What was the paint scheme for Norfolk Franklin and Danville locomotives in the late 1960's/early 1970's ? Was the railroad still in existence ?

-- Andrew Callo (calloa@ncsavx.ncarts.edu), January 05, 1999

Answers

If anyone is looking for information on this road, I may be of some help. I have several files of information plus my own collection of notes. While not a complete set of files, it is still a lot of information on this seldom mentioned road. Regarding the NF&D locomotive paint schemes, many of the units continued wearing the A&D schemes, with all A&D lettering painted over, and the NF&D logos applied to the sides of the cab. One RS2, #103 was wearing the N&W blue as early as September of '66(slide in my collection). The other RS2's, #104-#106, and the RS3 #107, wore the A&D/NF&D split image scheme until traded/scrapped. The RS11's, #201-#204 were purchased from parent N&W in 1966 and 1967, replacing the worn-out RS2's and RS3. The RS11's (ex-NKP/N&W) were delivered in the N&W blue scheme, with the NF&D logo on the cab sides. The RS36's #1 and #2 were ordered by the A&D using RS2's # 101 and #102 as trade-ins, but were'nt delivered until after the road had come under N&W ownership as the NF&D. I have slides showing #1 in full A&D dress as late as March 1964, modified to NF&D as late as Jan 1967, and into N&W blue by April 1967. I have shots of #2 in full A&D dress as late as August 1963,in the split image paint in September 1966, and wearing the blue in November 1969. The Deuce was not prepped very well before painting, so the blue paint came off in sheets, returning it to most of it's original colors by May 1975. Both RS36's recieved the black scheme sometime in 1976, which they would carry to the end of service.

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), November 07, 1999.

Does the NF&D still exist ? Not as the NF&D, but as the Franklin District of NS. At the demise of the A&D, N&W purchased the railroad at an auction on the court house steps in Norfolk, VA. The NF&D was quietly absorbed into then-N&W's Virginia Division circa 1985. The former NF&D was abandoned from Pinners Point to Suffolk, and from Lawrenceville to a point three or four miles east of Danville. The track remaining in Danville serves the Goodyear plant and is switched by NS crews. The largest on-line customer is the Union Camp pulp plant at Franklin. If you're modeling the early NF&D, you may want to include some C&O Geeps. Late in A&D's career, the railroad was blessed (or cursed) with a sizeable movement of stone to Norfolk. With no spare power and little resources, A&D tried to "muscle" the heavy trains to Norfolk with little concern for their Alco road- switchers. A&D eventually "burnt'em up" and had to lease C&O Geeps.

-- Harry W. Bundy (y6b@aol.com), July 18, 1999.

This question has several correct answers. Immediately following the Norfolk, Franklin & Danville name change from Atlantic & Danville, all the locomotives were relettered in the old NF&D black and white scheme by painting over the lettering in the white stripe and adding NF&D logo on the cab sides. They were repainted into solid N&W blue, during N&W's blue years. They were later repainted to solid black from the solid blue. Both the solid black and blue units featured only the "NFD" logo on the unit, with the name never completely spelled out.

-- Warren Calloway (calloway@aol.com), July 16, 1999.

Found the answer in Robert Yanosey's book, "Tidewater Triangle". NF&D were clad black with white NFD initials on the side except for unit no. 2 which had white stripes; a throw back to the old Atlantic and Danville Railway.

-- Andrew Callo (calloa@ncsavx.ncarts.edu), February 08, 1999.