Norfolk & Western G-1, No. 7 — Baldwin, January, 1897

This 2-8-0 Class G-1 No. 7 BLW 1-1897 C/N 15153 had an interesting history, as it commenced operations as No. 353, and was then renumbered 201 in July, 1906. It was sold to the Virginia Carolina Railroad in May, 1917 where it was renumbered 7. When the N&W acquired the VC in January, 1920, it returned to the N&W, and the No. 7 was retained. To celebrate the centennial of the arrival of the Virginia & Tennessee in Roanoke on November 1, 1852, No. 7 was decorated to simulate a locomotive of the 1850 era, with a false stack, a simulated oil headlight and a wooden cowcatcher with a long pointed end. In those days, the right of way was not fenced in and the purpose of the long cowcatcher was to throw livestock from the track when hit by moving trains, rather than have them roll under the locomotive and train, causing derailments. The scene is the Roanoke Shop in October, 1952, as evidenced by the shop schedule data on the side of the smokebox.