Here are some photos from what is now the huckleberry trail from blacksburg to christianburg, va. Can someone identify the type and give some info?
the bottom and possibly the top are 2-6-2 camelbacks its difficult to distinguish, the midle engine looks to be consolidations (2-8-0).
The middle photo is a tripleheader on the Blacksburg branch. They are all Class M 4-8-0’s. The lead engine is 475, still in operation on the Strasburg RR, although restored to its original appearance. The other two are 408 and 445. The occasion was the NRHS convention, photo date 9/5/57.
The “Camelback” 2-6-2 of the Virginia Anthracite Coal & Ry. Company was built by Richmond in 1902. This is the name of the railroad that initially built the line between between Christiansburg and Blacksburg, primarily to tap the anthracite coal mines at Merrimac, VA (about halfway between Christiansburg and Blacksburg / generally behind where the Montgomery County Hospital is now located). This locomotive, with a Wooten firebox, was #2 (I don’t find a listing of what they had for a #1, or even if they had one). With that big firebox, they could burn the coal mined on-line. This 9-mile line went into receivership and was taken over by the N&W Ry in 1912. The Camelback became N&W’s second #91.
(Source: Norfolk & Western Ry. by Richard Prince).
The 4-8-0 type was rather commonly used on the Blacksburg branch in later years.
I have an original stock certificate for the Virginia Anthracite Coal & Ry. Company, framed and hanging above the roundhouse on my HO line.
Bill (VPI class of '74)