N&W 611, past and present

Class J No. 601 hits a curve at Naugatuck, W.Va., in August 1956 as the Powhatan Arrow nears Williamson, W.Va.
John Krave photo, Trains collection

Near the end of her career, No. 611 pulls train 16-22 through South Norfolk, Va., on a cloudy day in 1958.
H. Reid, Trains collection

No. 611 puts on a show for fans during a photo runby at Yadkin Va., on an Oct. 18, 1959 excursion from Petersburg, Va., to Norfolk Va., for the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
Ara Mesrobian photo, Trains collection

Dirty and dusty from disuse, No. 611 slumbers inside the Shaffers Crossing Roundhouse in Roanoke, Va., after the final run in October 1959 and before she was put on display at Wasena Park in 1963.
H. Reid photo, Trains collection

Norfolk & Western No. 611 pound upgrade at Blue Ridge, Va., with an Appalachian Power Co. special bound for Norfolk, Va., on Aug. 30, 1959.
William E. Warden Jr. photo, Trains collection

Class J No. 604 leads the eastbound Pocahontas through Pembroke, Va., on May 14, 1942.
Edward Grimes collection 

No. 611 leaves South Norfolk, Va., in July 1957 with train No. 3, the Pocahontas.
H. Reid, Trains collection

No. 605 pierces one of the two bores at Montgomery Tunnel as it climbs the Christiansburg grade west of Roanoke with the Powhatan Arrow behind its couplers.
Philip R. Hastings photo, Trains collection

On a rainy day in Roanoke, Va., in July 1957, No. 602 waits to take train No. 45, the Tennessean, west to Bristol. The train is heavy with head-end business.
William E. Warden Jr. photo, Trains collection

No. 611 works up grade at Dublin, Va., on an May 9, 1992 excursion.
Ron Flanary photo 

Near Max Meadows, Va., No. 611 cuts a sharp profile on a westbound ferry move on April 30, 1992.
Ron Flanary photo

At sunset on Dec. 6, 1994, No. 611 rolls through Kings Mountain, N.C., on its final trip from Birmingham, Ala., to Roanoke, Va.
Steve Glischinski photo

On the return leg of an Alexandria, Va.-Lynchburg, Va., excursion, No. 611 rolls north on the former Southern Railway main line at Arrowhead, Va., on May 15, 1993.
Alex Mayes photo

Crossing the Tye River bridge north of Amherst, Va., No. 611 is northbound on May 22, 1994.
Alex Mayes photo 

Norfolk Southern’s Norfolk & Western heritage unit, No. 8103 pulls Wabash E8 No. 1009 and No. 611 south through Reidsville, N.C. on May 25, 2014 on the steam locomotive’s journey from Roanoke, Va., to the restoration shop in Spencer, N.C.
Jim Wrinn photo

No. 611 rides the 100-foot turntable at Spencer Shops on May 26, 2014. The engine’s wheelbase is slightly over 95 feet so it fit with inches to spare on either end of the table.
Jim Wrinn photo

Stripped to the bone, No. 611 is readied for inspection on June 21, 2014 as volunteers clean up the boiler exterior at Spencer, N.C.
Ben Earp photo

Here’s what No. 611 looks like with her jacketing, insulation, and skyline casting removed. This was only a few days into the restoration in June 2014.
Ben Earp photo

Volunteers Dwight Flinchum, left, Michael Ridenhour, center, and Duane Leonard, right, remove one of the 26 grates from the firebox on June 21, 2014.
Ben Earp photo

Bob Yuill needlescales a superheater unit, preparing it for re-installation in No. 611’s boiler.
Ben Earp photo

Volunteer Steve Morgan works on No. 611 parts inside the Bob Julian Roundhouse at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer on Jan. 19, 2015.
Ben Earp photo