Norfolk Franklin & Danville 2 is an ALCO RS-36 built in October 1949 for the Atlantic & Danville Railway (as AD 2).
The Atlantic and Danville Railway was incorporated in 1882 and opened its mainline between Portsmouth and Danville in 1890. The Southern Railway leased the company from 1899 until 1949.
After the Southern terminated the lease the Atlantic and Danville continued as an independent company for another dozen years. The company went bankrupt in 1960 and was purchased by the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1962. The N&W created a new subsidiary, the Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway, to operate the A&D line.
(Norfolk, Virginia – November 23, 1984). Douglas G. Walker photograph, Craig Walker collection
