Went to the Roanoke Transportation Museum today. My first visit in probably 20 years. If you are a rail fan that doesn’t have many opportunities to see the real thing it is well worth the visit. i grew up in Wytheville Va only two blocks from the RR an remember the 50’s when steam pulled the trains from Western VA through there.
I lived in Roanoke, VA until about 3 years ago. They have done magnificent things with the Virginia Transportation Museum. But, when you visit Roanoke, don’t forget to visit the O. Winston Link Museum which is just across the tracks and down the hill from the Hotel Roanoke. They have a lot of his photos and equipment. I remember several years ago when Mr. Link “requested” that #1218 the N&W class A be taken out of the museum for a photo shoot. Needless to say he was not refused. There was a picture of Mr. Link on the pilot end of the locomotive WITH “fake” smoke coming out of the stack. It made the front page of the Roanoke Times.