The Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Fire Up 611! Committee are near the completion of the restoration of famed Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611. The streamlined Class J locomotive, which operated from 1950 to 1959 on N&W’s named passenger trains and again on Norfolk Southern excursions, 1982-1994, has been under restoration since last June at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer. We're offering live video coverage of the 611's return to steam, including a test run from Spencer to Greensboro, N.C. on Thursday, May 21, a send-off event and throttle time on Saturday, May 23, and the locomotive's return home to Roanoke, Va., on May 30.
Trains also will cover the return to steam with a special magazine, 611 in Steam, available in July, and a DVD available in October. You can stay up to date on all things 611, including the latest news, historical photos, and more, here.