Re: NNG- but big steam

Russ, not 100% correct. The final days of steam were in Williamson May 1960. Operational the final days were 2-8-8-2's (Y6b), and S Class 0-8-0's. They were built in 1952. So the compounds were the last big engines on the N&W, making mine runs from Williamson. My dad was there in April and caught 3 0-8-0's, and we see smoke from the roundhouse, and my guess is that it was a 2-8-8-2, while another one was out on a mine run someplace.
In July 1959 my family took a neat excursion train from Roanoke. We stated off with Class A 2-6-6-4 #1238 (Simple articulated), and at Bluefield we got Y6b 2174, which made a circle trip back to Roanoke. Then return to Roanoke was 1238 again.
Back to the C&O, there is one of those 2-6-6-2's on display in Huntington, W.V. The compound sound will be interesting to here, since its not conventional. Another engine thats interesting to here is a 3-cylinder engine. Saw and rode behind some 4-6-2's and 2-10-0's in Germany. Interesting sounding a low speeds, then just a roar. Back to Narrow Gauge, its still great to see and hear engines working hard on the C&TS and the D&S today. These operations are the the closest thing to everyday steam operations in North America. Enjoy them all while you can! Over my 60 odd years of being a steam fan I have seen a ton of engines come and go for various reasons. At least the engines in Colorado have permanent homes where they can run.
Greg