Welp 611 is back

N&W 1218 doesn’t have double exhaust. You’re thinking about the UP steamers, they have double exhaust.

I’ve got a question, what’s the consist for this train?

JCBro2014 Full overhaul.

I've read speculations over the years on why she can't be rebuilt; this is missing, that's missing, it'll never run again! I find that hard to believe. These things were designed and built using a fraction of the technology we have today. The parts missing? Without a doubt I believe they can be made and reverse engineered if need be. In some cases they could be even better than what was used 60-70 years ago or heck, even 30 years ago. It just takes enough people willing to donate the time and money.

When they do excursions for tourists, they know that many people are going to be taking pictures. They deliberately over fuel when they get close to a group of photographers so that the photos are more dramatic.

rumors

I know this is a late reply, but I figured you may still want to know. I believe their were some patches that needed to be fabricated for the firebox, but the main reason it was put out of service were the rising costs of the steam program. In 1986 an excursion train pulled by 611 derailed in the Great Dismal Swamp, causing damage to many cars. There were rumors of it ending then, but they were put to rest when 1218 came on the scene in 1987. Then, in 1991, 1218 went in for an overhaul to replace boiler flues, repair parts of the firebox, etc. Then, in 1994 there was a yard switching accident with some of 611's cars she was going to pull on an excursion. This severely damaged some of those cars, and a month later NS terminated the steam program due to rising insurance costs, safety concerns, etc. They put 611 back at the VMT, and 1218 was left in Birmingham, AL where she was in for her overhaul. In 1996 it was put back together, but was missing some internal boiler components, steam valves, etc. Then in 2003, she was cosmetically restored and placed in the VMT where she resides to this day. I actually emailed the VMT and asked if she would ever run again and they told me that, since it would be so costly to restore, and with the combined cost of running it and the 611 being so costly, that it would probably never run again. I realize this is probably more than you ever wanted to know, but that is why it was retired.

The 1991 NRHS Convention was hosted by the Collis P. Huntington Chapter and was centered in Huntington, WV. You are correct that I did not film anything in the city of Huntington, WV All the shot locations are listed in order in the comments section.