Its powerful 4-8-4 wheel configuration and 494,000-pound stature allowed the 611 to pull 15-car passenger trains—like the Powhatan Arrow, Pocahontas, and Cavalier—at speeds up to 110 mph.
No. 610 pulled the network's prominent passenger trains, such as the Powhatan Arrow from Cincinnati to Norfolk (Cincinnati to Portsmouth for No. 611), the Pocahontas, and the Cavalier, as well as ferrying Southern Railway's Tennessean, Birmingham Special and The Pelican between Lynchburg, Virginia and Bristol, Virginia. https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/Norfolk_and_Western_No._610
https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/Norfolk_%26_Western_No._603
the 611 is currently running in Strasburg, Pennsylvania
611 was on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation from 1995 to 2014, then was returned to service in 2015, where it made its first test run and movement under its own power for the first time in 21 years with a homecoming run back to Roanoke, Virginia
During its retirement, No. 611's original Hancock Long-Bell 3-chime whistle and both sides of its slide valve head covers were removed for the locomotive to become a stationary boiler.
During its 1982 restoration, No. 611 was fitted with Robert Claytor's personal Hancock whistle that came off one of its sister locomotives. However, the whistle was mounted on the external dry pipe near the center of the boiler which resulting it in making an awful screeching sound during 1987 to 1990. In 1991, the whistle was repaired and relocated back to its original position in front of the cab until it was taken off in 1994.
In 2015 only, No. 611 was fitted with a different Hancock whistle that belongs to firewoman Cheri George. This was due to Robert's son, Preston, who currently owned the 611's 1982-1994 whistle, resigned himself from chairman of the Fire Up 611! committee due to his disagreement of having the locomotive unofficially nicknamed the Spirit of Roanoke.
From 2016 onwards, No. 611 was refitted with another Hancock whistle that belongs to Steam Operations Corporation manager Scott Lindsay and was originally used on Southern Pacific No. 4449 in the 1990s to late 2000s.
a thing of beauty is a joy forever
excerpts from Endymion
by Keats
in spite of all,
watch the first 4 minutes, you'll enjoy it!
In 2019, 611 began continual summer excursions at the Strasburg Railroad in Strasburg, Pennsylvania as part of the Strasburg Railroad's N&W Reunion of Steam event.
the whistle seems to be something very special, and unique sounding, to these locomotives, and there was a bit of a pissing match between owners of the whistles for these trains, because of the egos involved being incredibly high strung assholes that had to fight for historical accuracy (which isn't likely to matter to more than a handful of people who can even remember exactly what the original sounded like in the 1950s for god's sake) versus getting funding to pay for repairs and maintenance requiring a name change (really? That's the actual nit picking bullshit these bored millionaires languish over when sipping mint juleps?)
here's the long form version of this nonsense
During its 1982 restoration, No. 611 was fitted with Robert Claytor's personal Hancock whistle that came off one of its sister locomotives. However, the whistle was mounted on the external dry pipe near the center of the boiler which resulting it in making an awful screeching sound during 1987 to 1990. In 1991, the whistle was repaired and relocated back to its original position in front of the cab until it was taken off in 1994.
In 2015 only, No. 611 was fitted with a different Hancock whistle that belongs to firewoman Cheri George. This was due to Robert's son, Preston, who currently owned the 611's 1982-1994 whistle, resigned himself from chairman of the Fire Up 611! committee due to his disagreement of having the locomotive unofficially nicknamed the Spirit of Roanoke.
From 2016 onwards, No. 611 was refitted with another Hancock whistle that belongs to Steam Operations Corporation manager Scott Lindsay and was originally used on Southern Pacific No. 4449 in the 1990s to late 2000s.
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
O may no wintry season, bare and hoary,
See it half finish'd: but let Autumn bold,
With universal tinge of sober gold,
Be all about me when I make an end.
And now, at once adventuresome, I send
My herald thought into a wilderness:
There let its trumpet blow, and quickly dress
My uncertain path with green, that I may speed
Easily onward, thorough flowers and weed.
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