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This Months' Article - July 2009: 

FEATURING:  DOUGLAS WORNOM, RR Collectibles Vendor 

Living in the Midwest, it is difficult to attend Railroad Collectibles events without struggling over the fact that there is not likely any Nelson & Albemarle Railway collectible items up for sale.  This is likely true even on the east coast in Virginia where I'm from as well as due to N&A's being a shortline with limited publications (i.e.: no public timetables) and no dining car china!  So this month I'm featuring RR Collectibles vendor, Douglas Wornom.  The story has a twist or two, so let's jump back about 3 years ago and I'll tell you what transpired.  My wife and I noticed the sign on Randall Road in St. Charles (where we live) that a RR Collectibles show would be at the Kane County Fairgrounds.  Now, my wife is a wonderful woman who recognizes my passion for the Nelson & Albemarle Railway.  We went to that show and she started talking to the vendors and amazingly found 3 photos of a N&A diesel switcher!  It really made my day as I wasn't expecting ANY results.  Jump forward to the middle of June this year and as I'm driving by the fairgrounds, I notice that there's a new LED sign out in front advertising the upcoming weekends event for RR Collectibles.  Sunday afternoon, after a hectic week of oldest daughter's med school graduation, awards ceremonies, and family dinners, my wife and I stopped by to see what was being offered this year.  And while the show was much smaller than I remember, my only plan was to enjoy the show and look around rather than do any searching for N&A memorabilia.   As we were getting ready to leave, my wife stopped to talk with a show promoter and I drifted over to one of the vendors with many photographs, postcards, and other collectible items.  He finished speaking with a customer and turned to me and I rattled off my usual remarks - I'm looking for a small, shortline railroad, the Nelson & Albemarle in Virginia.  Do you have any photo's?  Imagine how startled I was to hear the vendor say, "Nelson & Albemarle?, sure, I've heard of it - even rode it once, but I don't think I have any photo's."  I could barely contain myself as I asked for more details and sure enough, he had ridden the mixed train in the combine up from the C&O RR connection at Warren to the only place on the line with a hotel - Schuyler.  It was no surprise to hear him talk about his reception by the locals there.  As small town, back-woods folk, they were naturally suspicious of a stranger in town walking around and looking about.  It was downright unfriendly!  Doug Wornom is about 76 years old now and the N&A shut down in 1963 (about 46 years ago) and stopped using steam on the mainline in the early-50's (about 56 years ago).   This trip must have been made when Doug was MUCH younger and he traveled to Virginia, rode the N&A, and had his first experiences with the folk over in Schuyler at the end of the line.  I certainly enjoyed hearing the details about riding in the combine and the tank engines on the property as well as his remarks on the hotel and not-so-friendly people.  It was better than a photograph could have ever been and if I'd thought of it quick enough I chould have made a donation to his general well-being just for the story.   It got me to thinking about the personal histories (now frequently called Oral Histories) and collections of memorabilia that people gather throughout their lives.  My vendor acquaintance, Doug Wornom, is just such a person.  So, I salute you Doug as you share your stories with others at these events and sell your collection of memorabilia to those of us looking to enjoy our favorite railroads and document those memories for others to also enjoy.  So, while certainly in the midwest now, Doug has made the travels to be in Virginia at a time when he could ride the rails I so admire that have long since been removed.  I have his address now and will likely send him a card in the very near future thanking him for those few moments of taking me back into a time I can only dream of - when tank engines roamed the soapstone quarries along the line between Nelson & Albemarle counties that gave this railway it's name.  I certainly got my monies worth for admission to this year's RR Collectibles event in St. Charles, IL at the Kane County Fairgrounds.

Doug has a large collection of photographs, postcards, etc. and can be reached via mail or phone for inquiries on YOUR interests at the following:

Douglas Wornom

1413 N. Harlem Avenue, Apt. A

Oak Park, IL  60302-1261

Phone: 708-383-7290

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ARCHIVE:  August 2009

This Month's Article - August 2009

IN SEARCH OF NELSON & ALBEMARLE STEAM

July was my month to go home to Virginia and I was able to visit the last remaining Nelson & Albemarle steam locomotive (albeit static in a lumber yard and missing it's saddle tank).  See photos (to be uploaded by 23 August) of this 0-4-0T via the sidebar link, Image Repository.  My plans were to attend a family reunion in Virginia, visit the C&O Heritage Center in Clifton Forge and spend some time at the Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke, before heading off to Myrtle Beach and then to western South Carolina to visit our oldest daughter and her husband before heading back to Chicago.  My brother, Gary was host in Waynesboro for a full week's work of 'railroad' stuff to do.  Our first foray out was a trip to visit the C&O Heritage Center in Clifton Forge.  There are 2 parts to the C&O Historical Society's presence there and while the Heritage Center is the place to visit, the Historical Society's downtown building across from the C&O shop is where people go for research.  Key to this visit was meeting with Rick Tabb to discuss how we might link this web page to the C&O Historical Society's web page as the Nelson & Albemarle, in it's confusing history, did have a part of it's existence start off as the C&O Alberene branchline off of their James River line at Warren.  With much good fortune, I was able to contact Will Harris of North Fork Lumber via his cellphone and arranged for permission to visit the North Fork Lumber company location in Goshen, Virginia where the 0-4-0T is stored (this is a must for any visit so see contact information below).  Will gave me great directions from Waynesboro, but if you're in Virginia, there's an exit off of the western extension of I-64 that brings you up the back way into Goshen.  Coming in that way, If you see the lumbar yard with creasote-covered railroad ties on your right, turn right and go about 1/3 mile and on your right will be a driveway to the North Fork Lumber.  If you come in by going south out of the town of Goshen, stay on that road just past the railroad ties and keep an eye out for the driveway as it's easy to miss and the sign is relatively small.  Be sure to check in at the office (on the 2nd floor) and enjoy the railroad themed digs that Will has there.  I spent a lot of time looking at this small 0-4-0T and photographing it in great detail.  I also recommend long pants and boots as this is storage and not display.  It would be nice to find a replacement saddle water tank for this engine and restore it to some form of presentation level so that how this locomotive looked during actual use could be seen.  All the brackets that supported the saddle tank remain, and while I would never expect a full restoration, putting it back into reasonable shape would be nice.  It was nice to squint my eyes and imagine this engine pulling flat cars of soapstone around the Schuyler mill.  In keeping this steam engine from the scrapyard, Will's done a great service.  Last on my 'railroad' theme trip was travel to the Virginia Transportation Museum.  I've been to Roanoke before, but not since the museum had placed the N&W 1218 Class A on display.  The last time seen, she was very much alive on an early, foggy Saturday morning in South Richmond.  I was with good friends, Al & Ann Capehart then and while both are no longer with us, their love for trains and history was brought to mind when I arrived in Roanoke and saw the Class A next to the Class J (that I last saw in Charlottesville with my hand on the throttle during a photo run-by).  I miss those old days of being near live steam.  Finding a steam engine in Roanoke was easy, but learning of the impending rescue of the well-publicized 'lost' N&W engines from a local junkyard was big news at the museum.  It turns out Will Harris of North Fork Lumber is also managing the rescue and movement of these engines to various sites.  Cudos to Will a second time.  Our time in Richmond was very short and my wife and I left very quickly (in a very tightly packed Thunderbird) to spend some time in Myrtle Beach before heading to see the youngun's and head home.  We missed seeing many old and some new friends but will plan another trip to the area soon.  Having traveled to Virginia and visited Roanoke where there are 'lost' N&W engines about to be recovered from the junk yard and distributed to various rail museums and sites around Virginia, it was great to have contact with someone supporting that effort amidst his own good fortune to be the owner of not only a 'shay' but also, the last living steam locomotive that ran on Nelson & Albemarle rails. 

Contact Information: 

Will Harris, President

North Fork Lumber

250 N. Fork Lane

Goshen, Virginia 24439

Phone 540-997-5602

Please note any comments on "This Months' Articles" in the comments section either on the MAIN page or in the sidebar archives section.

ARCHIVE:  September 2009 - DRAFT COPY ONLY

This Months' Article - September 2009: 

IN SEARCH OF LOCOMOTIVES:

A review of Rosters and as much detail that can be found on those locomotives

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This month I'm starting a series of articles on the Nelson & Albemarle locomotive roster that will intersperse with other topics during the upcoming months.  In this first article, I'm going to report on the earliest of those locomotives from rosters compiled by three authors in separate writings in the 1960's, 1970's, and 1990's.  It is really difficult to find a lot of details because after each locomotive left the property, the company really didn't care what final disposition was awarded these engines.  So while we may know the action taken to have certain engines disposed, any further detail awaits research much like what these three authors did to create their published works. 

The earliest understanding of the Nelson & Albemarle being formed takes into account the story of the Alberene branch being built for the C&O Railway and the subsequent forming of the Virginia Soapstone Company (and Railway which became the Schuyler Railway).  It's best to start here as the story gets quite interesting.

Albemarle Soap Stone Company (1883) - product: Alberene Stone

Quarry opens in 1884 along Beaver Dam Creek in Johnson's Mill Gap renamed to Alberene in the late-1880's.

Branch factories were set up in New York, Boston, and Chicago were stone was shipped rough to the factory and there carved by immigrant artisans.(from Soapstone Shortlines).

Alberene Railroad Company was incorporated on December 20, 1895.  Henry Lane was contracted to build the line.

july 13, 1897 the C&O leased the Alberene Railroad which began operations as their branch on April 14, 1898.  

The C&O ran one pair of mixed trains daily on the branch as numbers 57 & 58 originating from either Gordonsville or Richmond as local frieght servicing industries along the line including this branch.

On Februay 15, 1902, The C&O purchased the Alberene Railroad line. 

 <<<Virginia Soapstone Company incorporated on October 19, 1893. Operations at Schuyler - used teams of horses/wagons to transport soapstone and products to Rockfish station on Southern Railway.  Products were crated at a warehouse at Rockfish!  Note: this belongs before the incorporation of the Alberene Railroad>>>  Railway constructed during 1899 and 1900 so that by August 29, 1900 it was reported complete except for trestle work at Schuyler.  Three obsolete Lewis & Fowler single truck, open platform trolley cars were purchased from the Lynchburg Street Railway.  When built in 1891 (opening year of the trolley in Lynchburg), they rode on Eickemeyer trucks with jack shafts and side rods. On arrival in Schuyler, they were on Maguire #20 trucks and had Westinghouse motors.  One car was completely stripped of seats for use as a locomotive.  The other two had only some seats removed and carried both freight & passengers.  The line also owned three non-powered freight cars (no details).  From Soapstone Shortlines"

C&O Railway:  Locomotives used on branch in early days.  Track through C&O Historical Society - and brother, Gary.

Schuyler Railway:  Former Lynchburg Traction & Light single-truck cars (see graphic) originally purchased when the company was Lynchbrug Railway & Electric Company incorporated in 1891 and these were of the first cars purchased.

a comparison of the roster lists compiled by three authors who chronicled the comings and goings of the small locomotives that plied the rail lines of the Nelson & Albemarle.  I'm going to report on the the earliest of those locomotives in this first of several roster articles and will cover ownership by predecessor, subsidiary, parent, and the railway itself.   Of interest, only the Garth Groff effort, Soapstone Shortlines: Alberene Stone and Its Railroads does a complete service to the earliest of the locomotives. 

Notable to this research would be to know where engines #9 and #10 were scrapped...   IN SEARCH OF STEAM, led me to a single photo of what is credibly the last remaining steam engine that ran on Nelson & Albemarle rails.  The second #2, an 0-4-0-T that was ex-Culver & Port Clinton engine, survived to stand forlorn in front of the Virginia Manor House in Marion, Virginia for several years.  The current disposition of second #2 is that it resides near Shay 949 in Goshen, Virginia as part of the Will Harris collection (North Fork Lumber).  Yes, you can visit the Shay on appointment which I hope means you can visit ol' second #2 also.

Rosters were published in 1963 in Steam Locomotive & Railroad Tradition (Number 13-14) authored by H. Reid, in 1973 in The Richmond-Washington Line & Related Railroads authored by Richard E. Prince, and in 1991 in Soapstone Shortlines: Alberene Stone and its Railroads by Garth Groff.

Starting with the roster in 1963 (see attachment with this segment), H. Reid published quite a bit of detail and left out 1 significant piece of information.

Did Garth Groff re-publish detail from his article in the March/April issue of Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette in 1989?  Looks to be yes.

There are only three publications about the Nelson & Albemarle Railway that provided a roster listing and detail on the Nelson & Albemarle engines.  It becomes difficult to find details anyway as until the diesel era, they weren't owned by the railway, but by it's parent company(ies).  And while each of the rosters (done in 1963, 1973, and 1991) provides some mention of disposition, none of them goes into final disposition (i.e.: scrap vendor) in enough detail to know where any specific locomotive was cut up or where the diesel (or single gas-powered) units ended their lives or if they are still in existence.   Part of this is because the last roster was done in 1991.  Part of it is because records weren't kept very well.

So this month, I'm doing a comparison of the roster lists compiled by those writers who have chronicled the comings and goings of these small engines both steam and diesel with the hopes of identifying who ended up with what engines and the final disposition or continued existence if known.  First, IN SEARCH OF STEAM, has led me to the only photo of a still intact steam engine now in private storage in Goshen, Virginia which for many years was spotted outside of the Virginia Manor House hotel in Marion, Virginia.  Finding this was a bonus as an engine still in existence (albeit not under steam) is amazing. 

The first listing of locomotives that I found published was the collected information compiled by H. Reid and appearing in the May 1963 issue of Steam Locomotive & Railroad Tradition (Number 13-14).  <<<See attachment for comparison spreadsheet>>>>>'

Next up was the listing provided in the Richard E. Prince book, The Richmond-Washington Line & Related Railroads (though not sure how the N&A was ever related to the RF&P) which again has a nice list but it differs from other rosters found. 

The Garth Groff article in the March/April issue of Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette magazine provides unique insight into locomotives.  I know that final dispositions are hard to track especially when resold to a reseller who may not have kept such great records or even saved records at all.  But what of the late-era diesels?  Are they still in existence?  Garth noted items that went to Georgia Marble (GE units specifically) but once there, where they end up (as in a subsidiary company) is anyone's guess.  It might just be nice to know who scrapped #9 and #10 2-6-2T's and where those engines were cut up in 1952 (or at least #9 was, it may have been later for #10, but not too long).  So the only remaining engine is ol' #2, and 2nd #2 at that....

 <<<detail info listed here for roster extracted from article>>>.  Information on 2 engines from the Manhattan Railway and their next stop on their journey is found in The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society bulletin, "Railroad History 162" published in Spring of 1990 and while only for 2 locomotives, it shows the acquisition of the engines and their sale.  Garth Groff's publication, "Soapstone Shortlines: Alberene Stone and its Railroads" includes a roster on the back inside cover.  This Drop Leaf Press published booklet is now out-of-print and seems to be much sought after for its historical tale of the Nelson & Albemarle Railway.  One engine was clearly sent to a dealer (Southern Iron & Equipment - SI&E) as noted by a photo with caption in the August 1993 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman and sold to Pierce-Williams Company around the time of it's rebuild in 1920 (date of the photo).  So technically, there were only 3 'full' rosters prepared and detail from another 3 sources that provide enough information to be dangerous in guessing the final outcome of these locomotives. 

ARCHIVE:  October 2009 - DRAFT COPY ONLY

I'm taking a break this month from

my Search for N&A Locomotives

to do some California Dreamin'

Lucius Beebe & Charles Clegg did a great service to the Nelson & Albemarle Railway by traveling along the line and publishing the tale of their trip in the book, Mixed Train Daily.  While the book was published in 1947, the actual trip to visit the Nelson & Albemarle was made in January 1946.  I found this out by some interesting research and curiosity on my part.  Making the journey as it were in the middle of Virginia winter and having no certainty of the outcome of a single photograph which would end up on page XX of the book, aroused my curiosity over just how many snaps of the shutter, Charles Clegg made while "on the property".  I could write an entire dissertation on the exploits of Lucius Beebe & Charles Clegg, but let it suffice to say, that others have already done this and well enough that I shouldn't expand it more.  They ended up out west, writing, photographing, and enjoying life.  When Charles Clegg died in 19xx, his family inheireted his treasured prints and negatives of exploits that could only be fully known by seeing the journey through his camera's lens.  Of the many photographs taken during trips to visit far-flung shortlines, narrow-gauge, and nearly-defunct railways, only a limited number would ever make it into publication.  After more research, I found that the Clegg family donated the prints and negatives of a lifetime to the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California.  Now, I also knew that Charles Clegg was a serious photographer and that selecting a photograph at time of exposure was not the process for preparing a book in the late 1940's.  He must have done what many of us would do in the same situation, in the same space in time, with the same technology available in 1946.  A roll of film was shot.

ARCHIVE:  November 2009 - DRAFT COPY ONLY (OUTLINE)

This Month's Article: November 2009

Diesel & Motorcar Roster of the Nelson & Albemarle

44-ton GE - purchased by Nelson & Albemarle

35-ton GE - purchased by Alberene Stone Corporation

25-ton GE - purchased by Alberene Stone Corporation

Motorcar Roster of the N&A

Unknown motorcar, gas powered

ARCHIVE:  December 2009 - DRAFT COPY ONLY

This Month's Article - December 2009

"Fairville" and the movie "Virginia" - The Nelson & Albemarle C&O Connection

Recently, I was reading a new book acquisition, "Appalachian Conquest: C&O, N&W, Virginian, and Clinchfield Cross the Mountains" (ISBN-13 978-1883089795) relased by TLC Publishing in conjunction with the C&O Historical Society in 2002 that held an interesting storyline on the Nelson & Albemarle and the fabled use of the Esmont depot for a set of scenes in the movie, "Virginia" (1941).  As luck would have it, the fictional town of "Fairville" was recreated elsewhere - evidently with much dismay according to reports on the reactions of local people in Esmont noted in various books.  However, it is part of my own family history that the movie crew ended up in Howardsville and that my Grandmother & Grandfather (on my Father's side) were both extras that appeared on the station platform behind Fred MacMurray (holding his movie-daughter, Carolyn Lee in his arms) in scenes that included the arrival of the Nelson & Albemarle train on the C&O James River Line at the Howardsville depot.  (My other Grandfather, my Mother's father, was Section Gang Foreman for the C&O in Howardsville, and while not where the camera was ever trained on him, he was likely present in his official capacity).  Now, the Howardsville depot wasn't really gussied up for the occaision, but it did have a new, albeit temporary name, "Fairville" and I've included a photo in the Image Repository by that name that shows some of the movie crew out in front of the station.  I've got little comment on the actual movie itself except that it bore some resemblance to another movie of that period.  "Viriginia" has it's best moments (in my opinion) not only when my Grandparents are on camera, but also when the Nelson & Albemarle train comes into view and I hear that whistle blowing.  This movie is somewhat available (in a less-than-good-quality copy on DVD) from http://classicreels.com/product_info.php?products_id=46 for $10 + shipping.  It's listed in Black & White now, but there were older copies in color on DVD, so if you want a color copy, look for it on iOffer or eBay.  It's also available (in Color) from http://www.ashfaultsclassicmovies.com/virginia41.html for $14.99 plus $5.00 media mail shipping. 

There was much talk about the filming in the 1963 publication of Steam Locomotive & Railroad Tradition (May issue, #13-14) when H. Reid mentioned it in his feature article, "An Upcountry Romance: A reminiscence of the Nelson & Albemarle Railway".  Evidently, this was considered an afront to the good people of not only Esmont, but also the Nelson & Albemarle crew that was replaced by with C&O counterparts and many of the citizens of the two counties.  It seems in any publication commenting on the movie filming, there is a lot of speculation over the locomotive and cars used to serve this unique opportunity.

So, I took my first color copy of the film and spent some time breaking down the original movie and lighting so that I could lighten the background and hopefully get a clear picture of the engine and coach arriving at the station.  Now, I've recently stated that engine 11 (a 2-4-2T) had lettering that matched that seen in the movie as shown in some photographs.  But, I was wrong about that.  It was #9 that arrived and by using stop action on the movie, I was able to tell this when the scene turned to a conversation with the engineer just after arrival.  The lettering for Nelson & Albemarle Railway is nice and bright on both the engine and the boxcar behind it.  The number 9 on the cab side underneath the window is faded and also matches the font/style used by the builder (as seen in the builder's photograph).  So, #9 - the 2-6-2T primary engine of the era, was used for this starring move role.  I also saw where Eugene Huddleston, author of the Appalachian Conquest, believed that a "doodlebug" might have been used for the combine.  That's really hard to tell in the movie scenes that in these copies are quite dark.  I've asked my video editor brother to break down the scenes for me with his AVID production-editing equipment, so we will know the answer soon.  What I can tell is that mail bags were thrown off the train by a baggage door (either a combine or doodlebug would have that) and that the arrival of Miss Dunterry was off the rear steps which could be either the combine or the doodlebug and no one could really tell the difference in the manner in which this was portrayed and used in the filming.  Guess I'll have to wait for my brother's efforts to show more detail and possibly which car was used in this scene.

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