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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Downtown in Roanoke, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Today's Locomotives

 
 
Today's Locomotives Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 24, 2021
1. Today's Locomotives Marker
Inscription.
During the steam era (through 1960), the Norfolk and Western designed much of its own steam power. With the advent of the diesel locomotives a lot of individuality left railroads across the country. It was an early complaint of railroad fans that "they all look alike." While there is some validity about that statement, a wide variety of locomotive designs and models pass this location daily. Generally they come from one of two builders, General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania or the Electro Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors formerly built in LaGrange, Illinois. Despite the wide variety of paint schemes and road names on these units, most are very familiar in design.

The oldest locomotives running today are in switching service in Roanoke yard. Most of these are over 40 years of age, but have been extensively rebuilt. However, on the road, most units were built in the last 15 years. A detailed description and explanation of spotting features would take far more than the space we have allotted here, but some examples are shown below with number series listed. Keep in mind that numbering is occasionally changed by the railroad depending on what new equipment is being purchased.

On today's Norfolk Southern, you may well see a wide variety of railroad names represented on locomotives today, such as Union Pacific, Burlington

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Northern Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific, CSX and others.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars.
 
Location. 37° 16.402′ N, 79° 56.676′ W. Marker is in Roanoke, Virginia. It is in Downtown. Marker is on Norfolk Avenue Southwest, 0.1 miles east of 3rd Street Southwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 145 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke VA 24011, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Warehouse Row (here, next to this marker); Commerce or Second Street Crossing (within shouting distance of this marker); Virginia Museum of Transportation / Norfolk and Western Freight Station (within shouting distance of this marker); Jupiter Missile (within shouting distance of this marker); Roanoke Railway and Electric Company (within shouting distance of this marker); Norfolk & Western Safety Instruction Car #418 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pennsylvania Railroad GE GG1 Electric #4919 (about 400 feet away); Graham-White Manufacturing Company (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke.
 
Today's Locomotives Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 24, 2021
2. Today's Locomotives Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 29, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

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Mar. 28, 2024