Concerning the Norfolk Southern “Heartland Corridor” video on YouTube, which was linked in a TRAINS magazine “News - Wire” article on 9-8-10:
Where was the scene, near the end of the video, with all the people dancing in front of an NS switch engine and boxcar, filmed? It looks like in the glass windows in the background you can see the “Best Friend of Charleston”. I thought NS donated their replica of the Best Friend to the city of Charleston, SC several years ago. There is another full size replica of the Best Friend in the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC; but it is not the one Southern Railway built way back in 1927. The one that became part of Norfolk Southern’s fleet after the 1982 merger with N&W RY. That is the one I thought NS gave to the city of Charleston. Has it been relocated? Or is the video filmed in Charleston? Not sure where / what the building in the video is? Or is there yet a third replica of the Best Friend I was not aware of ?
The SR 1927 creation in on loan and in the lobby of NS’s Atlanta office building at1200 Peachtree Rd. It’s been there a few years. I think it’s waiting for a new home in Charleston. You can get a good look at it from the street. Also in front of the building is a statue of Samuel Spencer and two light poles that were originally in front of Terminal station in Atlanta.
Back on 8/12/ 10 I asked a similar question about the ‘Best Friend’ severalyears ago it was housed in Downtown Charlesto by the ‘Visitor’s Center’ and was on displayed out of its bilding infrequently.
Another prson posted that the NS had taken the Locomotive and caras to doisplay at its Atlanta Corporate Office Builing, named after ‘David R. Goode’ in the Lobby area.
While looking at the Lawmen Video on NS’s Corporate website, I say what you described a large NS Locomotive and in front of that was the Replica’ Best Friend.
There are three full size replicates of the Best Friend. On in Altanta, one in Columbia at the State Museum, and the last one is at South Carolina Railroad Museum in storage to proctect her. The one in Columbia has a V8 engine in the tender under the box. Their are also as many one foot scale replica of her too. I have seen and touch two of these replica so far. They are in Charleston Museum, Branchville Railroad Museum and I not found the third one yet. I have also have picture of the "PHOENIX’ that is in my Southern books collection. She was built never to be turned on Y or tu
There are three full size replicates of the Best Friend. On in Altanta, one in Columbia at the State Museum, and the last one is at South Carolina Railroad Museum in storage to proctect her. The one in Columbia has a V8 engine in the tender under the box. Their are also as many one foot scale replica of her too. I have seen and touch two of these replica so far. They are in Charleston Museum, Branchville Railroad Museum and I not found the third one yet. I have also have picture of the "PHOENIX’ that is in my Southern books collection. She was built never to be turned on Y or turntable. She could be driven both ways.