On Dec 15, 2018, at 3:30 PM, Robert Graham <rgraham2@...> wrote:

My guess (emphasize GUESS) is that SOU silverside shown in the slide is not being worked by N&W steam, but is coupled to N&W class M 4-8-0 433 (for some reason) that was restored cosmetically and is displayed on the Virginia Creeper Trail in Abingdon VA. That tender is obviously not one of the N&W S1 or S1a tenders based upon the drop equalizer truck under the tender. The regular N&W late steam-era switchers at Bristol were S1 & S1a 0-8-0's and also likely a class M 4-8-0 or 2 (several were around, including 433 & 376, but none would be that fresh in service in mid-1960). The final N&W steam operated in West VA on the Pocahontas Div in 1960. The SOU silverside gondolas were used in unit train service out of Westmoreland Coal's mines in SW Virginia in and around Appalachia VA & Andover VA (the INT terminal) and were run in service in the general vicinity of Bristol, although not actually through there. I would suspect the car was borrowed by N&W for examination and comparison purposes, as at that time, N&W had just acquired a fleet of former VGN large capacity coal service gondolas and had also owned their own similar cars.

Bob Graham


---- Bill Schafer <bschafer@...> wrote:

They would have been brand new if they were switched by N&W steam. I don’t know the answer, but since the photo was taken in Bristol, the car could have been touched by N&W in the joint N&W-SOU yard or - maybe - N&W borrowed the car for a test. Just guesses.

—Bill

On Dec 15, 2018, at 1:03 PM, D. Scott Chatfield <blindog@...<mailto:blindog@...>> wrote:

Anybody know the story behind this shot? I didn't know the Silversides ever went off-line. That appears to be a switcher's tender it's coupled to. Hmmmm......

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DUPLICATE-SLIDE-Southern-SOU-1147-Gondola-Car-BRAND-NEW-Bristol-VA-1960/372534823381

Scott Chatfield