Location / Name:
Salem VA, No County - it is an independent jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of VA
However, it IS the county seat for surrounding Roanoke County
What's Here:
Former N&W Depot
Two NS Lines, former Virginian and N&W Lines
Titan Trains (1/8 scale locomotives)
Wabtech / Graham-White (supplier of locomotive equipment)
Good Photo Spots
Data:
GPS Coordinates: as needed
Phone A/C: 540
ZIP: 24153
Access by train/transit:
None
The Scoop:
Salem is next to Roanoke Virginia off Interstate 81,
about 130 miles from the Tennessee border.
The two (formerly) competing lines of the Virginian and the Norfolk & Western, both of which
belong to Norfolk Southern, come their closest here in Salem in the vicinity
of Diuguids Lane. This is just about the only place easy to get to that you can
catch trains on both lines. There are a few places south of here (on
map 5), but the sight lines are not quite as good, altho the surrounding
scenery is much better.
Salem has a still standing N&W Rwy depot off of South College and 9th.
The "Live Diesel" manufacturer formerly known as the Mountain Car
Company, used to be across the tracks from the depot, but has since moved
to Boones Mill VA, about 10 miles south of Roanoke.
Diuguids Lane is a good spot for pictures, because
both lines pass here and are right next to each other, making it a whole lot
easier to catch all the trains heading south out of Roanoke. The sight
lines here are good. Mill St and Union St aren't too bad either.
Notice the R-O-W above Main Street, along Kessler Mill Road, is now a trail.
Acknowledgements:
Ken Miller
Denver Todd
Websites and other additional information sources of interest for the area:
See below
Gone but not forgotten is the Virginian Railway depot on Union Street.
The station was torn down in 1995-1996. Picture and info courtesy Ken Miller.
The N&W Depot
GPS Coordinates: 37.280764, -80.051843
1031 S College Ave, Salem VA 24153
Norfolk & Western's depot was built in 1891. The N&W Freight Station was a quarter of a
mile away at the Union St crossing, and was torn down ~1966-1967. Thanks to Ken Miller for the information.
Now houses the TAP Head Start Salem center.
Pix from 2004.
The two siding tracks (yellow arrow), probably at one time connected the
Virginian with the N&W lines.
Mountain Car Co used to be across the tracks from the depot.
What used to be Mountain Car Company is now Titan Trains, and they moved from Salem to south of Roanoke about 10 miles.
They are one of the largest manufacturers of 1/8 scale live diesel engines and rolling stock.
Pictures I took in 2004.
Pictures from MCC's website
Wabtec / Graham White
1242 Colorado St, Salem, VA 24153
540-387-5600
Suppliers of a wide variety of support equipment for (mostly) railroad locomotives.
The N&W Depot
Pix from 2004.
Titan Trains 
Pictures I took in 2004.
Pictures from MCC's website
Wabtec / Graham White
