611 Climbs the Saluda Grade

611 starts from a stop on the Saluda grade. Listen for the whistle at the end!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 611
• steam
• engine
• locomotive
• Saluda
• railroad
• norfolk and western

[southern4501isawesom]

saluda is one hell of a grade... id like to see 611 do it again some day... but ns only wants to run 2-8-2 4501 and 2-8-0 630. u.s.a. 610 i think will join in some day.. but they seem to forget 611 is pretty much opperational

[laundryeater]

@southern4501isawesom What is really not cool is they haven't run the Saluda grade for years with anything!

[BTCRAIL202FILMS]

I have a DVD that shows this SAME clip but from atop a hill near by! Shortly after you stoped filiming #611 had alot of smoke pouring out of her stack onto the crowd on you side! Did you get covered in smoke dust!? *u*

[laundryeater]

@BTCRAIL202FILMS That was a long time ago! I don't remember! I'll bet so though!

[pigwerks]

Thank you for sharing the video.

I must have been standing near you on that day. Have a video from the same angle. Had a machete' and cut foilage on the bank to get a decent shot.

My video shows the diesels pulling the bulk of the train before 611 came up the grade. You can hear the sound of the 611's wheels slipping before it came into view, then the drivers spinning before it stalled. Will post on YT as soon as I get it off the old VHS-C cartridge.

[laundryeater]

@pigwerks Awesome! My dad missed taping 611's wheels slipping or I would have definitely posted that too.

[WolverinePride97]

i got this on video it was oct 25 1992 because it got part of my family in the video long live 611 and saluda grade

[WolverinePride97]

On Oct 25 the 611 made the first run up on saluda grade in many years since the 4501 last run on the grade in 1970's the 611 excursion had 19 coaches and 1boxcar with three diesels in 1970's 4501 had 3 coaches and flatcar i but in 1993 and 1994 611 slip couple yard from the 1992 slip but didn't stall on the grade i wish one day that the saluda grade will hear the mighty legend of all time of 611 coming to the grade one more time long live saluda grade and 611 and 4501 i know because i rode it

[gaycowboy31]

thats cool as hell 611 takeing on Saluda Grade unassisted WOW thats one hell of an Engine I never got to ride behind her just seen her stuffed and mounted in Roanoke What A waste of a Great Steamer NS needs to put her back in Excursion service

[288jh]

@SouthernCresent722 No... 611 Is Famous, But I won't say that She was NS's Pride. 4501, 1218 and all of the Others had an Equal Roll in The Program

[SouthernCresent722]

THE NS STEAM PROGRAM IS KNOWN FOR 611

[stormrider620331]

Nothing better then Steam power !!!

[RailfanWatch819]

I heard that NS would allow 611 to run if VTM had the support like TVRM has with the SR630. You can't blame them to let someone else deal with those obligations. I wish UP would allow this with SSW819 & T&P 610. UP has a fine program & we are richer for their efforts.The 611 issue sounds like a good opportunity & it's not hard to imagine she may yet run again.

[southern4501isawesom]

@yourweathertodayHD yeah but if she passed and they got new flues they would have a great locomotive running again :( i guess ns thinks its too exspensive but there is alot to be done to 4501 and lets face it she can't haul like she used to due to i think they have roller bearing rods on 4501 now and 630 aint gonna do much better.. 611 would be perfect

[yourweathertodayHD]

@southern4501isawesom No, she's not. Enough time has passed that due to (legal) safety concerns she would have to be torn down and examined. 

[meccaturbo]

@HaloCE14 Yes, but the NS steam shop that was in Birmingham, AL is now long gone...they sold all the tools as well so it would take a LONG time to get all those things back in order to run these big locos.

[psycotria]

J - 611 - my favorite!

Starting out small is a good idea. That way, we get a couple of smaller locos on the road plus 611 and 1218 one day. I hope I live long enough to see them in action.

I had an amateur VHS of chase of 611 on her way to VTM. She charged the Christianburg grade in the rain and slipped several times. An amazing machine!

I was in Roanoke a few times in the early '90s, but didn't think to look 611 & 1218 up.

[GTI6speed]

@HaloCE14 1218 is being restored now..