ROANOKE, Va. — In its second homecoming for 2023, Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 tied down for the winter at Roanoke’s Virginia Museum of Transportation by around 11 p.m., on Nov. 7. This comes after a nearly 2-month stay at the Buckingham Branch Railroad as part of the Virginia Scenic Railway’s fall excursions. […]
GOSHEN, Va. — Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 was sidelined during the Saturday, Oct. 28, Shenandoah Valley Limited with diesels of the Buckingham Branch Railroad serving as substitutes for the round trips between Goshen and Staunton, Va. The J-class 4-8-4 returned to service the following day to wrap up the fourth weekend of […]
GOSHEN, Va. — The first weekend of the Shenandoah Valley Limited with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 is now in the books. In its first fall excursion through the home state of Virginia since 1994, the J-class 4-8-4 led six half-day trips unassisted out of Goshen along the Buckingham Branch Railroad with diesels […]
GOSHEN, Va. — A new show on a new stage prompted a “dress rehearsal” for a seasoned star veteran. Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 operated on the Buckingham Branch Railroad, Sept. 28-30, in preparation for its fall excursions. The J-class 4-8-4 is scheduled to run the Shenandoah Valley Limited as part of the […]
GOSHEN, Va. — Ever since its 2015 restoration and return to service, “In Cab Experiences” have been part of the norm for Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611. Participants are given the chance to learn and either operate or fire on the J-class 4-8-4 under supervision by the engine crew. The program — which […]
Labor Day has concluded and so has – unofficially – the 2023 summer. The busy season for museums and tourist railroads may be wrapping up, but as cooler weather begins to roll in you can still add some steam to the mix! These are the big locomotives scheduled to operate when the foliage changes colors […]
GOSHEN, Va. — Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 completed a successful ferry move on September 14 from its hometown of Roanoke, Va., to the Buckingham Branch Railroad. The J-class 4-8-4 is currently stationed at the new Victoria Station siding in Goshen. According to a post on the Norfolk & Western Class J No. […]
ROANOKE, Va. — Strong sales have followed Tuesday’s release of tickets for the upcoming fall excursions with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 on the Buckingham Branch Railroad. The Shenandoah Valley Limited will offer twice-daily, 60-mile round trips during October and November weekends between Goshen and Staunton, Va. Traffic was high on the website […]
Norfolk & Western No. 611 has a new place to run. The Virginia Museum of Transportation and Virginia Scenic Railway — the excursion operation of the short line Buckingham Branch Railroad — have announced the Class J 4-8-4 will run weekend excursions this fall on the Virginia Scenic Railway. The steam-powered Shenandoah Valley Limited will […]
After almost twenty years on static display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Va., Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 returned to operation in 2015. Her time on the mainline was very brief though, lasting only three years. Since then, new venues have been needed to operate the large engine. Let’s get […]
ROANOKE, Va. — The Virginia Museum of Transportation will offer special “behind the scenes” presentations this weekend on Norfolk & Western No. 611 while the Class J 4-8-4 is home at the museum. The presentation will be offered twice on Saturday, June 24, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and again on Sunday at 1:30 […]
If you model the modern era like me, you may still have some equipment in your collection that doesn’t fit the era. Maybe you are a fan of one of the famous steam locomotives operating today, such as Nickel Plate Road No. 765 or Union Pacific’s Big Boy. Or maybe you have another steam engine […]
