Filled with high quality pictures, Steam’s Camelot by Jim Wrinn is one of my favorite books of all time. Typically I won’t reread books once I’ve read them, but this is a book I’ve referred to time and time again.
The book tells the complete story of the Southern and Norfolk Southern steam program, through it’s triumphs and tragedies. It was a program, after the dieselization of America, where a railroad brought joy to thousands of people by running steam powered excursions trains throughout the eastern United States. The successful steam operations program was due in large part to two railroader brothers, Robert B. and W. Graham Claytor. Unfortunately, after the death of the Claytor brothers, the Norfolk Southern steam program ended in 1994.
I know that am not alone in wishing that current NS CEO 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, VA excursion.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this nonfiction book. I can confidently say that any railfan will enjoy Steam’s Camelot
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