The Norfolk and Western’s Powerful Streamlined Pocahontas Passenger Train

The Norfolk and Western Railway (reporting mark NW), was a Class I railroad formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150-year existence. Its motto was “Precision Transportation.” The Norfolk and Western was famous for manufacturing their own steam locomotives in-house at their Roanoke Shops as well as their own hopper cars. The Norfolk and Western was the last major railroad to convert from steam to diesel motive power. The illustration depicts a powerful J class 4-8-4 steam locomotive pulling the Pocahontas.