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Manned helpers still labor on Norfolk Southern’s Pocahontas Division
I love your new website it is a big improvement
Great photos, Chase!
Hank Kraichely from MISSOURI
Great photo work, love seeing those 3&4 loco lash-ups!
Hey, great job. I grew up in that area and still have family there. Thanks for the memories. Chuck, now living in Arizona.
Brings back memories. I grew up in Bluefield. I always wanted to work on the railroad. Great pictures. Thanks
Great pic I grew up near Southern/Norfolk Southern railway in Illinois, I would always notive the hooded SD40’s pulling there freight. I would also notice an SD40 near the middle of the train with a boxcar that had th NS/Southern emblem on it. What was the purpose of that car next to the engine, I also noticed it located near front of train with certain loads being hauled. This is a question I’ve been trying to get answered for about 45 years lol.
Roderick McCottrell the boxcar next to the mid-train engine housed the radio equipment used to control the mid-train helper. This was an early version of the radio-controlled mid-train helper. A lot of times the boxcar would be sandwiched between two engines. I worked for N&W/NS for 32 years and remember seeing them early in my career. Thanks for bringing back the memory!
Steve,
Thank you for the 411 on that car next to the engine, It was so cool to see and hear in those years I was growing up. I knew the train was coming to a end when we were stopped at the railroad crossing and you saw that mid-train helper pass by. On those hot summer nights I could hear that mid-train helper kick in and activate and assist the train in getting up the big incline near my home. Now I see what has replaced it. Again Steve thanks for the information!!!