End of an Era on the Norfolk Southern in NC

[ARandall70]

Thursday December 27, 2012 was the last run of the last current NS employee to be hired by the Original Norfolk Southern Railway before the merger with the Southern Railway in 1974. Conductor Dickie Westbrook made his last run on NS P2V from Varina to Raleigh over original NS trackage.

As I understand it, the prior rights agreement at the time of the Southern merger allowed Mr. Westbrook to work as a conductor his entire career, never having to go to engine school.

Just prior to the start of the work day, NS 6688 sits at the junction between the NS and VF-lines at Varina South.



P2V crossing a field just north of Fuquay-Varina in the community of Willow Spring.



Same location, further around the curve.



The train crossing the NS H-line and CSX S-line at Boylan in Raleigh. This was probably the most famous photo location on the Original Norfolk Southern. There was a tower in the near quadrant of the diamond that was controlled by the NS and controlled movements of the Southern, NS, and Seaboard Air Line Railroads, including trains into and out of the stub-ended Raleigh Union Station before it was abandoned.



The train stops short of the ladder at Glenwood Yard in Raleigh. Glenwood is/was the hub of the Norfolk Southern(s) in Raleigh, as well as the Southern from 1974 to 1982.



After tying down the 6688, the crew would ready the 5038 and 5238 for their return trip, but would end up tying down and taking a taxi home, as it was decided to hold the train a day while more inbound cars arrived from Linwood.