The ''Cavalier'' was one of the named

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self pr ...

s of the

Norfolk and Western Railway The Norfolk and Western Railway , commonly called the N&W, was a US class I railroad, formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, for most of its existence. Its motto was "Precisio ...

. Originally running from

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, by 1957 trains 15 and 16 had been cut back to a

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines Petersburg (along with the city of Colonial Heights) with Din ...

Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in and the county seat of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky, just east of the mouth of the Scioto River. ...

run. Service to Norfolk was maintained by combining train 15 with train 27, and train 16 with train 22, the eastbound ''Cannonball''. Westbound, train 27 departed Norfolk at 10:15 pm and arrived at Petersburg at 12:01 am. Train 15 departed Petersburg at 12:35 am, and made selected stops before arriving at

Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 100,011, making it the 8th most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest city in Virginia west of Richmond. It is lo ...

at 5:15 am, and a connection with the Southern Railway's ''

Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...

''. After a 6:25 am departure from Roanoke, the ''Cavalier'' became a local, with scheduled or flag stops at most stations to Portsmouth, where it arrived at 5:45 pm. Eastbound, departure from Portsmouth was at 12:20 pm, with an 11:35 pm arrival at Roanoke. Departing at 12:30 am, the ''Cavalier'' ran limited-stop to Petersburg, arriving at 4:55 am. The connecting ''Cannonball'' arrived at Norfolk at 7:30 am. The ''Cavalier'' carried three

sleeping car The sleeping car or sleeper (often ) is a railway passenger car (rail), passenger car that can accommodate all passengers in beds of one kind or another, for the purpose of sleeping. George Pullman was the American innovator of the sleeper car. ...

s, but not all at the same time. A Norfolk to Roanoke 10-

roomette A roomette is a type of sleeping car compartment in a railroad passenger train. The term was first used in North America, and was later carried over into Australia and New Zealand. Roomette rooms are relatively small, and were originally gener ...

-6- double-bedroom car was carried in trains 27 and 22 from Norfolk to Petersburg and in the ''Cavalier'' from Peterburg to Roanoke. Also at Roanoke, sleeping cars were switched with the ''Pelican'' – a Petersburg to

Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State S ...

10-section-1-compartment-2-double-bedroom car would be exchanged for a

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Williamson, West Virginia Williamson is a city in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Tug Fork River. The population was 3,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mingo County, and is the county's largest and most populous city. Willi ...

10-roomette-6-double-bedroom car. Also carried was a Roanoke to Williamson lounge-dining car. Despite the small contribution they made to the Norfolk & Western's operating revenue, the company offered a wide variety of passenger trains to serve the public. Although there were relatively few people in its service area from which to draw patrons, N&W put its best foot forward. Named trains such as the ''

Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...

'', the ''Cavalier'', and the famed all-coach ''

Powhatan Arrow The ''Powhatan Arrow'' was one of the named passenger trains of the Norfolk and Western. Its route ran from Norfolk, Virginia, to Cincinnati, Ohio. Train 25 left Norfolk at 7:00 am,N&W October 27, 1957 Timetable, p. 14 and made the 565 mile ...

'' were but a part of a fleet including joint operations with other companies as well as branch line accommodations. However, the ''Cavalier'' ran on a more local schedule, and the ''Pocahantas'' and ''Powhatan Arrow'' made more limited stops.'Official Guide of the Railways,' December 1954, Norfolk & Western section, Table 1

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cavalier (NandW Train) Passenger trains of the Norfolk and Western Railway Named passenger trains of the United States Night trains of the United States Passenger rail transportation in Ohio Passenger rail transportation in Virginia Passenger rail transportation in Washington, D.C. Passenger rail transportation in West Virginia

Further reading

Notes