Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W) Passenger Trains

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Passenger Trains of the Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W)

The Norfolk & Western (N&W) Railway’s passenger service was known for its solid, if not obsesive, reliability. Primarily a coal-hauling powerhouse, the N&W’s passenger trains were a smaller, but meticulously maintained part of its operations. Unlike some of its competitors who fully embraced diesel streamliners early on, the N&W famously clung to its steam locomotives for passenger service longer than any other major railroad, only fully dieselizing its passenger fleet in the late 1950s. The N&W’s passenger network linked the Mid-Atlantic cities of Virginia with the Midwest, offering passengers a comfortable and scenic, if not always the fastest, journey.

Railroads merged into N&W and passenger train integration

The 1964 merger with the Wabash Railroad and the Nickel Plate Road, along with several smaller lines, dramatically altered the N&W’s passenger landscape.

  • Merger of Wabash, Nickel Plate, and others: The 1964 merger brought the Wabash, Nickel Plate, Pittsburgh & West Virginia (P&WV), and Akron, Canton & Youngstown (AC&Y) into the N&W fold.
  • Passenger service changes:
    • Wabash: The Wabash brought a fleet of well-regarded midwestern streamliners into the N&W system, including the Blue Bird and Wabash Cannon Ball. Initially, N&W tried to maintain these services but gradually cut them back as passenger ridership declined. The distinctive Wabash dome cars were notably transferred to the N&W’s Virginia-to-Cincinnati route.
    • Nickel Plate (NKP): The NKP contributed its Buffalo-to-Chicago line and the last remnants of its once-extensive passenger service, primarily the City of Chicago and City of Cleveland. These trains were short-lived under N&W ownership and were soon discontinued.
    • P&WV and AC&Y: These smaller railroads had very limited or non-existent intercity passenger service at the time of the merger, so there was minimal impact on the combined passenger network.
  • New network and later consolidation: The merger created a much larger, more diverse railroad system for N&W, but also one with significant passenger route redundancies. N&W’s corporate philosophy was focused on freight, so the passenger service was viewed as a financial burden. This led to a period of economization and eventual consolidation of routes and trains to reduce losses. 

N&W passenger service competitors

N&W faced strong competition from several larger and more passenger-focused railroads:

  • Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O): C&O was N&W’s most direct competitor on the Virginia-to-Cincinnati route. With flagship trains like the George Washington and F.F.V., the C&O offered a compelling alternative for passengers, especially after the N&W’s dieselization.
  • Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR): The PRR’s vast network and prominent trains, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, put it in direct competition with N&W for long-distance traffic.
  • Baltimore & Ohio (B&O): The B&O competed with N&W on routes west of Washington, D.C., offering services to the Midwest from its eastern hub.
  • Southern Railway: The Southern was a key competitor in the Carolinas and Virginia, offering its own passenger service and competing for traffic in cities like Winston-Salem and Bristol. However, N&W did partner with Southern Railway on trains such as the Birmingham Special, Pelican, and Tennessean.
  • New York Central (NYC): The NYC was a major competitor for the Midwestern traffic acquired through the Nickel Plate merger, particularly on the Chicago-to-East Coast routes. 

Overview of N&W passenger trains

Powhatan Arrow (1946–1969)

  • Route: Norfolk, VA, to Cincinnati, OH.
  • Major intermediate cities: Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Roanoke, VA; Bluefield and Williamson, WV; Portsmouth, OH.
  • Features and amenities: A luxury streamliner that initially ran behind the famed N&W J-class steam locomotives. It featured all-new lightweight coaches, dining cars, and observation-lounge cars. After the 1964 merger, it received dome cars from the former Wabash fleet.
  • Marketing: Promoted as “the most beautiful train in the east,” the Powhatan Arrow was N&W’s flagship and most heavily advertised passenger train. 

Pocahontas (early 1900s–1971)

  • Route: Norfolk, VA, to Cincinnati, OH.
  • Major intermediate cities: Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Roanoke, VA; Bluefield and Williamson, WV; Portsmouth, OH.
  • Features and amenities: A long-running, reliable train that operated over the N&W’s scenic main line. It featured standard heavyweight equipment for much of its life and was later modernized with some streamlined cars and diesel power.
  • Marketing: A more practical, year-round train than the Powhatan Arrow, marketed as a solid choice for regional travel on N&W’s primary east-west route. 

Cavalier (early 1900s–1967)

  • Route: Norfolk, VA, to Cincinnati, OH.
  • Major intermediate cities: Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Roanoke, VA; Bluefield and Williamson, WV; Portsmouth, OH.
  • Features and amenities: As the third train on the Norfolk-to-Cincinnati route, the Cavalier offered a more local-focused, mail-carrying service with older, heavyweight equipment.
  • Marketing: Aimed at local and less-affluent travelers, it was eventually combined with the Pocahontas. 

Wabash Cannon Ball (1949–1964 Wabash, lasting until 1971 as N&W)

  • Route: Detroit, MI, to St. Louis, MO, and Kansas City, MO.
  • Major intermediate cities: Fort Wayne, IN, and Decatur, IL.
  • Features and amenities: This Wabash streamliner was famous for the song named after it. It featured streamlined coaches and a distinctive blue and silver livery. Under N&W ownership, it was run as a more utilitarian service.
  • Marketing: Initially promoted as a classic, Midwestern streamliner, its marketing under N&W shifted to a more practical, schedule-oriented approach. 

Blue Bird (1950–1964 as Wabash, briefly N&W)

  • Route: Chicago, IL, to St. Louis, MO.
  • Major intermediate cities: Danville, IL.
  • Features and amenities: A deluxe streamliner with dome cars, offering a premium daylight service. The dome cars were a key feature and were later moved to N&W’s Virginia-to-Cincinnati route.
  • Marketing: Known for its high-end service and dome cars, it was a short-lived but highly regarded train. 

City of St. Louis (Wabash) and City of Kansas City (Wabash)

  • Route: St. Louis to Kansas City and beyond (in partnership with Union Pacific).
  • Major intermediate cities (on Wabash): Moberly, MO.
  • Features and amenities: These were jointly operated streamliners that offered high-quality service, including domes and through connections to the West Coast.
  • Marketing: Marketed as a premium link to the West, offering modern and scenic service. 

Amtrak takeover of national passenger service

On May 1, 1971, Amtrak assumed control of most intercity passenger rail services across the United States. N&W was among the many private railroads that ceased their own passenger operations. The N&W opted out of operating any new Amtrak trains, resulting in the discontinuation of its own passenger services. The Pocahontas made its last run on April 30, 1971, marking the end of the N&W passenger era. Amtrak, however, later instituted the Mountaineer on a portion of the old N&W route in 1975, but this was a separate Amtrak service and did not represent a continuation of N&W’s historical trains. The once-proud N&W passenger trains were retired, with their equipment either sold, scrapped, or placed into Amtrak’s general rolling stock pool

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

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