Charles Town, WV: 1914-2012 N&W Depot

(Satellite, Joseph's URL)

The B&O depot was near the downtown.

Joseph Topping posted

The Charles Town, W. Va., Norfolk & Western station during peak operations, likely between 1915 and 1920.

https://blog.coltex.net/charles-town-norfolk-western.../

https://maps.app.goo.gl/nD4iLi3BRM3rCdrz5

Jim Kelling: Visited on the 2012 RRSHS tour, the station was demolished a few years later.

[Actually, it was torn down in 2012.]

Joseph commented on Jim's comment
Here is the station being demolished.

1955/57 Middleway and 1953/53 Charles Town Quads @ 24,000 via Dennis DeBruler

Portsmouth, OH: Wheeling Steel and N&W Railyard, 2 Roundhouses & Backshops

Steel: (Satellite, actually, it was in New Boston in the triangle between US-52, the tracks and West Ave.)

Roundhouse East: (Satellite)

Roundhouse West: (Satellite)

Jeremy Lydon posted
Wheeling Steel Corporation-Portsmouth Plant-Rod and Nail Mills (Dr. Raymond Boothe Collection).

I started with a topo map, that is when I found the roundhouse.

1930/40 Greenup Quad @ 62,500

But I didn't see a lot of industrial action, so I go an aerial photo. That is when I noticed that there used to be two roundhouses. The buildings in the photos match the empty triangle in the topo map. And they are now all gone. I wonder what the industry was east of Grace Street. Three buildings are still standing, and they are doing steel work.

Apr 23, 1947 @ 24,000; AR1DE0000050168

We can still see some remnants of the northern part of the eastern roundhouse. The western roundhouse has been completely replaced with access tracks to the old backshops. The backshops are now owned by Velocity Rail Solutions. I included the bend in the eastbound US-52 road because that helped locate the roundhouses.

Satellite

These three buildings are in the aerial photo.

Satellite

Norfolk Southern has retained a lot of the tracks in the railyard.

Shenandoah, VA: NS/N&W Depot, Railyard, Roundhouse and Machine Shop

Depot: (Satellite)

Railyard: (Satellite)

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

My first surprise was that NS is still using the depot. My second surprise is that they are doing maintenance on the building. It looks like there are at least six locomotives on a train.

Street View, could not find the date

This shows that all of the above locomotives may not be on a train. Some may be parked in the railyard.

Barry Trogu posted three photos with the comment:

Shenandoah, VA station on the Shenandoah Valley mainline in September 1998.

GE U23B #3946, a former Southern Rwy unit & high nose SD40-2 #3269 sit at the Shenandoah station in September 1998.

Another view of the Shenandoah station on rainy day in August 1984.

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In fact, three locomotives are parked in the railyard.

Street View

Another surprise is that tracks have been added to the railyard.

1937/47 Elkton Quad @ 62,500

That was such a surprise, that I got a newer map.

1965 Elkton West and East Quads @ 24,000

The 1937 topo map taught me to look for remnants of the roundhouse. We can even see some of the turntable retainer wall. I wonder why the center stalls are overgrown so much, but not the end stalls.

Satellite

Jim Allen posted
More from the long gone N&W Shenandoah Shops and yard. Shenandoah VA.   Notice the massive air handlers on the roof.

Jim Allen posted
N&W railway mid-fifties Shenandoah VA Machine Shop interior photo.  You can zoom way in on this one.  I did have to pay for this image.
Jim Allen shared
I purchased this image by making a donation to the Norfolk and Western Historical Society. This machine shop building appeared to be attached to the left side of the roundhouse.  Notice the floor appears to be dirt. The walls are painted brick for better lighting I assume. This is the same thing that I did in my ho roundhouse.

Eric Stauch: a dirt floor would make sense: machine oil spillings easier to clean up.

Dennis DeBruler: Eric Stauch I heard that a dirt floor was used so that if a heavy part was dropped, neither the part nor the floor would be damaged. The CB&Q roundhouse in Aurora, IL, had concrete floors except for the back room that had forging equipment.

Eric Stauch: good point! TWO good reasons for a dirt floor! I think we're BOTH right!

Richard Heinicke: Dennis DeBruler when i worked for CSX as a Blacksmith in GrandRapids Mich - my floor was all dirt-- except for a place that hi-lows were suppose to drive through to get parts- like couplers i had to straighten and hand grabs i had to made that were to hot to handel

Richard Shulby commented on Jim's share
The 2nd roundhouse in that location was built for the N&W in 1916, replacing a c1881 roundhouse for the Shenandoah Valley RR in that location. The N&W roundhouse originally had 18 stalls, reduced to 11 by 1957, and razed within a year after that. Attached is a 1919 photo showing the new 115' turntable, photographer unknown, Roanoke Public Libraries collection..

Jim Allen posted
More from Shenandoah VA.

Jim Allen posted
More images of N&Ws Shenandoah VA roundhouse. this time a rare inside photo. This is an early photo as it still has the original 90ft turntable with steel girder.

Jim Allen posted
More from the Shenandoah VA.  Roundhouse and Shops. I am guessing this photo is 100 years old as the roundhouse has the older roof. You can drill down into this image.  What is the little white building, a caboose shack?

Jim Allen posted
Apparently, the shops were dismantled and rebuilt in Ashville West Va. There is no mistaking the huge air handlers on the roof tops in either state.

Comments on Jim's post (URL)

Jim Allen posted
Can someone tell what the fairly large pipes are either coming or going from the roundhouse? One school of thought is for air? Thanks! Mid to late 1950s N&Ws Shenandoah Roundhouse, shops, and yard. Jeff Hill: I would think it was an air line. Doesn't look insulated and when a steam line is in a pipe rack, it has to have a sliding shoe welded to the pipe for expansion and steam hammering.

Boyce, VA: Museum/N&W Depot

(Satellite)

RE Pearce posted two photos with the comment:

The new Norfolk and Western Railway station in Boyce Virginia was constructed in 1913 by John P. Pettyjohn & Co. of Lynchburg, Virginia. Described as a "magnificent station of latest design and material," the 11-room brick building featured spacious grounds, electric lighting, and water facilities. It served as a grand public gathering place, portal for travel and commerce, and an icon for the town of about 350 residents at the time.  In recent years, efforts to restore and repurpose the depot have gained momentum. By the time this photo was taken 2003, it had passed to new owners focused on preservation.

Randall Hampton shared

Mark Cross: So, has anything been done in the past 22 years regarding preservation?

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Dennis DeBruler commented on Mark's comment
Yes, https://maps.app.goo.gl/3buSHrTtFtMBcn7J9. It is now the home of the Railway Mail Service Library Foundation, https://railwaymail.org/.

I.E. Xam commented on RE's post
I took this in 2012.

Copley, OH: Moved/N&W/Akron Canton & Youngstown Depot

Original: (Satellite)

Current: (Satellite)

Street View, May 2024

Roger Smith posted four photos with the comment:

1891 Pittsburgh Akron & Western/Akron Canton & Youngstown/NKP/N&W depot. This was transplanted about a half mile from its original location. The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway runs the rails today. Copley, OH

1947 International Railway caboose.

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Dennis DeBruler commented on Roger's post

Original: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zo2qZ7EAp5etcsVb7

Current: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7GSjc49xis4iAtU9

1952 aerial photo [AR1PH0000060071]

Columbus, OH: Joyce Ave. Tower: Pennsy vs. N&W and N&W Grogan Yard and Roundhouse

Tower: (Satellite, N&W is long gone. Image 3 below allowed me to confirm the location on the aerial photo.)

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Railyard: (Satellite, all of that scrubby tree land.)

Darren Reynolds posted four images with the comment: "Conrails (Ex-PRR & N&W)

"Joyce Ave." Tower 

Columbus, Ohio"

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The track diagram answers a question I have had for several years: who owned this roundhouse. It appears it was a N&W roundhouse and the name of the railyard to the east was Grogan.

Mar 1, 1953 @ 18,000; AR1XM0000010201

The railyard was quite extensive.

Mar 1, 1953 @ 18,000; AR1XM0000010201

Did N&W passenger trains go through Joyce Ave Junction to access the Union Station, or did N&W have their own depot?

Mullens, WV: Virginian Railyard and Electric Shop

(Satellite, not only is the backshop and yard gone, so is the mainline.)

Richard Jahn posted
Virginian at their main electric shop in Mullens, WV. Unknown photographer.

David A Prasse: Just look at all that Black/Yellow Fairbanks Morse goodness!

Dave Beach: Probably during the July miner’s holiday. What a great shot.

Maurice King commented on Richard's post
Those VGN EL-2Bs were so cool

I first got a 1967 topo map, but the railroads were labelled N&W. Then I remembered that N&W bought the Virginian, so I got this older map.

1923/27 Mullens Quad @ 62,500

I include the newer topo because it shows that the railyard was extensively expanded.

1967/71 Mullens Quad @ 24,000

Iaeger, WV, 1956 N&W Coaling Tower and Auville Yard

(Satellite)

Street View, Jul 2023

I saved a satellite image because it has a dramatic shadow.

Satellite

According to a satellite image, NS has retained all of the yard tracks.

1964/65 Iaeger Quad @ 24,000

Bristol, VA: NS/N&W Roundhouse & Railyard and 1902 Union Depot (N&W+Southern )

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Railyard: (Satellite)

Union Depot: (Satellite)

John Blotnick posted
Bristol, Virginia, at north end of NS yard

Dennis DeBruler commented on John's post
Formerly, a N&W route. It is worth noting that the railyard still has all of its classification tracks. 1934/34 Bristol Quad @ 24,000

Street View, Apr 2019

Jamie Leigh Davis posted
Track diagram of Bristol yard at Bristol Virginia from my time with NS.
This line is between Knoxville and Roanoke. The alignment predates the Civil War. Bristol used to have two rail yards ( Southern / VSW ) and NW. The Southern yard had a heavy steam repair shop with turntable that is now an asphalt plant on the old VSW line. The main yard ( pictured ) hasn't changed drastically. This yard was connected to the VSW yard with two wye tracks. One on the NW end and another on the Southern / VSW end. The VSW end ran to Gate City through Hiltons ( of Johnny Cash fame ). Also, the NW yard had a steam shop complex that is now called Old 99. The old shop is privately owned now.

N&W+Southern Depot

Gary Miller posted two photos with the comment: "Bristol, VA depot. Blt in 1902 & used by the N&W and Southern RR."

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John Smith commented on Gary's post
Bristol station at dusk, summer 2006

Street side view:

Street View, May 2024

While trying to find a more readable view, I discovered that this sign was added after Jun 2018.

Street View, Dec 2023

Fortunately, I found a photo of the sign.

GW Tolley, Dec 2024

This map made it easy to find the depot after John's comment indicated that it is probably still extant.

1959/62 Bristol Quad @ 24,000

The building has two event spaces. [BristolTrainStation]

Kegley Hall is the original waiting room.

J Dean Brock, Aug 2024

J Dean Brock, Aug 2024

And this would be the Engineers Quarters.

Danielle Ostrander-Bratton, Dec 2021

And the town still has some railroad action. Note the second train in the left background.

Kevin T. Akers, Aug 2025