N&W 1218 Departs Roanoke - October 12, 1991

The 1218 departs Roanoke, Virginia in spectacular fashion for Walton on October 12, 1991, in what would turn out to be one of the steam locomotive's final excursion runs. The class A 1218, built in 1943 in the Norfolk & Western's Roanoke Shops, was due for its five-year inspection the following Spring, and was never returned to service. Three years later, Norfolk Southern abandoned their steam excursion program, retiring the class J 611 and leaving the fate of the disassembled 1218 uncertain. In January of 1996, the 1218, now with only a shell of a boiler, was towed from the former Birmingham steam shops back to Roanoke, and in 2003, after cosmetic restoration, it was moved to the Virginia Museum of Transportation for permanent display.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• N&W
• Norfolk & Western
• Steam Locomotive
• Train
• 1218

[PereMarquette1223]

@EricJP1 Why do they keep the joints loose? What does this tell you? They would only do this if they had some special interest in #611. They obviously don't do that to #1218 cause they have no interest in her at the time.

[Southernman1980]

What crossing is that at the end? I was in Roanoke today and didnt notice anyy crossings around the old NW passenger station

[CWEX73]

Ahh yes the 1218 pulling hard. Very impressive as always...

[iimpster]

" ... the things they think are useless, i cant understand..." reeling in the years

[EricJP1]

@david245611 NS still pulls 611 out once in awhile to keep its joints loose. I guess we can only hope for such a beautiful engine to make a return.

[david245611]

@EricJP1 i heard there trying to get 4501 in the fleet with 630 but i dont know about 611, i know that they wont use 1218 for a while

[EricJP1]

I don't see 1218 running anytime soon since it requires extensive overhualing for it to be run, but 611 is kept in great shape and wouldn't take long at all to get running again if NS decides to do so, which I dearly hope. If the first runs with 4501 and 610 are successful, hopefully NS will give the green light for 611 to return to its rails.

[luckyowl249]

GREAT!

[KKolchak]

@rwk360 I didn't know they were thinking about that. I miss them all. I've ridden behind both the 611 and the 1218. I think I still have some coal dust in my hair to prove it!

[rwk360]

I wish NS would bring the 611 back, and perhaps the 1218 if it can be rebuilt. At least the announcement of a limited steam program with 630, 4501, etc. opens the door.