In the 1920's and 1930's Norfolk & Western cast these heavy signs in the railroad's Roanoke Shops. Made of scrap iron it has far less the ingredients it should have to make it a strong piece of cast iron, but it was inexpensive to make. This 55 pound sign was a gift and I was told by the donor that it came from N&W's Bluestone Branch which was a coal mine branch of about twenty miles, reaching from the mainline at Bluestone to a connection with the Virginian Railway at Matoaka and on to Giatto. My sign had been broken many years ago and repaired by the railroad by bolting a piece of iron across the top on the back side. I had it welded on the back by a skilled craftsman and I chose to not sand it clean and repaint it to new condition. I feel the crack in the cast iron and the peeled paint attest to the age and character of the piece. November 2010
Very nice. I have found two of these on a abandoned line still mounted nicely to there section of rail. Neither in this nice of shape.
ReplyDeleteOne is cracked badly down the side just to the left of the post. The other strangely has two holes in it but would be in near perfect condition other wise. Even still has most of it's pain. A third is hardly there as only half remains and it's rusted worse than this one.