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Your first and only chance!
See all 20 of the
Norfolk Southern Heritage Units at the North Carolina Transportation Museum Bus Excursion on July 4, 2012
The one and and only time all 20 of Norfolk Southern's Heritage Units will line up for a family portrait will be at the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer, North Carolina, on July 3-4, 2012.
The Virginia Museum of Transportation is providing a one-day bus excursion on Wednesday, July 4 to the NCTM to see the Heritage Units in person.
Tickets are $60 per person, and include round-trip transportation, admission to the North Carolina Transportation Museum, and parking at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Food is available for purchase in Spencer. A minimum of 30 riders are needed to make the trip.
To add to the Heritage experience, bus service will be on an historic coach provided by the Commonwealth Coach and Trolley Museum. The bus is air-conditioned, but it is not wheelchair accessible, or equipped with a restroom. One rest stop is planned, if needed. This trip is for adults only (ages 13 and up).
Boarding begins at 8 am, with the bus leaving the Museum promptly at 8:30 am. We will leave Spencer around 3 pm and arriving in Roanoke about 6 pm.
- You can purchase tickets online.
- By mailing a check with all passengers' names, and the purchaser's name, address and phone number to the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Attn. Bus Trip, 303 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016. Your check must arrive before June 27.
- In person, by check, cash, or credit card at the Museum.
Seats are on a first come first served basis. Tickets will be sold through June 27, or as long as seats are available.
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From our Executive Director
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Photo Credit: Pete Lerro Productions
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Behind the scenes at the VMT:
Cosmetic restorations, Wi-Fi and planning
It's happening. With each passing month, we are making important improvements to our facilities and programming. This spring saw the cosmetic restoration of the Norfolk & Western Alco RS-3 and the Chesapeake Western Alco T-6 in our rail yard.
Thanks to Wells Fargo, Wi-Fi has been installed throughout the Museum and the Rail Yard. Our Summer Camp and Passport programs are poised to roll through the summer, and we have a number of special events planned for all to enjoy.
New windows will be installed in the Advance Auto Parts Automotive Gallery this summer, sealing the gallery for the first time since the building was built in 1919. This will serve as a model for energy efficiency and comfort as we upgrade 30,000 square feet of our Museum.
Thank you for visiting, for liking us on Facebook and for being Members. All of our improvements are aimed at making your visits more informative and enjoyable. And, with your help, our restoration and positive changes will continue.
Plan a visit this summer! We'd love to see you.
 Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr. Executive Director |
Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30 Star City Motor Madness
Star City Motor Madness is in its 11th year and is better than ever! One of the biggest car and truck shows in the mid-Atlantic, Star City Motor Madness takes place over two days and celebrates America's love of the automobile and cruising. Friday, June 29: Classic and special interest automobiles, trucks and motorcycles cruise along Williamson Road, Roanoke's historic "strip," from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Free for spectators. If you and your car want to "cruise" the strip, please register your car here. Cruise Central is Berglund Credit Line, 3926 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24012. Entertainment, food and a display of classic cars will be featured. Saturday, June 30: Car and Truck Show in Downtown Roanoke. See over 500 vehicles -- from antiques to hot rods to motorcycles from 10 am to 4 p m. Show held on Jefferson St. between Campbell Ave. and Elm Ave., on Franklin Road between Jefferson St. and Williamson Road and at Elmwood Park. Advance Auto Parts Pit Stop: You'll find an assortment of manufacturers set up with product demonstrations and more. Entertainment: Live Radio Remote with Q-99 FM Silent Auction: Downtown on Saturday across from the Roanoke City Library (and Friday night at Berglund Credit Line. Place your bid for great items with all proceeds to benefit the Virginia Museum of Transportation and other non-profits. |
Saturday, July 7
Party like it's 1776!
VMT to welcome back the
N&W SD-45 1776 Locomotive! One of the Lost Engines of Roanoke -- the Chesapeake & Western 662 Baldwin Diesel -- will be rolled back into our Rail Yard.
We'll also showcase three NS Heritage Units and the all-new NS Exhibit Car
With great anticipation, our beloved 1776 Locomotive will be unveiled and dedicated in our Rail Yard on Saturday, July 7. To celebrate, we're going to "Party Like it's 1776!"
This former 1776 Locomotive is a former People's Choice winner in the Virginia Association of Museum's Top Ten Endangered Artifacts competition is endangered no more!
We'll also unveil one of the Lost Engines of Roanoke -- the Chesapeake & Western 662 Baldwin Diesel painstakingly restored by the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society. We'll honor the rail fans and donors who made both restorations possible at a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 am.
To celebrate, we're transporting our rail yard to the year 1776! Meet Betsy Ross at the Craft Station as you design your own flag. Talk to Revolutionary War soldiers and their families to see what life was like as our nation was founded. FOR ONE DAY ONLY! See the Virginian, Interstate and N&W Heritage Units. Also on display will be the all-new NS Exhibit Car. NS Lawmen will perform from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm in the rail yard.
On tap for the day: Norfolk Southern Employee Appreciation Day. All NS Employees (with ID) and their families are admitted free. Lunch will be provided for NS Employees and their families. Reduced admission: $5 per person. As always, Museum Members and infants 2 and under are admitted free.
Plus: Food, face painting, new activity for the Passport Program and model train displays! Event made possible by the Taubman Foundation.Funding for the 1776 restoration made possible by Trains Magazine and many other generous donors.
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VMT Celebrates African-American
Heritage and Lasting Impact on the Railroad
The 14th Annual African-American N&W Heritage Celebration was held on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at the Museum. This annual event celebrated the significant and lasting impact that African-Americans have made to the railroad and to the community.During the day, Museum visitors enjoyed a locomotive training simulator and talked to NS Archivis Jennifer McDaid about N&W and NS History.
During the Heritage Celebration that evening, Mr. Terry N. Evans, vice president of operations, planning and budget for Norfolk Southern talked about African-American's contributions to railroads past and present and throughout the life of the community. Music was provided by the Loudon Avenue Christian Church Male Chorus.
A Silent Auction of original railroad art by Nancy Stark and framed prints of historic railroad images from the Norfolk Southern Archives will raise funds for the African-American N&W Heritage Celebration Group and Rails of Color. The items will be on display and available for bidding until Monday, July 9, 2012.
The event was sponsored by the African-American N&W Heritage Celebration Group, Rails of Color, Norfolk Southern Corporation/Virginia Division, StellarOne Bank, and the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
You can see the Roanoke Times coverage of the event here. Roanoke television station WDBJ-7 also aired a story. |
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Thursday, June 21 to Sunday, June 24: N&W Historical Society Annual Convention. Lynchburg, VA. Learn about Virginia's beloved railroads -- the N&W and the Virginian. Take a tour of rail sites throughout the area.
Saturday, June 23: C&O Heritage Center: Join the fun as the C&O Heritage Center hosts a Restoration Day where they'll work on the C&O Sleep/Camp Car.
Wednesday, August 8 - Sunday, August 12: C&O Historical Society's 43rd Annual Conference. Hilton Alexandria Old Town (Northern Virginia).
August 11: Lynchburg Rail Day sponsored by the Blue Ridge National Railway Historical Society. 9 am to 4 pm. Celebrating the past and present of railroads. See the history of the railroads and model railroading in various scales (electric and live steam). Collectors of railroad artifacts and memorabilia welcome! Door prizes and refreshments. Held at the Boonsboro Ruritan Club. Applications for vendors being taken now.
Monthly -- Second and Fourth Thursdays: The International Plastic Modelers' Society, Roanoke Valley Chapter hosts building and business meetings at the Museum each month, and competes in area shows. The entrance is on the back of the Museum just off the Rail Walk and around the corner from the Jupiter Rocket. 7 pm. For information, email Tim Ward, Chapter President.
Weekly - Tuesdays: The Roanoke Valley Model Engineers work on their ON30, HO, Lionel and N scale layouts each week in the basement of the Museum. The entrance is at the back of the Museum around the corner from the Jupiter Rocket. 6:30 pm to 8 pm. The club also invites younger members ages 8 - 18 to learn about model railroading. New members welcome!
Monthly - Second Wednesday: Blue Ridge Chapter, National Railway Historical Society meets at Charley's Restaurant, 707 Graves Mills Road, Lynchburg, VA. Dinner begins at 6 pm. Official chapter meeting begins at 7:30 pm.
Monthly - Third Thursday: Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society meets in the auditorium at the O. Winston Link Museum at 7:30 pm.
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