N&W 611 Inital breakin "The First Wheel" under steam. 1982 Irondale to Chattanooga

[226bike]

I saw it that day! At 3:29 it's coming into Attalla. I was working about two blocks away and heard the whistle and went down to the station and saw it. Didn't have a camera. N&W and Southern merged and Southern still had one of the few functional steam repair facilities at the Norris Yard in Irondale, AL. We used to see steam engines on a regular basis in Attalla back then when NS was doing their steam program. Rode behind the 611 several times to Chattanooga.

[Tyler3967]

Almost about 30 years since 611 was first restored before 12 years was up to 1994.

[CVandergriff2008]

Great vid. Love to see her and 1218 under steam again. I remember riding several times behind both. Miss those days

[SgtRollo61]

Most BEAUTIFUL Loco ever built!! Love the "J"s

[rwk360]

Was there any reason why 611 was restored to excursion service in 1982? Did it have something to do with the Southern and N&W merging that year to form Norfolk Southern? But when it was sent to Bimingham in 1981, who owned it then? N&W? But it used Southern rails to get to Birmingham? It was only the Southern that had a steam program before 1982, correct? The N&W never had a steam excursion program because the 611 sat cold in Roanoke two decades before 1981? Now it sits cold again since Dec 1994

[JerryNSretired]

Ah, imagination!  For those who have no clue, the engine is moving *around* 60-70. Like trucks and cars, there ARE speed limits imposed by both the company and the Federal Railway Admistration. Track speed is governed by local terrain, curvature, track weight (per yard), or other temporary limits that may be imposed due to track work. The maximum speed in the US, other than the Northeast, is 79 MPH by law. No way is this engine exceeding this!

[adfgfds]

Damn! How fast was that thing moving around 6:20?

[grizzleybearz282004]

@adfgfds the n&w j class 611 was able to do over 100 mph in the past they gotten her up to 115 mph but the driver was getting scared so he backed off so it is very possable the n&w j c6lass 611 was a 120 mph plus steam engine

[adfgfds]

@grizzleybearz282004

I knew that part already. The J classes were made for 100+mph running in their heyday. But I'm more curious to how fast she was running in this video around 6:20. Looks like she's going over 90

[grizzleybearz282004]

@adfgfds could have been doing around 90 it sure was moving pretty fast

[adfgfds]

@grizzleybearz282004

Yah thats what I'm thinking. I've never seen it move that fast lol

[12supra99]

3:08 . . . Luckiest men in the world at that time in my opinion

[ArcticStarFox]

I am a race horse..born of molten steel.....I have hauled many..too numerous to count.....I have lived a thousands lives beginning in 1950....I have been the pride of the fleet...left 4 rust for decades...revived,rebuilt..for­gotten and relit I have been cheered,cursed and rediscovered from the past,the present and the future. I have hauled,I have flown like the wind..I have posed,I have strutted,struggled and slipped.....my name is 611,bow before my mighty whistle and get ready for my new trips!

[DJGENEX71]

@ArcticStarFox THAT is the ultimate comment for the 611!!! Fantastic!!!

[ArcticStarFox]

I am a race horse..born of molten steel.....I have hauled many..too numerous to count.....I have lived a thousands lives beginning in 1950....I have been the pride of the fleet...left rust for decades...revived,rebuilt..for­gotten and relit I have been cheered,cursed and rediscovered from the past,the present and the future. I have hauled,I have flown like the wind..I have posed,I have strutted,struggled and slipped.....my name is 611,bow before my mighty whistle and get ready for my new trips!

[tartopfan]

@HaloCE14 I think that the 611 will run in the program but I know that the 1218 will not

[MrRosscoedog]

FIRST THING I REMEMBER SEEING WAS THE TRAIN COMMING OUT OF THE TUNNEL AT BIG SANDY WVA

[MrJacMac1986]

At 4:15 what are they mumbling.Need a translator

[EMD645E]

I remember as a teenager I had been around the steam crew many times and was lucky enough to make friends with them. Being 5'5" and 130lbs I was small enough to get into tight places. They knew I didn't mind hot dirty work so I got to help out during service stops as I could get into hard to reach places. They even left me alone to care for the engine a few times while they got a bite to eat or a cold drink. I have been over, under, and in between about every place on 611 & 1218.

[Willysmb44]

I saw her as dead steel at Roanoke (before the flood) around 1981, never realizing then she'd ever run again. Rode behind and chased her during her NS days and it'salmost too much not to weep knowing she's cold steel yet again and no idea if she'll ever run under her own power again. I can say I saw and rode, but I feel bad for all those who never got the chance to do either...

[Vintage1976]

You really need to put all these vids on DVd, I'd buy them.

[DocXmas]

Wow! That's me at work at about 1:02 with microphone in hand and headphones in, making a recording for my company Whistlin' Dixie Productions. It became part of a commercial tape that was eventually sold at the Roanoke Transportation Museum as well as on 611-pulled excursions.

[vettebecker]

Brings back memories. I rode the J three years in a row from Birmingham, where I lived to chattanooga with my parents. They have since passed and so has seeing the J under steam. I remember being covered in black smoke ash from riding on the open air car. Would love to see her under steam again and relive those days with my family.

[tmt966]

I want to see the footage the fellow shot at 7:30........

[DJGENEX71]

GREAT NEWS! Announced TODAY!! NS to run steam again!!!! See my videos I put a short clip with the link to the info on there!

[switchstand]

Man those were great days! Never thought it would come to an end :(

[DJGENEX71]

@switchstand Good news! NS to return to steam in 2011! See my short clip and the link to the info!

[Vintage1976]

Lord, how I miss the '80's!!!

[Stetsonater]

NS Needs to get off there Lazy Ass's & Put the steam Program back together

Next Year 4501 is going to be back, 765 is back,

2's enough to run it. If & When they Rebuild 1218, 611, 759, 2716, 2789

All of those have been on NS.

[WolverinePride97]

with union pacific railroad still running there steam engines in the west coast as a class 1 on railroad csx and norfolk southern would make a lot people happy if they start running steam engines again

[DJGENEX71]

@Stetsonater And 4501 IS going to run on NS in 2011!!! See my short clip for the info and link to the OFFICIAL press release!!!

[acoustics101]

Wow!! That's one big engine! Just how fast was it going at 5 minutes in? Loved the hooter. From the closeup of the builder's plate at 4 minutes in I see the 611 was built the same year I was born. They sure don't build them like that any more.

[EssChee]

seems like yesterday . . . :-(

[hoolg]

Absolutly AMAzing footage here. This is BY far some of the best footage of 611 on the net. Seeing her cranked open at around 6:30 is breath taking. I've never seen her run that fast before though I'm sure that they were barely touching what she could actually do.

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing this with everyone!

[CarNutandTrainNut2]

Is that an ex L&N water tender in the opening shots?

Thanks a bunch Cary for posting these videos, brings back ALOT of memories.

[fatman7686]

@CarNutandTrainNut2: Yes, it is a ex-L&N AUX tender... most likely used for the Florida Arrow.

[fatman7686]

@CarNutandTrainNut2: Or just as AUX for another engine

[lovetoseesteam]

"I am the thoroughbred of steam- Born to run- Born to be free- Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do!"

Category:

[fatman7686]

@lovetoseesteam: AMEN!!!

[jay600katana]

@lovetoseesteam... Amen brother