The David R. and Susan S. Goode Railwalk

The David R. and Susan S. Goode Railwalk. . , Welcome to Roanoke's David R. and Susan S. Goode Railwalk. You are at the present western end of the walk which travels to the east past the Amtrak passenger rail platform and alongside of Norfolk Avenue. The walk is named in honor of retired Norfolk Southern Chairman, David Goode, and wife Susan, who were both an important part of the Roanoke community for many years., The Railwalk, first begun in the 1990s, showcases Roanoke's rail history. People will find the walk less than quiet, but a pleasant experience with lots to see and do. There are a number of informational plaques like this one explaining various aspects of local history related to the railroad with many vintage photos and maps., The western end of Railwalk is presently here at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which features rail exhibits and other transportation artifacts. The Museum, the Commonwealth of Virginia's official transportation museum features many full-size historic locomotives and cars and is an easy way to spend an afternoon., take some time, walk the Railwalk, see a few trains, and enjoy the ride with the history of Roanoke and its railroads., [Captions:] , Right: A View of part of the Railwalk, looking west from Jefferson Street and Norfolk Avenue. to the west, the green roof structure is the Amtrak station for Roanoke. One of the plaque displays with the locomotive driving wheel is at right., Below: the Market Square bridge crosses the tracks connecting the Hotel Roanoke with the Roanoke City Market area. The bridge has a viewing area for watching trains., Above: Overlooking Norfolk Avenue from the Williamson Road bridge, looking west towards the throat of the Roanoke Yard. Visible in the background are the former Norfolk and Western General Office Buildings., Right: Photographer Samuel Phillips gives us a great overview of a double-stack train pulling into Roanoke. The green roof at right is the covering for the Amtrak Station platform., A gate and flashing lights warn motorists that a train is coming. Safety around the railroad and particularly at grade crossings is of first importance., Above: You can see many trains along the Railwalk. This area is the throat of the Roanoke Yard of today's Norfolk Southern and most rail traffic through Roanoke will pass through this area. This is an eastbound grain train, soon to arrive in Roanoke., Right: Coal is still an important commodity carried through Roanoke. Many years ago, it was advertised as "coal by wire" referring to burning coal as power plant fuel generating electricity. Today, most coal you see going through Roanoke is bound for power plants in the Northeast or North Carolina.