-- Railfanning in Roanoke -------------------------------------------

Following is a quick overview of railfanning in Roanoke.  It may be a 
bit sketchy, as I've only been railfanning in the area for about eight 
months or so.  

GETTING THERE:  From I-81, take interstate I-581 in to Roanoke.  Get 
off at (I think) on Williamson Road going south.  Off Williamson Road 
turn right onto Shenandoah.  On your immediate left will be the N&W 
passenger station.  

DOWNTOWN:  At the base of the hill next to the passenger station is a 
pedestrian crossing gate.  This is an excellent place to watch trains 
go by through town.  Across the tracks is Roanoke Rails, a train shop 
with a variety of scales and lots of N&W and NS.  To the east are:
 
   + the powerplant
   + storage for NS business cars
   + East End Shops where the N&W steam engines were built and where 
     now NS performs light diesel repair
   + passenger car roundhouse
   + maintenance shops now doing rebuilds of hopper cars

SCHAEFER'S CROSSING:  Take Shenandoah west.  You will pass across the 
tracks from the the Roanoke Transportation Museum (more later) and the 
east yard.  Turn left onto 24th Street and almost immediately on your 
left will be the entrance to Scaefer's Crossing.  As far as "visiting" 
the NS property, I've never had any problem going under the bridge 
(the one on NS property, not the one that 24th Street goes under), 
turning left and parking in visitor parking past the engine shops.  I 
don't recommend crossing any tracks, as there is a lot of activity, 
and therefore a lot of NS personnel.

The visitor parking is in front of the transfer table which supports 
the engine shops.  The turntable is on the other side of the shops; 
the 611 and 1218 frequently reside here when they are in town.   The 
roundhouse was taken out several years ago.  West of the turntable are 
sanding and fueling areas.  As this is a transfer point for NS, there 
are usually dozens of engines around here.

Going back out and taking 24th Street under the yard, then turn left 
onto Salem Avenue and left again onto 19th Street.  Going to the end and 
through a gate will take you to the yard tower.  At the end is the new 
brick yard building (not yet operational).  The parking lot here is a 
good place to watch the hump yard in action.  

ROANOKE TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM: Signs from I-581 will also direct you 
to the Roanoke Transportation Museum.  The old museum flooded a few 
years back.  The new museum is in the old N&W freight station.  They 
have a reasonable engine collection (including a Pennsy GG1); however, 
much of the rest of the museum is somewhat incomplete as not 
everything is back together again.  Admission is $2-3.  

DISPATCHER'S OFFICE: Roanoke is the home of the Virginia Division 
Dispatcher's office.  I'm not sure of the address, but I believe it is 
555 Shenandoah (the other side of I-581 from the N&W passenger 
station).  This is an all-computerized facility with a 180 degree 
wrap-around projection TV system controlling almost all of NS in 
Virginia, plus some of Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia.  
The center has only been operational for a few months.  Our group (the 
Railroad Association of Virginia Tech) was given a tour of the 
facility and was quite impressed.  They would most likely be willing 
to give a tour of the facility if asked. 


There is a great deal of railroad activity in Roanoke and much of 
southwestern Virginia.  The above is a summary of the parts of Roanoke 
I have seen.  There is apparently another yard west of Schaefer's 
Crossing which I have not visited, plus more yards along the lines 
south out of town.  I recommend purchasing a Roanoke map and seeing 
where the rails go through town; there is likely to be something 
interesting on any of them.

DISCLAIMER:  This is as complete and accurate as I can manage.  
However, I have been known to mix up left and right on occasion.  
Please address any corrections to 72137,2436.  For your own safety, I 
in no way recommend trespassing on railway property.