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Downtown in Roanoke, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662

 
 
Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 24, 2021
1. Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662 Marker
Inscription.
Quantity Built: 139
Engine: 4-cycle Model 606 NA
Horsepower: 660
Speed: 60 miles per hour (mph)
Trucks: 4-Wheel
Tractive Effort: 56,500 pounds-force (lbf)
Wheel Diameter: 40 inches
Length: 46 feet
Weight: 120 tons

The Chesapeake Western (CW) Railway was incorporated in 1892. By the mid-1940s, CW operated 53.5 miles in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Known affectionately as the "Crooked and Weedy," the line was purchased by the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Railway in 1954. The tracks of the CW are still used by N&W's successor, Norfolk Southern Corporation.

The 662 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, and placed in service in December of 1946. It was one of three first-generation diesel locomotives that transitioned the Chesapeake Western from steam to diesel power. The 662 was retired in 1964 and moved to a Roanoke scrap yard where it rusted for over forty years as one of the five "Lost Engines of Roanoke." Through various partnerships, the Virginia Museum of Transportation saved each historic engine.
 
Erected by Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars

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. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1946.
 
Location. 37° 16.396′ N, 79° 56.784′ W. Marker is in Roanoke, Virginia. It is in Downtown. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Norfolk Avenue Southwest and 3rd Street Southwest, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 303 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke VA 24016, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Norfolk & Western ALCO RS-3 Diesel Electric #300 (here, next to this marker); Virginia Central Porter Rod Driven Locomotive #3 (a few steps from this marker); Norfolk & Western EMD SD45 #1776 (a few steps from this marker); Depressed Center Flatcar APWX #1002 (a few steps from this marker); Wabash E8A Diesel-Electric #1009 (a few steps from this marker); Virginian GE EL-C Electric Locomotive #135 (a few steps from this marker); Norfolk & Western EMD GP9 #521 (a few steps from this marker); Chesapeake Western ALCO T-6 Diesel-Electric #10 (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke.
 
Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662 Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 24, 2021
2. Chesapeake Western DS-4-4-660 #662 Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 124 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

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Mar. 29, 2024