Pillars of Smoke in the Sky

[@hampton400]

I have the DVD and the sound on this is about a minute behind the action. It's still my all-time favorite.

[@GTgyro]

This is a must-see for any fan of articulated steam giants, let alone N&W and/or the NW 2-8-8-2 Y's. The cab roof Y6 pusher view starting at 5:46 is fantastic. That alone is enough to prompt a download. 21:44 is the best footage I've seen of a Y6b in motion to date. 22:22 is a front view of what can only be the Jawn Henry waiting on the EB Mainline under steam. I'm surprised this has only been viewed 3672 times to date, I'll pass the link along to others.

[@hartmutlorentzen9659]

This wonderful video should be digitally remastered!

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Wonderful 1950s footage and sound of N&W's mighty coal hauling (and some passenger) steam locomotives! Nice introduction to the film with the song, "Trail of the Lonesome Pine." After watching this entire film, I almost feel like I have to wash the coal cinders from my hair (well, what's left of it). Thanks for sharing!

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

22:23 the TE-1 N&W 2300, this was Norfolk and Westerns final attempt to stave off Dieselization, as much as the road loved the service from their Class-A's, Y6B's and J-Classes, the Diesel could not be outperformed, even with the delivery of the single steam turbine electric locomotive (STEL) no.2300. Norfolk and Western found after testing the 2300 that it was not as powerful and efficient as the Class-A's and Y6B's, so finally after holding out for as long as possible clinching to steam, Norfolk and Western accepted the fact that Diesel Electrics were the future and the way to go forward with operations.

[@jackcurran1122]

Plus parts suppliers for the steam locomotives were rapidly going out of business

[@formerparatrooper]

40 Years ago I worked with a fellow named Bill Hammond here in Kentucky. He fired on the N&W in the early to mid 50s. He told me the work was hard and he never made it to engineer.

[@robertdipaola3447]

Pure N&W steam power moving all that heavy coal over mountains, like prehistoric monsters,-- LOVE IT!!!!---THANKS!!!

[@raymondparsley7442]

Railroads are one of man's greatest achievements, and building the the N&W road, between Roanoke & Cincinnati, during late 1800, one of the most challenging. Lots of tunneling and blasting thru the mountains along the way.

[@amelierenoncule]

This IS grande, mes amis... Very, Very Good.

[@davidlove21]

Wow…1of the very best steam videos I’ve ever watched. Lots of awesome views of the Y6 and other sister articulated eastern giants. Love it !

[@TrainLordJC]

Incredible footage of some of the best period of American railroading with these spectacular behemoths doing their awesome work in the magnificent forest mountain scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[@EastEndProductionsArchiv-lm3lq]

Excellent!

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

*the whistles of the N&W's articulated giants still echoe through the city Roanoke*

[@johnhartley4721]

It's an absolute shame the way Norfolk & Southern has treated that once great railroad city! They have almost completely turned their backs on Roanoke!

[@williamclarke4510]

Little rail activity in Roanoke anymore.A sort of rail ghost town.

[@williamclarke4510]

@@johnhartley4721 Goode told them that this would happen years ago.Traffic patterns changed after NS got a large part of Conrail. Roanoke Shops repairs went to Altoona.

[@johnhartley4721]

Yes a good friend of mine had to quit because he didn't want to move there. It's a shame!

[@tonyunderwood9678]

Did anyone notice the #2300 "Jawn Henry" steam turbine locomotive at 22:20? You seldom ever see any footage of it.

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

Towards the end of 2300’s career, N&W assigned the TE-1 to helper service. That’s why you rarely see film of it. The majority of footage you see of it is mostly pictures and promotional material for Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton.

[@williamclarke4510]

There is footage of 2300 in a lot of N&W videos. Some with sound.

[@roadsscholar4012]

This is one of the best videos that I have seen on articulated. I wish I could get it on DVD.

[@williamclarke4510]

N&W historical society has it.Definitely worth having.

[@williamclarke4510]

Filmed with professional grade equipment and synchronized sound.This is one of the best rail videos ever!

[@cavemanballistics6338]

You just have to love the way the engineer makes that whistle cough. It's awesome!

[@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999]

At 3:30 in the film two Y6's could handle 100 cars, I can't imagine how many a Y, A, and an Y pusher handled which you see in videos time to time. I wish I was around for these days. Great video!

[@muir8009]

The 100 car train with two Y's was a set off train. This would be split into two 50 car units. The Y, A, + Y would haul 140 car train up the grade: the two Y helpers and the A as the train engine. The set off and train would combine into a 190 car unit with a single A as the train engine for the flat run, the two Y's returning back. N&W used a lot of thoughtful running, not just the let's throw more HP at it route. Intelligent use of momentum grades; where an incline would be interspersed with slight levels and descents so as to get a bit of train speed up again. The extra water tenders were there so as to eliminate certain water spots where train weight would preclude a restart: the locomotives could skip the inconvenience of a water stop altogether, proceeding to a more favourably sited stop

[@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999]

@@muir8009 Thank you for that, I have seen many many videos of the normal Y,A,Y sets on the coal trains but never seen how long these trains got.

[@muir8009]

@@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999 glad to inform :) they truly must've been vast trains. From the video we might see up to maybe a third of a train: its really hard to get an impression. There's one shot in the video (can't remember when) but far, far in the distant background you can actually see smoke from the pusher. One of the things I'm impressed with is how well organized it all is and how it all falls into place. Just with the set off trains and the distinct motive power for each section. It wasn't just bung a bunch of locos together. Things like the A as the train engine to be used later. The set off trains with only Y's etc. One of the things that unfortunately is a bit absent from the video is the footage of the pusher siding. When the Y helper moves off theres Jawn Henry on the main (maybe a time freight?) And another Y in the siding. One gets the impression that there may have been a fairly continuous stream of coal drags waiting at any given time. Even in the early part of the film when they're on the passenger train overtaking the set off train, theres a third train with a pusher on the (relief?) Siding. I'm a huge fan of the Y's: especially like the fact that they were used as train engines, helpers, theres even footage of them switching. Truly a maid for all work. And I think they look completely awesome which helps ;)

[@danfry1669]

Each Engineer had his own way of handling the whistle!!!

[@rodsmith3911]

Excellent footage of the best of US railroads in steam days. Don't know what film it was originally shot on but the quality is great for the time of filming. The whistles make you realise just what we have lost!

[@danielfennell4264]

Back in the early 1950s I was a young lad living in Western PA. On a hillside above the farmhouse where i lived was the Buffalo Rochester & Pittsburg track. There were several grade crossings and if I hurried out when I heard the whistle I could catch the steam locomotive rolling across the hillside. One Morning I heard a strange sound snd ran out to see the 1st diesel locomotive I had ever seen. Sadly I never heard another steam whistle after that day.

[@vincenttolve9756]

When America was great.

[@OKFrax-ys2op]

The most relaxing form of transportation

[@fulviolevati9805]

Spettacolo!!!!!!

[@justtim9767]

Best job in the world.

[@williamclarke4510]

Mr.Eddy was a mechanical engineer for Buick. According to one source, he designed its Dynaflo transmission.

[@telmore6490]

Talking to Mr. Eddy's nephew this mostly correct. He came up with the original idea while watching two fans place back to back in the loft of his uncles barn. The engineers at Buick took this idea and ran with it and didn't really give him any credit.

[@jamesbelcher8509]

11:46 Norfolk and Western Class J Locomotive

[@bdvids7930]

22:57 shave and a haircut

[@timashwell5005]

😮 That's the way you pull a cold rain you don't need six diesels

[@jamesbelcher8509]

34:29 [train whistle] 18:26 [train chugging] 4:25 [train chugging] 4:55 [train chugging] 18:47 [train chugging] 18:59 [train chugging] 27:46 [train chugging] 27:56 [train chugging]

[@jamescerone]

Is it just me or is the audio totally out of sync with the video?

[@mesau7002]

Ahh....to see a 2-8-8-2 run again.

[@DetroitDiesel671]

It's a shame the sound isn't synchronized on this version... You can see the engineer pull the whistle lever and it's a minute later that you hear the sound... Likewise the train gets under way and then he mentioned the the process of releasing the brakes and signaling with the whistle that they're ready. The Heron Rail DVD is synchronized perfectly and is well worth the purchase price.

[@edwincarringtoneddy16mmfil33]

Hello, As the curator I wanted to let you know I am going to be redoing this video sometime this summer. The Elmo scanning projector we use is getting an upgrade from the old SD camera to a new HD camera that scans the film. I hope to fix the audio sync issue as well. Also be on the lookout for a behind the scenes film that Mr. Eddy did about the making of Pillars of Smoke only available here.

[@DetroitDiesel671]

@@edwincarringtoneddy16mmfil33 Awesome, thanks! Subscribed...

[@matthewpastrikos7383]

34:28 Uh that's the wrong whistle.

[@s16100]

There are some fantastic shots for sure. The sound track is not 100% correct the syncing way is off. But overall fantastic just because of what the content is for sure.

[@nassreenosman7147]

wow =D

[@alanolson546]

Great production; plenty of steam and lots of coal. A little disappointed at the sound of the N&W steam whistles. Not very melodious.

[@manuelkong10]

All the fake sounds

[@jamescerone]

An unfortunate reality of amateur recording at the time. Very difficult/expensive to employ both a film camera and a microphone extension

[@voidwalker9223]

Can’t stand this guys voice he sounds so bored and robotic but cool video footage