A westbound hopper train rolls through Matewan... er, Thurmond. The classic West Virginia town has been selected as the set for the movie Matewan, which tells the story of a mine labor conflict in the 1920's. Several elements of the makeover are evident in this scene, including the National Bank of Thurmond, which has been relabeled as the National Bank of Matewan, with a fresh window stencil and a relettered block façade. The cantilever signal has been made over to be a signal bridge. Why a signal bridge needs to have a 10-ton capacity still escapes me. The film crew, some of whom are standing in front of the bank, were in constant contact with the railroad to ensure that they were clear of trains when filming.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.