The Last N&W CPL Intermediates Fall

 For many years a lightly used NS line in southern Virginia has been been carrying the torch for N&W position light signaling. Well it appears that the torch has gone out not just for its own N&W colorized position lights, but, in all likelihood, the last example of N&W intermediate signals anywhere on the NS system. The NS Altavista district had become an island of classic signaling due to the typical reason of decline. Like the former Conrail Buffalo Line, C&O Virginia Central route and the B&O Mountain Sub, the Altavista district was involved with moving coal from the Appalachian interior to various ports. 

Comprised of the Virginian Railway's main line that was absorbed into the N&W in 1959, the gentler alignment makes it the preferred route for loaded eastbound coal trains in a form of directional running. Converted by the N&W to bi-directional CTC signaling with N&W style position lights between 1960 and 1963, the relatively young age of the signaling combined traffic that made the route PTC exempt put the Altavista District low down on the capital improvement totem pole.  Unfortunately with the great PTC push of the 2010's now in the rearview mirror, NS started to pick away at the Altavista district PL in the early 2020's.

In the particular case of automatic N&W Pl locations, the N&W switched to installing new color lights before the end of the "right hand rule" in 1985. This made "split" automatics ripe for replacement during signal logic refreshes in the 90's and 2000's, even if PL signals at interlockings were left in place. If the assessment of the community is accurate, the Altavista district was the last place one could find active N&W PL signals with an automatic number plate, although like with the dwarf signals, its entirely possible that one or two might be hanging on deep in the forests of coal country. 

H-Line CPL's, not Altavista, but you get the point.

Note the qualification of "active" as the former N&W route eastward out of Cincinnati had its N&W CTC signaling, including automatic locations, taken out of service, but not removed. Now leased to a shortline it is the most practical place to get photos of automatic N&W PLs.