Transform and roll out

As we mentioned some time ago, #763 is leaving us for greener pastures. The date of this move will be Tuesday, July 24th, starting around 10:00 am.

This is shaping up to be an exercise in rolling stock logistics. There are quite a few pieces of equipment stacked behind #763 that will need to be pulled out first before the Berkshire can move. To add some confusion, we'll be moving around several other cars and locomotives, too, as #763's departure will leave a 100' gap in the line. At present we're considering moving more than one locomotive into its place underneath the Claytor Pavilion.

The questions of interpretation and relevance come up. The museum's collection prominently features a lot of rail equipment from Virginia, but there are also some odd balls that never ran here, such as #763. Among these, we have another Nickel Plate engine in the collection that fits that description, along with one of the original motorized mules used on the Panama Canal, and a set of three mining cars used in a mine in New Jersey. While each of these pieces tells a story of its own, we once again have to ascertain their role in Virginia's transportation heritage. Those pieces needing the most care and protection, and which hold the most significant roles in Virginia's rail history are the items that logically should be under cover.

This is likely to be an all-day affair, so if you're going to be in town, you won't want to miss a rare event like a moving steam locomotive on the Norfolk Southern main line. The engine will be pulled east to Norfolk Southern's shops for an inspection. As soon as it has been cleared, it will be pulled out of town to Ohio to be restored to working order. We'll have photos posted from the move to post here, so be sure to check back.

If you're coming to see this take place, we strongly recommend calling the museum first to make sure that the event is a go. Because Norfolk Southern is providing the crew and equipment to make all of this possible, and because it's their main line we'd be occupying for a few hours, if they have other business needs that day, the event may be postponed. Please call the museum at (540) 342-5670 for that information.