I was flipping through a book and ran across a color photograph of Virginian Railway Pacific number 212. The caption states that the picture was taken in 1957, and that the engine was going on display at Roanoke with two clerestory passenger cars. The locomotive has clearly just been painted and looks complete and beautiful. My question is, what happened to her? I haven't been able to find any reference to the 212 on the internet, and was curious of its fate.

Thanks in Advance, Taylor

lmcx@eoni.com

As far as I know, 0-8-0 No. 4 is the only extant Virginian Railway steam locomotive, so that Pacific must have been scrapped. I believe some of the large VGN steam lasted into the early 1960s, not being scrapped until its equipment trust had expired. This included the big 2-8-4s and 2-6-6-6s. I'm sure someone more familiar with VGN steam could give you a more exact date on the scrapping of the 4-6-2.

ryarger@rypn.org

VGN steam was retired well before 1960, somewhere around 1957/58 IIRC. All remaining VGN steam, including two 2-6-6-6's at least one 2-8-4, and 4-6-2 212 were dispatched to the scrappers very soon after the merger with N&W,somewhere around Jan/Feb 1960. There were three steam locos in the VGN yard in Roanoke in late 1959, a 2-8-4 and 4-6-2 were displayed around the turntable in the yard, both looking virtually new. The 2-6-6-6 was inside the roundhouse when I last saw the three in November 1959. I believe one of the Alleghenies stored elsewhere was also newly painted. Sad commentary.......

There were three steam locos in the VGN yard
> in Roanoke in late 1959, a 2-8-4 and 4-6-2
> were displayed around the turntable in the
> yard, both looking virtually new. The
> 2-6-6-6 was inside the roundhouse when I
> last saw the three in November 1959. I
> believe one of the Alleghenies stored
> elsewhere was also newly painted.

The freshly painted VGN steam power was on display for the 1959 NRHS convention at Roanoke, as I recall. It did not go for scrap until after the N&W merger; I have heard that VGN was holding the engines for preservation or display.

Railroad Museum of New England
hpincus@mindspring.com

> VGN steam was retired well before 1960,
> somewhere around 1957/58 IIRC. All remaining
> VGN steam, including two 2-6-6-6's at least
> one 2-8-4, and 4-6-2 212 were dispatched to
> the scrappers very soon after the merger
> with N&W,somewhere around Jan/Feb 1960.
> There were three steam locos in the VGN yard
> in Roanoke in late 1959, a 2-8-4 and 4-6-2
> were displayed around the turntable in the
> yard, both looking virtually new. The
> 2-6-6-6 was inside the roundhouse when I
> last saw the three in November 1959. I
> believe one of the Alleghenies stored
> elsewhere was also newly painted. Sad
> commentary.......
VGN Berkshire 507 and Allegheny 901, both in nice paint, showed up at the Dietch Co. scrapyard at Sharpsburg (Pgh. area), PA in early 1960 and were cut up soon after arrival. Pacific 212 did not come here however.

K3PRR@verizon.net