Did Southern get split up like Conrail did, between CSX and NS, or did it merge with one company in particular?
Trying to figure out if the areas I want to model would have seen any of the ex-Southern engines during the transition period and the times immediately following. I think the trackage I’m basing my layout on would’ve only seen Seaboard and Chessie locos before CSX obtained the track, no Southern heritage stuff.
Norfolk & Western + Southern = Norfolk Southern
Some former Southern engines went to the Wheeling & Lake Erie. Several of the high-hood units still had Southern “tuxedo” paint, but with W&LE lettering on the long hood.
I don’t recall seeing any ex-Southern units on the former N&W lines here in Pittsburgh.
Norfork & Western merge with the Southern with Southern being the stronger of the two, but can you realty puture it , being called Southern Norfork & Western, Norfork Western & Southern, and I don’t remember which, but one of them already owned a small short line called Norfork Southern, which was absorded into the main system and the main system took it name, somewhere on my layout ( which I havn’t been too in over three or four year, I just came out one day shut the door and havn’t been back ) is a engine painted and lettered for the original NS., silver body , black lettering.
You should try going back… could be like opening King Tut’s tomb. [8D]
One of the major reasons for the merger was that Norfolk Western had more coal, Southern had more coal customers. The merger made sense, but loyal Southern fans curse Norfolk Western to this day. If you would tell us what area you’re modeling, maybe someone could help answer the question about what railroad you might expect to see. By the way, it is my understanding that the old Norfolk Souther was purchased outright by the Southern sometime in the 60’s.
The original Norfolk Southern was an independent railroad until 1974 when the Southern Railway acquired it.
The original Norfolk Southern was a small Class 1 road known for its roster of AS416’s that were mostly replaced by GP18’s. When it was acquired by SR, the GP18’s and GP38’s were all rebuilt with high short hoods. The corporate shell of NS continued to exist under SR ownership and was later merged into Carolina & Northwestern, another SR subsidiary.