A visitor on the Bluefield.

In 1946, The Bluefield was considering its options for adding to its fleet of modern steam power for freight service and decided to borrow locomotives off of other roads to test their performance on the Bluefield. One of the locomotives tried was a Reading T1 4-8-4, 2103. The T1 design was the result of a collaboration between the Reading Company and Baldwin locomotive works, and they were built by elongating the boilers of several of the Reading's large 2-8-0s and building a new engine around that key component. They proved so successful that the Reading built 30 total.

In this nighttime photo, 2103 sits alongside a Bluefield P4 Pacific and a class M Mikado, the night before her trial runs were to begin. Eventually, The Big 4-8-4 was deemed to long the drivers too big for the Bluefield. After her trials, she was stored temporarily at Mount Frigid before being returned to the Reading.

This nice color slide shows the old line, near the old post tunnel.  This image was shot just after the line through the old post tunnel was abandoned and the new one was opened to service. In taking this picture, the photographer captured a scene that would soon be completely lost to history.  This portion of the former mainline can now only vaguely be seen from trans passing on the relocated line at a higher elevation. The cut is mostly full of undergrowth and the rails have been removed.

Bluefield Berkshire number 777 was the primary modern steam power used on the Southern Allegheny Division for fast freight service. Even after the N&W purchased the line, B&AC's 4 handsome Berks continued to hold down a lot of through freight assignments. The extremely steep grades in combination with short sidings, limited the length of most freights. Bluefield later leased 2 Berkshires from Nickel Plate to supplement their modern power and retire older Mikado and consolidation types.

Repairs, circa 1920

Two Bluefield Steam locomotives are undergoing repairs at an unknown location sometimes in the early 1920s before the arrival of the larger Mikados that would first appear on the property in 1923. The earliest class M, Mikados were rebuilt from consolidations and kept their original road numbers in the 400 series. Behind the two Bluefield engines, you can see either an N&W class J or K2a.

An early Bluefield Passenger Engine

A Bluefield 4-4-0 backs towards the coach yard in Terminus, circa 1919. In the early years, Bluefield had quite a few 4-4-0s.  159 was one of 3 4-4-0s kept into the 1950s for branch line service.