N&S J-611 back in Operation Date??

The official website is always a good place to start.

Well I was hoping that the N&S 611 Fans would follow this as the UP Big Boy fans are following X4014. There has been an extreme amount of good up date, as it happens, enlieu of going to some official web site, reading updates when ever someone wants to post them. Just maybe there isn't anything happening at present, and nothing to report other than folks getting "Cabin Fever". fabricating stories to sound important, but what ever. I just thought that so many folks on this forum seem extremely more knowledgable than I, may have a true up date, and good info I could pass on to club members who don't do cell phones,computers,I-pads or any other form of  Buck Rodgers communication!.....Brandy

 

generally speaking, expect about 8 months minimum once they get the 611 to Spencer.  That's probably as good of a guess as you are going to get at this moment.  Now, how long until they make the move to Spencer---that is the better question.

Kevin

Thanks for the scoop, and I'll pass it on to the AMRS Group..............Brandy

Last I heard, the money to restore N&W 611 is in place.  Currently she is still sitting at VMT and they are working on coming up with the money needed to build a shop facility to maintain her as well as money to keep her running in the future.  Until those funds are in place, she'll stay at VMT on display

N&S? What's that?

 

NS (Norfolk Southern) will likely operate the N&W (Norfolk & Western) J no. 611. But there ain't no N&S involved anywhere!  

As stated earlier the $ is in place for the restoration as is the location (Spencer) as well as key figures making up the restoration team.  VMT is now focused on the $ for the shop as well as funds for future maintenance.

This group will do 611 right.  Perfection over schedule.  And way before UP 3985 runs again!

The ampersand bunch is a big part of the population up in Erie, Pa.   When working at Bldgs. 10 and 12, I learned all about RRs you never heard of.....P&C, U&P, S&P, M&P, N&H, Santa & Fe....all good customers of good, ol' G&E ! !

I was at a RR meeting in Hattiesburg MS on Feb 15th. Our guest speaker was Wick Moorman of NS. He told us that the 611 will run again but it will not be the "old way" of excursions for the public. There will be some (few) excursions but mostly trips for employees and families.

Malcolm

Humble apologies on the (N&S) , should have ck'd the punctuation out before sending, Norfolk-Southern. Long,long before the merger, my stepfather was one of Southern's  Road foreman of Engines. Fired and Got his Locomotive Engineer qualification on the 1401, before WW2. Being a 100+ % Southern Employee, you should have heard his take on the merger, and who's name should have been 1st. When ever passing something in public with the (SR) logo on it we had to stop and salute, well not quite that bad, but almost!  Come to think of it, railroad dollars did get me an education, clothes on my back, and food in belly. With all of the Railroad folks that I grew up around, then when I got bigger, frequenting the Pennsy, K&I Terminal, C&O, L&N, and I.C. roundhouses which was a mere bicycle ride from my home in the west end of Louisville, I'll never understand how I spent 40+ years working in an Oil Refinery. Love those Steam Engines!................Brandy

There is one big between the 611 operation and the 4014 project.

 

It seems that the 4014 project is making a lot of noise now, telling everyone all the great things they are going to do.

 

The 611 folks are going about their business quietly and professionally, raising money and lining up a very competent restoration crew. They will make a lot of noise about this when they can show you what they have already done - 611 under steam and ready to go.

Better check again, as there is no "dash" between the Norfolk and the Southern. It is "Norfolk Southern".

Aah, No! Quite the opposite, when the merger is over and everything is counted, the old man would have said, now let me see, I, being the Southern, own the most, so we're calling it "Southern Railroad", and nothing else! He was a no procrastinate, no BS, type of person. Typical of most folks from his era. Who knows for sure who had the most into that merger, you'd think it's was Norfolk Western, with "Norfolk" ahead of Southern. " Boy I wished I would have kept this question to myself".....Brandy:-)    

Quite right, they have a plan and are sticking to it.  This project is being handled by a very skilled group of people, with most being associated with the last program.   

I grew up around several Southern folks Brandy and we all felt the same way your step-father did.  And just an FYI, if you go back a few years there was a Norfolk & Southern, a regional line running from Norfolk to Charlotte that went through a few name changes before ultimately being absorbed by Southern Railway in the 1970s. 

Yes, Bill you are right, about the Norfolk & Southern Line from Norfolk to Charlotte. Before WW2 service and him going to the Pacific Theater to fight, he did in fact spend sometime, firing/running that segment. He kept all of his time table books from day one up thru and until his end. Lots of side notes in them, and some I wouldn't want my mom to see! I didn't hit on that one, as the original question I asked got kinda outa hand, and I apologize to the members for that. This is truly a great bunch on Rich Melvin's Forum, very knowledgeable about almost any subject you would like to discuss. Hey! If you forget to proof read something, you can get help there as well ;-)......................................Brandy

 

Nope, that was "Norfolk Southern" also.  No &s to be found.

Kevin

The original Norfolk Southern from Norfolk to Charlotte became a subsidiary of the Southern Railway when the line was purchased by the Southern in 1974. 

With the Norfolk & Western/Southern merger in 1982 the Norfolk Southern name was then used as the new NS Corp while the now old Norfolk Southern names was changed to the Carolina Northwestern which was another railroad owned by the Southern running from Hickory,NC to Chester,SC

The only noise I want to hear is the pop valve popping and steam roaring out.

In the February issue of Trains magazine, in the "Preservation" articles section (Pg. 64), mentions that Norfolk Souther has donated $1.5 million to the Fire Up 611 restoration fund, from a potion of a sale of a signed 1959 Mark Rothko abstract.

 

This brings their total up to $2.1 million of the $3.5 million they need to secure funding for the shop and future maintenance.  But the 611 will not move until all funding is secured.

Correct...they want all the dollars in place first.  They are being very smart with the project,planning and they are handling all of it in a professional manor.