611 fundraising reaches first milestone...work to begin.

 Modern steam locomotives like the 765 or 611 do not pound the rails. Many railroad crews that have ridden aboard the 765 have commented that it rides better than most GEs. Some guys on the 765 crew claim the loco rides better than our tool car. 

 

Secondly, main line track today is much stronger than the right of ways of the 40s and 50s. Todays main lines are mostly welded rail and built to handle 315,000 pound freight cars. A "heavy" car in the steam era was HALF that weight.

Well the 1218 would be better suited for operation in certain areas as opposed to the 611.  And she was mid rebuild when NS cancelled the program and while she is the last "A" I think the 611 has the following, she is the icon for many.  Plus I think there is just flat out more work involved with the 1218 vs. the 611 as the 1218 is essentially an empty shell and 611 is complete.  And I would imagine operating expenses would be another factor.

  IIRC, 1218 would have to be nearly gutted anyway to get her to the new regs.  I won't be too surprised to see a 1218 revival in some four to eight years.    As for Rich and the 765....the reason she rides better than most GEs is because she IS better than most GEs !!   

True,but its alot easier to remove and rebuild or remanufacture old parts than to open up an empty boiler and try to figure out whats missing. I'm not sure how any prints are still around for the class A boiler construction.

I'm sure they are around...if nothing else the N&W Historical Society has them I bet.

When the J's were running with passenger trains, they could and did hit over 100 mph.  Not now I'm reading in this forum 611 has to run 10 mph below the posted speed in curves. She does seem "tall", as noted.  But does the lack of super-elevated curves also have something to do with that.

Yes, as does her higher center of gravity.