STRASBURG, Pa. – Personnel from the Strasburg Rail Road, Virginia Museum of Transportation, and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania moved famed Norfolk & Western Railway 4-8-4 No. 611 from the Strasburg’s track across Pennsylvania Route 741 to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania for winter storage on January 31.
The move was made to free up track space in the railroad’s East Strasburg yard. Strasburg’s ex-New York Central SW8 No. 8618 powered the move of No. 611, her auxiliary tender and VMT’s tool car into the museum’s fenced yard.
No. 611 visited the Strasburg in 2019 and returned in 2021. The locomotive was operated during a number of special events and has remained at Strasburg since 2021. It most recently ran on several weekends during the fall of 2022.
No. 611 was spotted outside the museum adjacent to a utility building where power is available.
The locomotive will be displayed at the museum through late spring. Virginia Museum of Transportation and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania staff will coordinate interpretive programs about the locomotive’s history.
Will 611 Able to go Back Home From Strasburg?
Turns out, 611 is not being stored. Per VMT”S Facebok page:
Strasburg Pa. – The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc. is proud to announce a partnership with the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania to exhibit the Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 for a limited time during the winter months of early 2023.
With admission to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, weather and conditions permitting, guests can safely view No. 611 among the historic locomotives and rolling stock in the Museum’s Train Yard. We ask that while visiting No. 611 and the Museum’s collection please refrain from climbing on any equipment and obey all posted signage.
The old gal should be stored inside.
And where is the roundhouse the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum is supposed to be building?
It should have been moved backed to Roanoke where it could have been stored under cover.
Groundhog Day is the middle of Winter by the Calendar. It is celebrated throughout Lancaster County.
More significant ie the meteorological calendar which has 12-1 as the first day and 2-28/29 are the ends. These more closely approximate
The coldest weeks are the last two weeks of January in an average year
So far we’ve had little or no winter in the area.
Are we not more than half way through winter? I think it’s a little late for winter storage. Shouldn’t it have been put in winter storage say around the beginning of December?
Indoors, or outdoors, for the winter?