Roanoke:Developer brings new life to OLD VA Transport Museum

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1087

Some good news from WDBJ7 television Reporter Nadine Maeser:

Developer brings new life to old transportation museum (Mar 12, 2015)

Quote:

After sitting vacant for 30 years, Roanoke's OLD Virginia Museum of Transportation is getting a second run. A local developer is pumping $300,000 into the old transportation museum. Developer John Anstey said construction crews are expected to finish the project in about 90 days.

Kevin Gilliam · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:28 pm **Posts:** 292

Nice to see positive progress anywhere, but one thing to keep in mind is that is the old location of the museum that was abandoned after the 1985 flood. Basically nothing to do with the Virginia Museum of Transportation these days.
Kevin

p51 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:28 pm

I couldn;t get the video to open, what is the plan for this location? Saw a photo of the depot building, it never occured to me it was still standing.
I went there once, as a kid, in 1981. Glad I did as of course it didn't stay that way for very long afterward.

Heavenrich · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:07 am **Posts:** 630

For those who couldn't get the linked article to open, it's going to be a resturant and/ or shop....

One key quote

"The former museum has sat vacant since 1985 when flooding destroyed parts of Roanoke.

Fortunately, the building made it through with very little structural damage.

Three decades later, Antsey and other small business owners are using their time and money to give it a second chance.

"My hope is that we would never have another flood like that again,” said Batson. “There is a little fear in the back of my head, but I think we're going to be okay"

Bob H

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:56 pm

At the Wasena Park location (8th St. at Wiley Dr SW) I also see a disused but intact 3 mile line that has "museum train/trolley ride" written all over it. Maybe VMT could get into actual operations, would give them something to charge admissions for other than 1218/611.

p51 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:37 pm

robertmacdowell wrote:

At the Wasena Park location (8th St. at Wiley Dr SW) I also see a disused but intact 3 mile line that has "museum train/trolley ride" written all over it. Maybe VMT could get into actual operations, would give them something to charge admissions for other than 1218/611.

Are you refering to the belt line? I know it at least used to run right past that 'depot' building. Jim Wrinn's book on the NS program shows a ET&WNC locomotive hauling a trip right past there. No idea if that's an active line anymore...

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Sat Mar 14, 2015 1:02 am

p51 wrote:

robertmacdowell wrote:

At the Wasena Park location (8th St. at Wiley Dr SW) I also see a disused but intact 3 mile line that has "museum train/trolley ride" written all over it. Maybe VMT could get into actual operations, would give them something to charge admissions for other than 1218/611.

Are you refering to the belt line? I know it at least used to run right past that 'depot' building. Jim Wrinn's book on the NS program shows a ET&WNC locomotive hauling a trip right past there. No idea if that's an active line anymore...

I don't know what it's called, I just see it on Google Earth. It looks like a throwback to when there were two competing railroads hugging the river on the west side of town.