Portsmouth Va Railroad Museum

elauterbach · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:47 am

I am going to be near the new railroad museum in Portsmouth, Va next week and I am hoping to see the N&W 4-8-0. The museum doesn't seem to have a website, so I am wondering if anyone could give me cross streets or an address so I can find it.
Thanks,
Eric

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:08 am

elauterbach wrote:

I am going to be near the new railroad museum in Portsmouth, Va next week and I am hoping to see the N&W 4-8-0. The museum doesn't seem to have a website, so I am wondering if anyone could give me cross streets or an address so I can find it.
Thanks,
Eric

This is the first time I've heard of this museum. But hey, if you've got a steamer, I'll be willing to visit.

tvrm349 · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:07 pm **Posts:** 32

Railroad Museum of Virginia
611 Nansemond Street
Portsmouth, VA 23707

And their web page:

http://rrmva.org/

Kuyahoora Valley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:15 am

It's hard to find a parking place...the site is jammed in between NTelos Pavilian and the approach to the downtown tunnel. Here's a pic I took with my Blackberry camera in January 2011...restoration of 1134 is pretty impressive considering what they had to work with.

Attachment:

IMG00422.jpg [ 96.52 KiB | Viewed 8394 times ]

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:33 am

Having seen/photographed 1118 back in its old "jungle" location in Roanoke, can I just say "Wow!!!"?

Gary Gray · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 2:32 pm

Interesting coincidence that this topic popped up today. I was at a meeting last night along with Will Harris. During the break, he was regaling us with tales of the trials and tribulations of getting 1134 moved into the not particularly accessible site.

BGRMJames · **Joined:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:32 am **Posts:** 19

The Nansemond address seems to be less than accurate.

Try Wythe st & Wavy St, to get to the area. We went during the weekday, and were able to park in the small lot on Pavilion Dr. I suspect that street parking would be sufficient for a short visit.

RMVA, Portsmouth, VA

There's a lot to see in Portsmouth, if you're interested. Just around the corner from the RMVA is a Norfolk Naval Shipyard outdoor display which is interesting. Wavy St connects the two exhibits.

NNSY, Portsmouth, VA

James

Gary P Bensman · **Posted:** Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:58 pm

I just visited the display Sunday the 27th. It is great to see what they have achieved.
Their website says enter 601 Crawford Street into your GPS. But my GPS wanted me to go to 601 Crawford Parkway. When at that location I re-entered 601 Crawford Street and it took me about 6 blocks south to a municipal parking garage. The display is about 4 blocks south of there at about 1060 Crawford Street. Well done folks!

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

I was active with the TWVRPS group to try to work out saving these engines and keeping attention on the engines was key, several years process.
The deal made was about what we envisioned to happen, and a cooperation between multi-interest is what got the engines out, about the only way it could have happenned.

Siderod parts were made with rail scraps, and some incorrect devices mounted on the engine to represent what was supposed to be there, but the engine is saved. If a future endeavor on the 1134 could be done that remains to be seen.

1118 is at the NRHS if you can swing by there sometime in Roanoke as well as 1151 at the VMT. 1118 is tenderless at the time but they may be working on getting one.
1118 perhaps the best contender of the 3 engines for potential full restoration.

elauterbach · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:10 pm

Thanks for the information and help with finding this engine.
Where is the NRHS in Roanoke? It would be neat to see the other two 4-8-0's?
Thanks,
Eric

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:09 pm

dinwitty wrote:

I was active with the TWVRPS group to try to work out saving these engines and keeping attention on the engines was key, several years process.
The deal made was about what we envisioned to happen, and a cooperation between multi-interest is what got the engines out, about the only way it could have happenned.

Siderod parts were made with rail scraps, and some incorrect devices mounted on the engine to represent what was supposed to be there, but the engine is saved. If a future endeavor on the 1134 could be done that remains to be seen.

1118 is at the NRHS if you can swing by there sometime in Roanoke as well as 1151 at the VMT. 1118 is tenderless at the time but they may be working on getting one.
1118 perhaps the best contender of the 3 engines for potential full restoration.

That would be good. More than just the 475 capable of operation. And was this one of the Roanoke engines from a few years ago?

Gary Gray · **Posted:** Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:28 pm

elauterbach wrote:

Thanks for the information and help with finding this engine.
Where is the NRHS in Roanoke? It would be neat to see the other two 4-8-0's?
Thanks,
Eric

Eric, 1151 is at VMT in as salvaged condition, and on public display, although outside their fence

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2407941

1118 is at our yard at 9th St. A couple of members are working on stabilizing her, and we are in the "scavenger" mode on parts, but our main focus so far has been getting CW Baldwin diesel 662 cosmetically restored for VMT. I expect that we will be focusing more on 1118 next year. More info is at our Mechanical Dept. Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/#!/roanokenrhs

Two-bit tours are available upon request. PM me...........

Afboone · **Posted:** Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:37 pm

The best part, these gals now have a home and a great success story to be told for decades! 2 engines are cleaned up and standing proud on display, 2 are getting the work needed to make them shine! Congrats to all again!

u25b · **Posted:** Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:46 pm

Considering this is a newish museum, it is a great shame that they did not put a cover over this loco right from the start. I guess this loco will be a future subject of one of our regular threads lamenting the deterioration of a once superb restoration.

Wes

Jay611 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 01, 2011 7:26 pm

From the website...

Quote:

Today, both the locomotive and its tender are fully restored and on display for all to enjoy. Included in this display, is an elevated platform, running the entire length of the cars, covered by a canopy structure resembling a late 19th century train station.

They are very short on cash... to my knowledge they haven't began work on the train canopy yet but it will at some point be built from what i've been told. atleast to cover the locomotive.

The location for this museum is a very poor spot... last year... or the year before I forget... we had a tropical storm come in and that whole area was UNDER water. A friend in the area reported the water from the river had reached about 1/4th of the way from the frame to the windows of coaches. Though it didn't last more than a day at that level... its just a sign of what to look forward to in the future...

maybe a museum dedicated to marine railroading would be better suited for there? a nice car float or a former EL tugboat...

Attached is the rollingstock they have... taken in 2006 i think before the engine arrived.