I am completing my first effort at writing a novel, and one of my main characters is a retired Danville division engineer who worked on steam. Naturally, his conversation is sprinkled with references to engines he worked on! I need help with road numbers of some Ms4 Mikados, F series tenwheelers, and Ps4 Pacifics that were used on the Danville division from around 1930 to the end of steam.

-- Lamar Wadsworth (LW.Sou.Ry.steam@juno.com), February 07, 1999

Answers

In the list of locomotive assignments dated 1/24/35 to 1948 I show the following engines at Danville during that time frame: 2-8-0 Consolidations 481,483,522,537,541,548,618,644,680,682,691,697,705,709,732,772,811,85 9. 2-8-2 Mikados 4513,4519,4540,4629,4751,4752,4753,4755,4757,4759,4763,4764,4825,4830 4832,4834,4835,4836,4838,4839,4840,4841,4842,4843,4844,4845,4846,4847, 4848,4850,4851,4852,4853,4854,4855,4856,4857,4858,4859,4860,4861,4862, 4863,4864,4875,4879,4890,4891,4892,4893,4894,4905,4906,4907,4908,4909, 4910.

4-6-0 Tenwheelers none!? 4-6-2 Pacifics 1200,1214,1234,1317,1318,1321,1325,1333,1336,1337,1340,1343,1344,1361, 1367,1368,1369,1370,1375,1376,1377,1378,1379,1380,1381,1382,1383,1386, 1387,1390,1391,1395,1396,1397,1398,1399,1400,1404,1405,1406. 4-8-2 Mountains none 0-6-0/0-8-0 Switchers 1619,1622,1626,1632,1640,1651,1653,1654,1664,1666,1675,1676,1684,1689, 1712,1722,1732,1733,1739,1742,1864,1866,1870.

Hope this is what you're looking for!

-- Jim McGhee (amcghee@icx.net), March 04, 1999.

In "The Atlantic and Danville Railway Company", William Griffin says Southern was running F Class 4-6-0's over the A&D before shifting over to light Pacifics. Per Griffin the A&D, which was leased by Southern from 1899-1949, was part of the Richmond Division from 1930- 1949, and page 34 has a picture of a ten wheeler at Lawrenceville in 1940, so it appears that Southern was running them between Norfolk and Danville until at least 1940. Unfortunately I can't make out the number from the photo. Hope this helps.

-- Bill Nelson (gnspouselaw@erols.com), November 21, 1999.