N&W 611 On Saluda (An Assault on America's Steepest Class-1 Grade)

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6 жыл бұрын

Purchase a complete DVD or Bluray of this program at www.greenfrog.com--www.greenfrog.com/BD_611OnSalu...
From AMERICAN ALTAVISTA
On October 25, 1992, two of American Railroading's most legendary figures were brought together for the first time. The crowds were Standing Room Only, the weather was perfect, and our legends were at their best.
The 611 is the well known leader of the Norfolk Southern Steam Excursion Program and Saluda is equally well known for its perilous 5% grade - the steepest such mainline grade in the United States. On this perfect Sunday the two giants would do battle as the 611 pulled its own 5 car train up the mighty grade. The 611 slipped and it spun, it huffed and it puffed and you'll have to watch this video to see who won.
Along with the terrific action on Saluda Grade, viewers will also see the 611 attack the famous Southern Loops on the Saturday Excursion. Learn all about the 611, the two great mountain railroads, and the wonders of men, their machines, and the battle of Saluda Mountain.
Excursion Sponsor--Piedmont Carolina's Chapter, Inc., National Railway Historical Society
Excursion Operator--Norfolk Southern Corporation, Carl Jensen; Manager of Steam Operations
Approx: 2 Hours

Пікірлер: 40

@Forrest31962 9 ай бұрын

I was proud to be on the original rebuild crew for 611,back in the 80s; rode many miles with her during my tenure at the steam department. I'm happy that she's still steaming to this day! Living,breathing history ; N&W 611❤

@railroadman32257 6 жыл бұрын

I was a Southern employee from 6/65 to 8/78 and rode many a coal train over both these routes. Also fired the SR-4501 quite often. I will say that I was never comfortable going DOWN either of these grades. Also, while a short stretch of Saluda is 5%, the average grade from Belmont to Saluda was said to be 4.7%

@HaleHunterz 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad she's under steam again and still has a beautiful voice, but that whistle was the best one it ever wore in my opinion

@joshandkorinna 3 жыл бұрын

Dude yes!!!! I went on a whole tangent about this when she was first rebuilt back I think 2015 or 2016. There wasn't much info out on it at the time but I knew it sounded ever so slightly different than the one it had in the 90's. And youtube commenters back then where like, "I can't tell the difference" and some were calling me crazy. But I did a serious deep dive on the web over the course of several weeks and found out that the owner (I think one of the Clayton's) withheld the whistle from the 90's from the rebuild team over a disagreement over the writing "Spirit of Roanoke" on the cab so they had to make a replica which, though it still sounds great, sounds ever so slight different that the original. Pretty trivial reason to withhold the whistle if you ask me. But I'm so glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

@jkeelsnc 2 ай бұрын

Oh my. A passenger steam train getting stuck on the Saluda Grade is no small matter. I wonder how much stress the engineer and the rest of the crew were under at that moment. Respect to them for finishing the trip safely.

@nicholaschard7143 4 жыл бұрын

Bring saluda grade back to life

@shanemyoutubeshit 6 жыл бұрын

THE WHISTLE!!!!!!

@justahillbilly7777 6 жыл бұрын

Some clarification on things in this video: Salisbury to Asheville is the S Line and that's the line that the Old Fort Loops are on, but Saluda's a completely different grade on a completely different route. Saluda Grade is on the W Line from Spartanburg, South Carolina to Asheville, North Carolina via the town of Saluda, and that's the one with the 5% grade. The Loops; funnily enough, the route I live on; aren't as steep. Note: Norfolk Southern did abandon Saluda Grade at the end of 2001 because of the costs associated with it and I'm fairly certain the rails of the route weren't picked up. Or at least the rails of the grade itself and sidings at Melrose weren't picked up at the very least, given that there are videos of 'em post-abandonment. If you do some looking here on KZfaq, you'll find videos of people exploring the old route and finding those old rails. 1st edit: I'm here in 2020 to say that I got this film on DVD at a local model train show, and I *HIGHLY* recommend it. 2nd edit: I've done some rewording to make my comment more clear and concise.

@juneshopper 4 жыл бұрын

Friends and me rode with #611 in 2015 from Lynchburg to Petersburg and caught her near Appomattox and was able to chase for a short time, saw the car we had rode in the day before. We went to NC the following year and saw her being worked on at NCTM. We also visited Saluda and Old Fort Loops, but did not see a train on the Loops, one had just arrived at Old Fort. Saluda did not look as bad at the summit but articles I read and pictures I have seen it was a brutal and wild ride,

@timdaugherty5921 6 жыл бұрын

something we wont see again

@7kslair153 6 жыл бұрын

A beautiful streamliner handling a 5% grade with relative ease, magnificent.

@6484373 6 жыл бұрын

Relative ease? It stalled out pulling a 5 car train! I love steam too, but this was no easy trip.

@GTWDude 4 жыл бұрын

ExcessMean Yeah but it is said her sand dome or sanders became clogged so it kept wheelslipping on the hill so they stopped once they stalled and resolved the problem

@williammeszaros1671 3 жыл бұрын

What an engine of tremendous horse power Its sad i rode most of the excursions except none with the 611 it had broke down so I could not ride behind it Bill

@jamesvance8456 3 жыл бұрын

only 5500 HP (80,000 lbs of tractive effort)

@Tirk_989 Жыл бұрын

did you know that southern railway 4501 also went on suluda grade

@trainroomgary 6 жыл бұрын

Well done / Like / • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂

@user-vh6zt7ty3b 6 ай бұрын

611 On Saluda

@trainchaser17b91 5 жыл бұрын

At 6:25 he’s wrong the rails are still there

@edwardmclean7384 3 жыл бұрын

That’s the old fort to Asheville line, not Saluda

@jacksalvin364 6 жыл бұрын

In 1994, Norfolk Southern ended their Steam Program.

@justahillbilly7777 6 жыл бұрын

Due to rising insurance costs and new management up at the top of the corporate totem pole.

@justahillbilly7777 4 жыл бұрын

@mistermodified1 Hey, at least Wick Moorman revived the Steam Program, albeit a highly faded shadow of itself. Thanks to that, we had a rather euphoric dream ride between 2011 and 2015. Then came his appointment as CEO of Amtrak and the Steam Program was once again cancelled. We all know how 611 soldiered on with excursions for two more years under Amtrak's insurance banner, but then came Wick's stepping down as co-CEO of Amtrak with Anderson, and Anderson's subsequent cancelling of all privately chartered trips; mostly, thank the good Lord we still have the New River Train, albeit reincarnated after a supposed death; and 611 is down to ferry moves between the VMT and the NCTM, then came the Reunion Of Steam at Strasburg and I dare say, 611's peak after excursions were nicked, and everything seemed all right. Of course, now we're left to wonder what's gonna happen with her after her ferry move back to the VMT from the NCTM in March this year. Edit: Revised wording and spelling, and boy, the last statement of this comment didn't really age that well. Ah well. 'Tis what it is.

@brianfalzon6739 4 жыл бұрын

@@justahillbilly7777 Anderson got fired from Amtrak, William Flynn took over as CEO.

@justahillbilly7777 3 жыл бұрын

@@brianfalzon6739 No notifications, 6 months later, and I'm just now replying to this. Well, all I can say is that I hope he does a better job at it then Anderson did and undoes some of his *u n w i s e* business moves.

@jamesvance8456 3 жыл бұрын

Yea, it backed into a track at Lynchburg with a main line train hanging out on the ladder, and tore up all hell.

@crrguy1625 2 жыл бұрын

Can I Use This For A Project I'm Making

@GreenFrogVideos 2 жыл бұрын

Yes you have permission to use footage from this KZfaq clip (please include "used with permission"), please give credit to Green Frog Productions, Ltd - and to American AltaVista - and a link to the video on our website!

@lawrwncemitchell9955 2 жыл бұрын

This is not Saluda....

@bg2070 2 жыл бұрын

This was definitely Saluda. I know because I’m the one who shot this footage along with Bob Loehne. We went to Saluda and shot this in 1992.

@lawrwncemitchell9955 2 жыл бұрын

@@bg2070 Okay if you say so 😂😝😂😝😂😝

@justahillbilly7777 Жыл бұрын

@@lawrwncemitchell9955 Two 611 trips were covered with this film. A trip over the S line from Salisbury, NC to Asheville, NC and then the trip over the line from Charlotte, NC to Asheville, NC via Saluda. This excerpt from the film has shots from both the S Line and Saluda trip’s in it.

@cds8218 Жыл бұрын

At the end it is Saluda NC.

@likestallwomen 10 ай бұрын

@@bg2070 I can even tell it's Saluda, 611 was on her knees all the way up that grade and when she stalled, that told me right there how nasty that grade is, read a Trains Book about that grade and one runaway, that grade is no joke, I don't blame NS for finally abandoning that line