611 THE LAST EXCURSION.wmv

It was nearly 11 and 1/2 years from the time I first watched 611 pull out of the "weed lot", AKA the site of the former Terminal Station, on her first Birmingham to Chattanooga run. Both days were cloudy and dreary, but it 1983 the clouds parted for a bit as we watched this beautiful machine pulling her train with ease. Today there would be no sun, and there was not a lot of joy, for Norfolk Southern's new president had inaugurated the era of the "No Steam" railway, and murdered this fantastic program. In about a week after these shots, from Birmingham to Attalla, AL, 611 would drop her fires for the last time in the 20th century, and become a static exhibit. There she would wait for a better day, longing to run once more.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• N&W
• 611
• Steam
• locomotive

[shininghappyperson7]

that freight train totally screwed you outa a good shot! great locomotive tho!

[zathras9now]

@shininghappyperson7 True. I suppose it was just a coincidence, but sure seems like it was a way to show that the old NS (No Steam) didn't give a crap about the steam program or the fans.

[shininghappyperson7]

@zathras9now yup,well the rest of the vid rocked!

[zathras9now]

@shininghappyperson7 Thanks!

[611Anime]

Today is the anniversary of 611's last excursion. It's been 17 years since 611 pulled the last excursion.

[zathras9now]

@PereMarquette1223 Oh, wow! A Y class would have been amazing to see!! I dreamed that would happen back then. But, talking to one of the former steam shop guys 1218 was a bear to restore, and required no less than 5 machine shops working full tilt to get her back in service. He told us that it was essentially like restoring 2 steam engines at once. I wonder if they would have done it all over again for an even more complex locomotive. I guess we will just have to continue to dream of that Y...

[PereMarquette1223]

@zathras9now They keep moving #611 in order to keep the pipes free of water and fine particles. This obviously means that NS has interest in #611 for somthing. #1218 has only been moved a fraction of what #611 has which is too bad. But I heard that if the old steam program had kept going, a Y class mallet would've been the next steamer restored.

[zathras9now]

@HaloCE14 We all hope so as well. No one will miss that last CEO. I know Moorman keeps having 611 pulled out of the museum for special occasions, so I imagine the day will come when we will see her again. I hope so, I miss her a lot.

[zathras9now]

@dwkcamman611 Amen, Amen...

[dwkcamman611]

God, I miss 611.