Norfolk and Western Shops in Roanoke, Virginia

[@Stevelikestrains]

Excellent video, It looks as though the turntable is still in very good shape. Someone, PLEASE bring back the steam giants.

[@Davidmwalter]

Thanks for the comment. I want to fly around there again just to get more video of the area. Hopefully in the next few months I will be able to do that.

[@bentrail]

Very nice video David. Like the way you narrate your video. Very smooth on the sticks and great subject. Thanks for sharing.

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you for the comment.

[@Train_Tok_Man]

I seriously hope Norfolk Southern preserves the shops.

[@Davidmwalter]

Yes, hopefully they keep things as it was 50,60, even 70 years ago. Roanoke wouldn’t be what it is today without the railroad.

[@Train_Tok_Man]

@@Davidmwalter Yeah, for real.

[@danbailey96]

I worked there in the mid 70s for N&W as a carpenter and worked on many of the buildings in the east end shops and at Shaffer's crossing ..I actually helped construct the turntable at Shaffer's crossing

[@Davidmwalter]

I'm so sorry I didn't see your reply. That's wonderful that you worked for N&W back in the day. I have a video or two from Shaffer's Crossing. Thats another video I should do too. I got to keep that in mind. Thanks again.

[@tommygrant4968]

Seeing this again it's a very good one!

[@Davidmwalter]

Thanks again Tommy for the comment. I need to put out more videos. I don't know how people do it. It is very time consuming to make a video, but I do like it.

[@wythetrumpet6419]

Great video! Sadly after the N&W and Southern merger, the new NS slowly killed Roanoke. The bulk of the shop work is in Altoona, PA and Atlanta, GA. For the thousands of people that worked in Roanoke it feels like NS abandoned their legacy. Very sad.

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you so much for the comment. I haven't been around in Roanoke for very long, but I have seen some incredible pictures around here. This was an amazing place which had thousands of employees for Norfolk Western in its day. I need to make another video around that particular area again.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Part of the facility is being used by Genesis Rail Services.

[@S_Cooper0404]

Glad they're still there!

[@Davidmwalter]

Yes.. the buildings are still there. I will do another video of this area another time. I am not originally from Roanoke, but I do know that there is a lot of history here in Roanoke for me to explore. I do thank you for the response. I'm still trying to get myself situated on my channel. Just having fun with it.

[@wordcarr8750]

A portion of the original main office building of the Norfolk & Western (N&W) railroad can be seen in this 'live cam' view: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYeWnINre7iIes0 It is the orange brick building (6 stories - viewable) at the far right-hand side of the screen.

[@Davidmwalter]

Yes!!!! I love to look at the east and west web cams from these spots all the time. Trains are always going through that area. Thank you so much.

[@ChainsawNW1218]

ChainsawN&W1218, cool 😎 video, drone footage ot the East End Shops,back in the old days N&W built the some of the finest steam locomotives 🚂 ever,the A Class 2-6-6-4s,Y Class 2-8-8-4s,and J Class 4-8-4s.

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you so much. I wish I could have seen what they did back in those days. Hope to put up another small video of the train yard in Roanoke soon. Thanks again.

[@Greatdome99]

Headquarters building(s) are down the street. No need to guess; there are many good web sites showing what is what.

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you. When I was first out in that area I thought it was their office. I do enjoy flying around that area. There is so much to look at.

[@danbailey96]

They call that east end shops. I worked there in the 70s for N&W in the carpenters shop and worked on all the buildings in Roanoke terminal. It was really interesting to see everything that they used to build there. They have the round house in the east end shops where they built passenger cars ....they still built gondolas there at that time

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you so much for the reply. I always like getting a little history from viewers. Especially if you were there. I only been around the Roanoke area for about 10 years. 😀

[@danbailey96]

Lol I commented on the same video 8 months apart ...I must be getting old...lol

[@justahillbilly7777]

The East End Shops could probably be turned into one of the nation’s greatest preservation hubs should the right organization get ahold of ‘em should Norfolk Southern desire to sell ‘em. Could run a decent business of doing contractual maintenance on steam and diesel locomotives as well as other pieces of rolling stock of various different designs and ages out of ‘em. Could maybe even do work for preservation organizations abroad. That or I’m just dreaming out lou...... Hmm. Dreaming in type I should say.

[@Davidmwalter]

That would be nice if they would open up the shops again.

[@danielargabright5591]

They were actually building coal hoppers there for a few years under a company called freightcar America. But other than that those buildings have been empty all my life. One of the buildings is actually already gone. I don’t know exactly what it did but it stood right next to the interstate and had a huge sign that said Norfolk southern Roanoke shops on it. It was gray and had two very large smokestacks. The whistle for the workers at the East End shops still actually blows every day several times a day. I am not for preserving the buildings personally. Simply because that’s a lot of land right in the middle of a city that could use some employment some company could use that land to put a pretty big facility there. Maybe they could somehow just use the existing buildings. I found it interesting that Norfolk Western Built their own steam locomotives but decided not to build their own diesels. We’re not even able to keep the diesel maintenance shop at Shaffer crossing open. They’ve even closed the marketing headquarters several years ago losing another 500 high-paying jobs. Norfolk southern is pulling out of Roanoke as far as I’m concerned

[@mikebarker9187]

Do the Star and zoo if you havent already.

[@Davidmwalter]

I did one around the star about 2 years ago. I believe I do have some footage from last year. I will see what I can do. 😀

[@mariahhaarstick591]

Beautiful

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank You for the reply.

[@mariahhaarstick591]

@@Davidmwalter your welcome

[@leodavis7524]

Great 😊

[@Davidmwalter]

Thank you so much for the comment. I need to go back there and get some more videos of that area again.

[@NW-gi1cp]

🙂🥲

[@DPImageCapturing]

“…trains still go by here today”, REALLY/! Had no clue with all of the multiple main line trackage and the yards all around!! Had to stop watching this for the blatantly obvious!

[@Davidmwalter]

I am sorry you did not like the video. But I do thank you for your comment. I would like to do more, but this is just a hobby for me and I enjoy posting a video every month or so. Hopefully I have a video or maybe post a video that you might like. I am up for suggestions.

[@mikebarker9187]

DPImage Capturing Does your comment represent your business attitude? DPImage Capturing?