O Winston Link Sounds of Steam Railroading

[@PaulsDMVRailroadsandAviation]

Track listing for anyone who wants it: Side A: 0:00 - 1. Manifest train through Lithia, VA 2:48 - 2. Empty coal train meets “The Cavalier” at Montgomery Tunnel near Christiansburg, VA 7:08 - 3. N&W Y6 switching at Waynesboro, VA Side B: 17:24 - 1. Boarding announcements at Roanoke, VA, station 18:56 - 2. Train 2 stops at Luray, VA 24:24 - 3. Manifest train through crossings in Luray, VA 29:43 - 4. “The Pocahontas” at speed through Montgomery Tunnel 30:37 - 5. Manifest train through Vesuvius, VA, with ambiance 34:38 - 6. Passenger train through Vesuvius, VA, with ambiance

[@b3j8]

I love how Link never edited out the other everyday sounds on these recordings! I have all of his releases, and cherish every one!

[@roaenokesyzlak7828]

This is because he wanted to capture the vanishing way of life along the railroads. But yes, raw audio, real audio, of real moments in time.

[@charonsferryold]

He would often specifically ask locals to do things that would add flavor to his photos and recordings in the background, such as the church bells in the famous recording at Rural Retreat

[@mesenteria]

Stupendous! The children playing and speaking with their mother was priceless.

[@Buynot]

That lone whistle at 25:10 gives me chills. It's so haunting. I love it!

[@AlexTrain5249]

0:03 Imagine hearing that first sound in the middle of the night echoing through the valley and through the trees when you’re walking along some railroad line you found when hiking on a cold snowy night. Then you see a faint yellowish light appear on the tracks and then at 1:06 that SHRIEKING hooter pierces your ears and the storming fiery breath of that Y Class' announces its intangible presence as it surges towards you into the night.

[@lnproductions3227]

That would scare the crap out of me!

[@SmithConductor]

Horrifying but beautiful at the same time

[@delpproductions611]

It Sounds Like a Lady Screaming

[@SouthernMaineFoamer]

You’d either be dead or filled with a less scary version of PTSD

[@struck2soon]

Fantastic upload, thanks for taking the time to add the description at the appropriate time marks. Wonderful sounds, highly nostalgic.

[@JoelBassett]

I wore this record out as a child. Loved side 2, especially the freight passing Luray. Strange thing is the famous award winning Luray rail crossing shot of Y6 2120 was taken on March 23 1956, yet the recording has those beautiful soft summer cricket sounds in the background. Details are hard to find but I suspect that Link recorded the side 2 Luray locations in August 1956 around the time he took the famous Hawksbill Creek night photos. That would explain the crickets.

[@b3j8]

I read in an article on Link that he literally recorded thousands of feet of reel to reel tape! Then choosing what he considered afew of the best for each album. So who knows when that recording really took place!

[@NW2300]

Love all his recordings and pictures that he took. The museum is pretty well done too. Thanks for sharing

[@MySteamChannel]

Beautiful noise! Greets from Australia.

[@christianrone1325]

I fall asleep to this every night someone should upload more o Winston link recordings

[@tom_tractor_trailerscotrai2809]

Fading Giant is here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ2XhGePgM5qZrs. I will upload 2nd Pigeon, Mainline to Panther and Thunder on Blue Ridge at some point.

[@christianrone1325]

Tom_Tractor_Trailer scotraildotcodotuk u r the bomb

[@jimschneider5193]

Your not the only one being pulled to sleep by this! Lol

[@leisureshoot]

I wore out thunder on Blue Ridge as a kid in the 80s. My grandpa gave them to me.

[@christianrone1325]

@@leisureshoot Is it a coincidence I found a signed book of all Winston links the last steam railroad in America and all places a hobby shop in my home town

[@Oskarsgaminglife]

In one of o Winston links books steam steel and stars Americas last steam railroad it said 475 N&W taking off from station and this book was made a long time ago so is that a coincidence that strasburg 475 was in a book from a long time ago

[@rannicel]

For anyone wondering there is a museum in Roanoke,Virginia and has pretty much everything Link took a photo of.

[@b3j8]

Tom you should pick up "Mainline to Panther" if you dont already have it. Another truly superb N&W Link recording!

[@tom_tractor_trailerscotrai2809]

Hi, yes I have it and I will upload it. I think that's the one where he is in the coal on the tender.

[@b3j8]

@@tom_tractor_trailerscotrai2809 I believe he was riding on the caboose roof, but yep that's the one.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

​@@tom_tractor_trailerscotrai2809 it appears from your channel that you live across the pond in the UK. If so, have you ever been over to southwestern Virginia or southern West Virginia where these locos climbed to mountains and hollars??

[@TheBoysTopSecretisOrganization]

O Winston Link N&W Sounds.

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

First whistle sounds like scrapped class A 1238.

[@DaylightTwinkle]

Nicholas Medovich it’s the ghosts of those engines lol

[@AlexTrain5249]

Y Classes and A Classes used the same whistles. Those N&W hooters.

[@howiesmith1504]

Standard N&W freight whistle in the 1940s and '50s, bell made from a capped length of 5" diameter boiler tube, IIRC.

[@percyengineproductions061]

17:43 he kinda sounds like george carlin

[@T128Productions]

You mean he “looks” like him.

[@percyengineproductions061]

that too@@T128Productions

[@nssteampunk4865]

The first one sounded like N&W 475.

[@HighballHank]

26:20

[@tom_tractor_trailerscotrai2809]

All the good remembered sounds of a passing steam train are here.