Norfolk & Western Class J #611

I'm not going to say much about this gorgeous 4-8-4 streamlined locomotive built in N&W's Roanoke, VA shops in 1950, except that it is a special piece of machinery.** It blends speed, elegance, beauty and raw power like few other machines could ever hope to. I was fortunate enough to ride behind #611 on two Alexandria, VA to Front Royal, VA excursions - in 1992 and 1994, not long before she was retired to N&W's museum. The color shot above is from the 1994 trip, during the train's photo run-by west of Manassas, VA.

Okay, pretty much the same shot as the top one, but really - steam trains should always be photographed in black & white. This image captures the same photo run-by during the April, 1992 trip.

Say what you will about railfans and old fogeys giddily snapping pictures of trains, but I have it on good authority that getting the opportunity to work on one of these old steam engines was a very big deal for Norfolk Southern employees, young and old. Above, we see the engineer and fireman roll by in reverse as a couple hundred cameras clicked and camcorders buzzed in 1992.

Exciting? Yes. Loud? You bet. Safe? Not entirely. 10 out of 10 for style, though! (1992)

The two detail shots above are from the color batch taken in 1994, as #611 rested at Front Royal, VA. I had been riding in a coach about 16 cars back, so by the time I walked to the head end to have a look at the idling steamer close-up, there were throngs of people already there. Photos were taken from every imaginable angle, many people stood in line for a shot of the front of the engine, others waited for a chance to talk to and photograph the crew. #611 was a celebrity to these people and it was hard not to get a little caught up in it. If I could have gotten that engine to sign an autograph for me, I would have.

Finally, this shot from the 1992 run-by is one of my absolute favorite photographs. The small reproduction here doesn't quite do it justice. I just love the smoke and the steam - blasting out of relief valves onto the ballast and out of the whistle - clinging to the cab, the tender and the first couple of cars. The 210mm zoom compressed out most of the sense of velocity, but at this point the #611 had a legitimate head of steam and was probably approaching 45mph. The sound was something I will never forget.

** Well, I tried not to say much. I just couldn't stop myself. No apologies, though - I love that locomotive and I don't care who knows it!

Thanks for visiting! Next up, I head back to the islands...