N&W 611 test run successful

Like most people over 60, 611 looks much better with her cloths on!    I'll be leading a trip to Roanoke with 18 members of our model railroad club the last weekend in May - hope 611 will be back in town for our visit to the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the O. Winston Link Museum. 

 

Ed Rappe

Tears of joy here...   Wish I were there. I can only imagine the sound and spell of first light-off. I'm sure they're bringing her up slowly. I do love the smell of coal smoke in the morning.

 

Gilly

That's GREAT!!!  Hope to ride another 611 excursion out of Atlanta; last one was 1993.

 

 

 

Doesn't look like a J does it.

She's alive, she's aliveee! 

Sure it does. Look at that swing-out coupler pilot and all the supports for the streamlining.

Oh, yes it does...

 

Rusty

I saw 611 running a few times back in the 80s and 90s and rode behind her once. I'm WAY away from any NS tracks and no chance I'll ever see her come way out here, but I'm so very happy for all the people in the East who will see her running again!

She doesn't have her best on but I will take her as she is!!  Beautiful !!  So good to see hard work rewarded.

Of course it does! And it's a beautiful sight to see. Thank you for posting the picture. Here's a couple more.

 

Never say never.... 

 

Gilly

 

 

I sure hope Mike Wolf wasn't there recording this. I can hear him now, "ok boys, that's a wrap we've got our new sound file"

It absolutely looks like a J....  Ahhh what a day...I wish I was there.

Look at that! No special tools either( never even did a reamer presentation), just a sledgehammer and a crowbar!

For those of you on Facebook, the United Railroad Historical Society of NJ just shared a video of her blowing her whistle today. I can't find a link to the video, but here is a link to their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/URHSofNJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNECaJ-758Y

 

 

Aaargh! VERTICAL VIDEO!

 

WHY do do people do that? A video screen is HORIZONAL, not vertical.

 

If you are going to shoot video with your phone, HOLD IT HORIZONTALLY!!

You have to watch this, then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9zSfinwFA

Should be embedded in every smart phone.

 

Rusty

this was posted on facebook 18 mins ago..

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/loca...in-20-years/32106710

At a time when everything else in this country seems to be cascading into oblivion, what a gigantic breath of fresh air !  Hoot- Hoot !

Can't wait to see, hear, smell, and go for a ride ride behind her!

I truly doubt I'll see 611 in steam again (I live 1820 miles to the nearest NS tracks, just looked it up) but I'm very happy for all the fans in the East and Midwest who will be seeing and riding behind 611 in steam.

I've been lucky enough to see 611 several times in the past, both on display at the original museum in Roanoke (before she was restored in the 80s) as well as under steam on a few occasions.

Such a breath of coal-smoke-scented fresh air!

Here is my video of her blowing her whistle at the end of the day. They had just completed adjusting the pop valves.

 

Jerry

Ok, it looks like a undressed J

 

From their facebook page.

Ahhh music to my ears.  It's great to hear her voice again after so many years.

Perhaps NS might consider painting up 611 in Heritage paint schemes to honor all the components that make up NS today:  Wabash blue, Southern Green, Virginian yellow/black - it would be like the Williams catalog come to life with an explosion of color...  

Amen to that! 

 

Hooters:  Not just for the eyes (), but also for the ears ()!!

 

The whole 611 thing....a feast for the memory!  Dad and I rode behind her on her last run in the late 50's before 'retirement' (the FIRST one!).  The run was from Roanoke to Norfolk.  The fan trip originated in D.C. (my hometown as a child).  Rode a ho-hum RF&P diesel-pulled train from Union Station south to Roanoke.  There the excitement began when 611 replaced the diesel!.

 

There is/was a l-o-n-g tangent stretch of track (about 50 miles or so, if memory serves me) on the run between Roanoke and Norfolk.  It was somewhere along there on the afternoon return trip that the trainload of fans was dumped into a field, 611 and the train backed up for a few miles, gave two hoots for her start, and came flying towards us.  Talk about an adrenaline rush!!!  I had my silly Kodak Brownie camera.  I was shaking so badly that all my pictures (taken WAY too prematurely as it approached) were out of focus.

 

But Dad had the seemingly worst misfortune.  He waited with his trusty Kodak Retina 35mm camera until 611 was about a half mile away, took a beautiful shot, and quickly ratcheted the film winder...........only to find that he had no film left on the roll!!!!  It had partially advanced, but not fully.

 

So, amidst a volley of language that was about as 'blue' as the day's sky, and mostly drowned out by the cacophony of 611's onrushing, pulsating power and a few hooter-hallelujah's,...he squeezed the shutter trigger anyway for that one last in-your-face-Mae-West! shot.

 

That partial 35mm color slide is a very special treasure.  No, not worthy of publication for any periodical; just for my memory of one great time with Dad!

 

Oh, yeah....the tears in his eyes as 611 roared past on that run?....I didn't have enough chutzpah at my age to ask him then.  Was it from lack of forethought on the amount of film left for this last hurrah?  Was it from a cinder or dust of her passing by at about 60+ mph?  Was it because it was truly the end of an era he...passed on to me forever...unabashedly enjoyed?  I don't care....it was all magical!

 

Years later, after 611 came out of retirement to make a run that included my new home territory of SE Michigan, the memory of that 1950's moment was rekindled.  But this time it was my own tears. 

 

I don't think there's any experience that defines the passion of this hobby better than standing by the tracks as an engine like 611, 765, 1225, 4449, 3751, 844, 3965, 261, etc., etc., etc. rushes by, wailing her whistle to the glory of the ages. 

 

Just MHO, of course...

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

 

KD

 

 

 Why don't we let the taggers put some Graffiti "Art" on her while we're at it? 

Somewhere far away" Racehorse" Smith has a smile on his face,  and Hobart Scott is busting out a big Cee-gar !

and Robert Claytor and Frank Collins are saying "it's finally here"

That's OK. You just triggered my emesis reflex.

Gilly

Definitely no fan of graffiti here...   

More good news will be forthcoming soon...

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I know everyone is aware that Rich is a licensed milt-engine aircraft Pilot, however nobody ever "pilots" a steam locomotive! Also, as a reminder,,,,,,,steam locomotives do not have "cockpits" either!

Oh your killin' me here....

Me too. Maybe the Union Pacific has finally made an "announcement" concerning their steam program?

I'd still take that over "Drive."

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