The motive power for the Powhatan Arrow was built by the Roanoke Shops of Norfolk and Western located in Roanoke, Virginia. The train was given its name from a name submission contest offered by Norfolk and Western, the winner of which was Mr. Leonard Allen Scott of Dry Branch, Virginia. His entry (among over 140,000) was sent out in the last sack of mail picked up by the mail train in Parrott the day of the deadline for postmarks.
The Arrow made its maiden run on April 28, 1946, and quickly became one of the most popular of Norfolk and Western’s passenger trains. It and its J-class powered companions traveled approximately 15,000 miles per month and may have travel nearly three million miles in its lifetime.

The family photo shows Leonard Allen Scott with Robert Rexton McCoy (“Bob Rax” – 1884 – 1960) playing his banjo.
“Bob Rax” was the ferryman who carried passengers from McCoy, Virginia to Parrot in Pulaski County where Leonard lived.

Mr. Leonard Allen Scott (1883 – 1952), who won the name submission contest of the Powhatan Arrow with Norfolk and Western Railway, and I share several ancestors. Leonard was the son of Joseph S. Scott a brother to William Henry Scott (1851 – 1923), my great grandfather. Joseph and William Henry’s father was John O Scott (1819 – 1864) of Spruce Run, Giles County, Virginia and their grandfather was Henry O. Scott who built both the Goodwins Ferry ferry and the Scott Mill in Spruce Run.
A family story relates that Leonard received a five hundred dollar prize for the chosen name as well as unlimited lifetime rides on the Powhatan Arrow, while another family member has a note written on her copy of the above picture saying Leonard won $5.00 in the contest in the early 40’s. Either way no one disputes that he named the Norfolk and Western passenger train “the Powhatan Arrow”! Leonard passed in 1952.

(https://www.american-rails.com/powhatan-arrow.html)