The Roanoke NRHS have relocated to the former Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal for a new restoration facility in the Norwich suburb

Railfan & Railroad article: https://railfan.com/virginia-rail-histo ... -new-home/

Congratulations to this group on what I think is a very noteworthy achievement. All to often, groups that live on rented or borrowed land for a long time tend to think that it will last forever, only to not be able to survive such a challenge when they are forced to move.

Well done, Roanoke Chapter, in coming out of this in a good place and owning your new spot!

I love the irony of it too: building a restoration facility in a former scrap yard.

Take THAT entropy!

And not just any scrapyard. As far as I can tell, this was the place that held the famous (or infamous) "Lost Engines of Roanoke" for years and years--the last W 2-8-0, at least two 4-8-0s, a tender or two, and the two surviving Chesapeake Western Baldwin diesels.

Curiously, of the two older threads linked below, the "Update" thread is the older.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21048


https://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f ... 2&start=30

Actually, same scrap company, different site. The one with the "lost" engines was just south of the N&W-Virginian crossing known as JK. That area is now part of a big hospital facility.

The property they are moving to was the location for some N&W steam being scrapped, including Class A 1209. The cylinders from the front engine sat on site for many years until the scrap yard closed and was cleaned up. Talk about a yard ornament!