After trips for the Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam Program from Lynchburg to Petersburg, Va., on June 13-14, No. 611’s next task was a ferry move to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, N.C. The engine is scheduled to participate in two more weekends of highly successful throttle time at the museum, as well as normal maintenance before returning to Roanoke, Va., in preparation for more mainline excursions over the July 4 weekend.
Making the ferry move more interesting is that the next Norfolk Southern steam excursions will use Southern Railway No. 4501 running out of Bristol, Va., June 26-28, and not all of the first-class cars will be part of the consist in Bristol. Therefore, the easiest option was to send the passenger train to Roanoke and then to Bristol, and let No. 611 deadhead south to North Carolina.
So in the scorching heat of Monday, June 15, No. 611 left Lynchburg, Va., bound for Spencer with 13 cars of revenue freight tied in behind the tool car to aid in braking. No. 611 was dispatched south in the mid-afternoon. The late departure was because of track work in North Carolina, where Norfolk Southern is busy re-installing double track on the former Southern Railway mainline between Lexington and Thomasville. With a backlog of trains waiting for the track to re-open, No. 611 was held near High Point, N.C., and again near Thomasville, N.C., before being cleared to proceed south. Finally, under the cover of darkness, No. 611 dropped her freight consist at Norfolk Southern’s Linwood Yard, then proceeded the final few miles to the museum.
Any time a restored steamer has to make "ferry moves" it just makes good sense to have it haul freight for the host railroad. The engine usually operates more efficiently and it saves wear and tear on the engine's braking systems because steam locos don't have dynamic braking. Also creates lot's of good will with dispatchers because they get their freight where it has to go and it helps cut down on congestion. The President of the railroad may say it's okay for steam to run, but it's the dispatchers who have to "fit" the teakettle into the overall scheme of things. With the help and hard work (and patience) of all modern railroaders everywhere, we railfans and "foamers" get to see and hear our favorite locomotives from the past (and present) roll down the mainlines of our great nation. May God Bless Them All.
In Germany now and then they have "Plandampf" days during which certain preserved steam locomotives haul regularly scheduled passenger trains. "Plan" refers to the "Fahrplan"–the timetable. Dampf is German for steam or vapor.
Awesome!
Even more rare than steam hauling revenue freight is steam hauling a scheduled passenger service. I think the last one was 2472 some years ago running a trip with Caltrain.
I understand the need to add the cars for braking power, and it makes sense that they would be revenue cars heading that way anyway, but she just doesn't look right hauling freight!
Nothing better than watching Steam pull revenue freight and not a couple old freight cars used for photos,much less the usual passenger trains.
As I remember, the majestic PRR T1s suffered the same indignity in their last days.
Hmmm, well Mighty 611 can do anything, but it seems a case of lese majeste' to tie freight cars to a queen's tail!