NF&G - Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier

Does anyone have any info on this railroad? It was later purchased by C&O and is used today by CSXT to transport coal from the mines.

Here's a little to start with: The Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier was essentially a joint C&O-NYC facility, leased and half-owned by each railroad. As far as I know, it had no equipment of its own, and was operated with NYC and C&O crews, power and other rolling stock. It was a relative latecomer in the area, having been incorporated in 1926 to tap various coal fields in Nicolas County, WV. As best I can tell, full operation began in January 1932. Over the years it was expanded, and as fully developed, the line operated between an NYC connection at Swiss and C&O connection at Meadow Creek, with various branches radiating from an operating center at Rainelle.

The C&O Historical Society offers a book covering the C&O operations of the NF&G. See:

http://www.chessieshop.com/index.php?ma ... ts_id=2098

Somewhere in my "archives" I've retained a copy of an old Railroad Model Craftsman magazine (Or perhaps a photocopy of the article.) on self-propelled passenger cars that includes a mention of a car (And possibly a photograph.) utilized by the NF&G. I don't recall at the moment whether the car was lettered for the NF&G or the owner road(s). I'll look this up when I'm able.

The wife of a former coworker, now in her early 80s, is a West Virginia native from Rainelle and was employed by the NF&G prior to WWII in an office position.

I thought the NYC ran a Budd RDC on this line to serve the school children in this remote area...

Otto, the RDC service you're thinking of ran from Chareston to Hitop, WV, on a branch fully owned by the NYC.

I believe the line was known as the Kanawha & West Virginia, a little information can be found on pages 1 & 7 in the following link:

http://www.newrivertrain.com/2010/Feb2010.pdf

BaltOhio wrote:Otto, the RDC service you're thinking of ran from Chareston to Hitop, WV, on a branch fully owned by the NYC.

Ah, thank you... I get my NYC West Virginia branches mixed up sometimes!

-otto-

I am the owner of a rare functioning M-9 Speeder car that was used on the N F & G railroad. It has the single cyclinder 2 stroke motor of that time period. We restored it to running condition but left the original paint and graphics. Bill Young in Bruceton Mills WV

Reviving this now dormant topic, I never did unearth my photocopy of the RMC where I "thought" this motorcar was mentioned, however the Winter 2011 issue of Classic Trains has an article with the rather ungainly title "Of riding BC&G's Motor B, A Rickety Homebuilt Caboose and Rainelle's 'Streetcar'."

It turns out that there were actually three motorcars operated by the Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier, numbered 121-123. Page 75 of Classic Trains contains photos of both the 121 & 122. The photo of the 122 clearly shows the NF&G lettering.