Reading about the A1 Tornado steam locomotive in England makes me long for the days of the Norfolk Southern steam excursion program in the U.S. I really miss scenes like this one of Norfolk & Western Class J number 611 from 1994, the last year of the NS steam operations program:
My wife was surprised that 611 is my favorite locomotive, since it was built in 1950 and looks so modern. She figured I would prefer a more old-fashioned looking engine.
For fans of the 611, it can be seen in the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, which is nearby the O. Winston Link museum. If you want to see it in motion, Bachmann makes N scale and HO scale models of the N&W Class J number 611.
2 Comments
The great A1 Tornado project here in the UK shows what has been lost over the last 40 years or so.and it cost like £4,000000($8,000000)to build.
a lot of money .
ok so now computers were used to redesign the valve timings and cut off making it far more efficient to run .British railways just like in the US rushed blindly in to dieselisation,the newest steam locomotives hardly a few years old when consigned to the scrap yards. many of these steam locomotives escaped being cut up and have been restored to working condition,
As to the worlds most beautiful steam locomotive,I think #611 has got to be in the top 1
David, thanks a lot for your comment. I’m a low tech guy, but not so extreme that I object to applying a little modern technology to improve steam locomotives. I’d like to vacation in the UK sometime to see the A1 Tornado in action.
Thanks again.
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[...] The Low-Tech Times Publicizing hi-tech failures and sharing low tech solutions « N&W 611, my Favorite Steam Locomotive [...]
[...] Wick Moorman will restart the program. As a young man, I had the good fortune of riding behind the 611 on an Alexandria to Charlottesville, VA excursion and behind the 1218 on a Manassas to Front Royal, [...]
[...] most rail enthusiasts would rather see steam specials led by N&W Class J 611, N&W Class A 1218, or Southern 4501, you have to appreciate that NS runs an office car special [...]
[...] concerns are widely believed to be a main reason behind Norfolk Southern’s decision to end their steam operations program which operated steam excursions until [...]
[...] the 70s, 80s, and early 90s, there was a lot of steam railroading action in Virginia thanks to the Norfolk Southern Steam Operations program. Currently, however, the only live steam in Virginia is a narrow gauge railroad at Busch [...]
[...] N&W 611, my Favorite Steam Locomotive [...]
[...] train journeys every year to the Master’s Golf Tournament. While not as exciting as seeing a steam-powered excursion train, it’s still nice to see classic f-units pulling a string of NS tuscan red [...]
[...] heritage. One interesting event in particular is that the Norfolk and Western Class J number 611 (my favorite steam locomotive) will be moved out of the Virginia Museum of Transportation to the O. Winston Link [...]
[...] Southern may have canceled their awesome steam excursion program, but they’re not complete party poopers. In addition to running their office car special [...]
[...] run a locomotive. I got a kick out of the large model of 611, although it just made me want to see the real deal run again even more. Large 611 Model This was written by admin. Posted on Monday, June 28, [...]
[...] program is successful, who knows? For the first time in many years, it is possible to envision the 611 riding the rails [...]
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