For the first time in seven years, Norfolk & Western Class J #611 took to the mainline in a triumphant return to glory. Since then, the Class 1 Railroads have turned a blind-eye to mainline steam excursions, making it very difficult for big events to occur again. Shortline railroads, however, have become a new hope for steam in recent years. The Buckingham Branch is no exception, and is hosting the 611 on it's 191-mile main for 32 miles between Goshen, VA and Staunton, VA. This territory really makes 611 work hard up the grades as steep as 1.5% approaching the summit at "North Mountain," about halfway between Goshen and Staunton. In "Norfolk & Western 611: Return to the Mainline," we will witness 611 reliving what it was built to do, haul fast passenger services in its home state of Virginia!
History of N&W 611: One of the fourteen Class Js that rolled out of the shops in Roanoke, VA in 1950, 611 and others of its class were built to haul N&W's famous passenger trains across its system. The revenue career of the Js was short-lived, as the end of steam on the N&W came in 1959, as did 611's first retirement, following the "Farewell to Steam" trips hosted by the N&W in Virginia. It continued to operate as a boiler for the East End Shops in Roanoke, VA until 1962 when its flue time expired and was later donated to the Roanoke Transportation Museum. The locomotive sat on display until 1981 when the locomotive was selected for use in the Southern Steam Program. It was moved to the Southern's steam shops in Irondale, Alabama where some refurbishment work was completed and it was fired up again on July 5, 1982. 611 was in excursion service for the Southern and eventually Norfolk Southern Steam Program until 1994 when it hauled the last steam excursion for NS, and subsequently returned to Roanoke. 611 was on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, as well as used for special events in Roanoke until 2014, when after various efforts by the Fire Up 611! committee, the locomotive was towed to the North Carolina Transportation Museum's Spencer Shops to complete restoration work. May 30, 2015, was the day 611 made its homecoming trip back to Roanoke in a new chapter of the locomotive's career. Participating in Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam Program until its end in late 2015, as well as some independent excursions, 611 has operated all over the Northeast, has concluded it's four year stay at Strasburg, and has returned to it's home state of Virginia for future excursions and display. In Fall of 2023, 611 is operating in part with the Buckingham Branch Railroad on their "Shenandoah Limited" until the first weekend of November.
Virginia Museum of Transportation: www.vmt.org/
Virginia Scenic Railroad: www.virginiascenicrailway.com
Learn about 611:
www.vmt.org/attractions/611
Filmed on October 7th and 8th, 2023.
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