Powhatan Arrow

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Train No. 25, the Powhatan Arrow, speeds through Salem, Virginia on July 11, 1953.

"Drumhead" logos such as this often adorned the ends of observation cars on the Powhatan Arrow.

The Powhatan Arrow was one of the named passenger trains of the Norfolk and Western Railway. Its route ran from Norfolk, Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Powhatan Arrow was built by the Roanoke Shops of Norfolk and Western located in Roanoke, VA and was given its name from a name submission contest offered by Norfolk and Western, the winner of which was Mr. Leonard Arnold Scott of Dry Branch, VA. His entry (among over 140,000) was sent out in the last sack of mail picked up by the mail train in Parrott the day of the deadline for postmarks. The Arrow made its maiden run on April 28, 1946 and quickly became one of the most popular of Norfolk and Western's passenger trains. It and its J-class powered companions traveled approximately 15,000 miles per month and may have traveled nearly three million miles in its lifetime.^[1]

Background and class history:

The most famous power of the N&W were the class "J" 4-8-4 steam locomotives. They were the pride of the N&W, pulling crack passenger trains such as the Cavalier, the Pocahontas, and the Powhatan Arrow, as well as ferrying the Southern Railway's Tennessean between Lynchburg, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. One test proved that a "J" could pull fifteen cars at 100 mph along one section of flat, straight track in eastern Virginia. The only unit left of this class is Norfolk & Western 611.

In April, 1946 the N&W ordered ten 56-seat coaches from Pullman-Standard for the Powhatan Arrow and the Pocahontas. The cars were delivered in 1949. They were smooth-sided and delivered in Tuscan Red & Black. The cars were numbered 531 to 540. Of the 10 cars, 8 may still be in some type of operation. Several of these cars were used in the Norfolk Southern Steam Program. The N&W streamlined/lightweight trains were originally painted as follows: sides, ends and skirts were "Tuscan Red," roofs "Dark Brown," with trucks "Pullman Green," and lettering/striping "Gold Leaf".

During the early 1950s the lettering and striping was changed to imitation gold, while the roofs and trucks were repainted black. The heavyweight cars were painted the same as before but did not carry train name logos or striping.^[2] N&W "officially" adopted blue at the end of 1965. The repaints were not all done right away.^[3]