roanoke it's very hard to keep track of them all. There is no one place you can go to see everything. Typically, the east end is busy in the morning and the west end is busy in the afternoon. Trains 184/185 usually carry foreign power, as does 274. Train 128 from Linwood (comes into Park Street Yard from the east) usually has 7-15 units, all the broken down stuff from the Piedmont Division. Even-numbered trains are Eastbound, Odds are Westbound.Radio Frequencies you'll need:161.250 - NW1 (Roanoke Dispatcher)
161.190 - NW2
160.440 - NW3 (Shenandoah Dispatcher)
161.205 - NSPDHelpful Signals:JK - Diamond at East end of South Yard
WB - West end of Roanoke Yard
Furnace Crossing - Crossing at the east end of the East End Shops
Commerce - DowntownHope this helps!

Jake Mensel

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Jake's information is probably the best you'll get. If you want to watch roll-throughs without any hassle from the NSR PD, you've got the option of watching from VMT property or from the OWLM property. The former is great for "being there" as a train rolls by; you're at track level and you hear everything. Plus, nobody gets bent out of shape if you have a video camera out. What few runbys I've gotten of NSR coal trains have been shot while standing near the GG1 and up against that fence. Sooner or later, I'm going to kill myself sprinting from around N&W 1135 to get back out to a viewing location. Tee hee.The latter is great for watching things from an elevated perspective; I heartily recommend the gift shop. You get giant windows overlooking the line, and there's no way the NSR people will get you. When I was there, I kept hearing the sound of trains etc., and thought it must have been recordings played for "atmosphere". No, it was an MOW train rolling through (complete with SOU-lettered 2-bay hoppers) and you could hear the thing sort of distantly. Definitely relaxing. I also got to see a couple of ex-passenger cars parked off to one side, but without binoculars, I couldn't tell much.An additionally great thing to do is walk from VMT to OWLM. There's a concrete footpath that has a stylized N&W map on it along the way, and you get really close to passing trains. There are benches and awnings to sit under, so it's really quite nice. I ran into an old gent who was simply watching what his former employer was up to from there, and had a pleasant bit of conversation out of it. Good luck!

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Norfolk & Western’s Radford Division, Pulaski District: Who needs the Marias Pass?

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I should also add...The Locations of the "Dead Lines" are:1) East End shops, along the "moat".
2) East End shops, along the shenandoah line behind the shops
3) Shaffers Crossing, around the turntable
4) South Yard, tracks bordering the river. Cycle Systems stored units there recently prior to them being scrapped. Not sure if there is anything there. If anything, there will be EBBX C39-8's rotting in various locations around Roanoke.Cycle Systems is located near the intersection of Wonju Street and Franklin Ave. They have a low nose GP30, High Nose NS GP30, and until recently they had a chessie GP of some type, not sure if it has been cut up yet. They also have another location in the southeast quadrant of the diamonds at JK. Walking along the Winston line south from JK, there are two old baldwin switchers and several old steam locomotives rusting away. These are behind Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal.If I could make it up this weekend I would offer to show you around, unfortunately I have to work.

Jake Mensel

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I take it Cycle Systems is not a direct affiliate of NS?Would it be possible that Cycle System allow me on their property?-Jeffrey

Courteous Future Engineer
NKP 2-8-4 #765. www.765.org
Chessie System Historical Society. http://moosevalley.org/cshs/
My Website; www.xanga.com/csxd765
THE RAMONES
GABBA GABBA HEY

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They might, but there really isn't anything to see there. As far as I know their office as at the Franklin Ave facility.

Jake Mensel

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Good news!Made an appointment with ARE for Monday morning, and with 3 chime horns @ $300 a pop, I'm comming home with one. After seeing Ebay, $300 is a snap.-Jeffrey

Courteous Future Engineer
NKP 2-8-4 #765. www.765.org
Chessie System Historical Society. http://moosevalley.org/cshs/
My Website; www.xanga.com/csxd765
THE RAMONES
GABBA GABBA HEY

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You might get a kick out of these....http://lostengines.railfan.net/Jason Underwood
Newport News, Virginia

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