Well as some of you have already herd this weekend Sept. 8th (Saturday) is Norfolk Southern's / Norfolk & Western's Roanoke Locomotive Shop's 125th anniversary. To Mark this event NS has decided to invite some special quest this year. The N&W 611 (4-8-4) and soon the N&W 1218 (2-6-6-4) have been moved from the Virginia Museum of Transportation and placed on display in the historic locomotive erecting shops. Currently the "Open House" is listed as an employee and friend’s event and not exactly opens to the public, but I've herd that's somewhat loose as employee and guest tickets seem to be available if wanted. Now I also mention the 763 as well that is now owned by Ohio Central this "Burk" has been cleared for movement via special move to Ohio Central and is scheduled to move on Sept. 15th Saturday. It has been talked that the consist might be a single locomotive one of the research heavyweight observation cars and the 763 with an NS Caboose on the end for 763's support crews. Sorry the route taken was not discussed. The reason I mention the 763 with the above Locomotives and the Open house is that Ohio Central was nice enough to bring back all of the 763's "Jewelry" Headlight's number board and other cosmetic parts as the 763 will also be placed on display with the 611 & 1218. In addition to the above mentioned Steamers NS has already requested and will have on display Two historic diesels from the Roanoke Chapter NRHS their N&W Alco T6 number #41, former Chesapeake Western T6 #11. Also the Chapter will be bringing their N&W GP-30 #522, both of the diesels will be running and have been used in switching the displays. A lot of interesting moves have been taken place recently in Roanoke that were thought of not possible before. Could Norfolk Southern becoming more preservation friendly? From what we have herd and see lately locally it seems so from the very top down to the local level. I'll ad more info when I have it but please feel free to ask questions or comment.

Thanks for your time and for reading my Ramblings!

Wick Moorman is a buff? Well, gee, stranger things HAVE happened....

Seriously, it is indeed nice to see that there is a certain amount of support for preservation in Roanoke.

And it should be mentioned that retired NS Chairman David Goode has been a VERY serious supporter (financially and otherwise) of the O. Winston Link Museum. Some still cast him as the Grinch who shut down the NS steam program; the reality is probably more complex, and he certainly did not have to make large financial gifts to the OWL Museum.

There's a model of a Southern Ps-4 behind his desk ;)

I was going through some old issues of the "High Green," the occasional periodical of the Chesapeake Divsion of the Railroad Enthusiasts. One "Wick Moorman," if not THE Wick Moorman was listed as a new member in the early 1980's.

I think Wick would cringe at being called a fan - he is more in the line of the traditional "enthusiasts" of the 1940's and 50's. Several people at NS have told me he wants NS to do more to support the heritage of its predecessors, however he has a few conditions - the efforts must have a serious business plan, they must be sustainable, and the groups must not be involved in inter-group infighting (he mentioned two groups that he was turned off by their squabbles, but I see no value in naming them here). He has a personal interest in passenger cars and may be buying a car or two to supplement the NS business car fleet.