The Return of the N&W 611 Yes, you read correctly. On May 30, 2015, after a year-long restoration at the Spencer shops in North Carolina, the 611 steamed home under her own power, triumphantly returning to her birthplace in Roanoke, Virginia. Tens of thousands lined the tracks in North Carolina and Virginia to welcome the 611 back to service. Click HERE for the RetroWeb blog, Return of the N&W 611

On a dark and gloomy Wednesday, December 7, 1994, the N&W 611 class J steam locomotive made its last run as it completed a three day trip home from Birmingham to Roanoke Va., its birthplace. Fortunately for me, I was able to get away from work and chase and photograph the train on the final leg of its trip. I hadn't videoed the 611 for two years, and this was one final opportunity I didn't want to miss.

With news of a tentative 1:30 p.m. arrival in Lynchburg, I headed south around 11 a.m. to await the train at Gretna, Va. (about 25 miles from Lynchburg). Several railfans were already at the curve-approach crossing in the small town when a northbound roadrailer (with ditch-lights pulsating) blasted through. Shortly afterward, the local sheriff pulled up, and for a moment, I thought I was about to see Virginia's new railroad trespassing laws exercised. When the officer got out of his car, I was pleasantly surprised to see him toting a camcorder (he later asked me for the railroad's scanner frequency). At around 12:45, 611 arrived in town, announcing itself at a series of crossings further down the track. Just as the train rounded the curve and came into view, the steeple chimes in a local church began playing, invoking memories of an O. Winston Link recording from the '50s.

With one eye on the road and one in the viewfinder, I paced the train from Gretna to Altavista in what was already a considerable caravan of chasers. Everyone was polite, giving and taking ground to allow others to get shots alongside the locomotive. After a so-so shot of the train crossing the Southern trestle in Altavista, I sped off to Lynchburg to catch it again (the Southern mainline diverges west from route 29 at Altavista and doesn't cross again until Lynchburg).

At Lynchburg, the J left the Southern and returned to home trackage for the last leg of its return trip to Roanoke. There was a brief wait at the old Woodall Rd. station in Lynchburg as crews were changed and for an eastbound freight to clear the mainline. The crowd was growing, and at least one Roanoke TV news crew was already interviewing railfans and photographing the train (one lucky video crewman got to board the engine and ride with it to Roanoke). I awaited the train a few miles west at a long and large earthen embankment, built by N&W in the early part of the century as part of a bypass around the downtown Lynchburg area. There was some chatter on the scanner about unauthorized passengers on the rear (and only) coach (the rest of the train consisted of a few freight cars), and to my surprise, the train came into view and chugged to a stop on the high embankment, giving me a great shot, as well as ample time to move to a seldom-used power substation road crossing for what resulted in one fantastic, whistle-wailing and thundering runby as the 611 regained full speed (at least full authorized speed).

I quickly made my way out of town and raced westward on rt. 460 where I fortunately caught up with the train at around 3:30 p.m. just west of Bedford, where the N&W mainline rejoins the highway for most of the rest of the way to Roanoke. The chase caravan was incredible, and both westbound lanes of the busy 4-lane were at times nearly clogged as railfans and unsuspecting drivers were witness to the mammoth and graceful engine running at speed for the last time. Cars lined the roadside and median at every good photo spot as the 611 steamed into home territory, and railfans darted dangerously across the highway to their cars to get ahead of the train for one more shot. Irritated motorists caught by chance in the spectacle had little idea they were witnessing the end of a chapter in railroad history.

The train arrived in Roanoke at yard speed. Accompanied by what can only be described as a funeral procession of chasers creeping along Campbell Ave., the 611 made its way slowly by its birthplace, the N&W East End shops, then by the old passenger station and N&W office building, sadly sounding its whistle repeatedly in full and fitting defiance of Roanoke's no-whistle ordinance. The platforms at the old depot and the walkways along overhead road bridges were lined by those who were there to bid farewell as well as by the merely curious, as the 611 crept through downtown Roanoke, with camera flashes reflecting repeatedly off its nose. I was at last able to get back alongside the engine as it approached its last road crossing, whistle sounding and bell ringing. Just beyond the crossing was the Virginia Museum of Transportation, where the 611 would eventually go on display.

Making my way to the newly rebuilt 5th St. bridge, I caught some nice video shots of the train working its way through a series of switches to the other side of the yard, with downtown Roanoke as a backdrop. Moving slowly through a series of switches, the 611 chuffed every few seconds as the rails creaked and groaned. It was only as the locomotive approached the bridge and was directly below me when I first noticed that the 611 was running under black flags.

After passing under the bridge, the J sounded one final and mournful whistle blast as it passed two standing switchers (lashed to an NW caboose). The chase caravan then proceeded westward along Shenandoah Ave. as the engine made its way towards Schaffer's Crossing, where it decoupled from the train and was parked, and where it presumably remained until its fire died out. Several stayed on, but I took a last look, packed my video camera away and headed back to Lynchburg, depressed and emotionally drained.

After its final run, Norfolk Southern thoroughly prepped the 611 for long-term storage and, after storing it for ten months at the East End Roanoke shops, handed the locomotive over to the City of Roanoke during the Roanoke Rail Fair on October 7, 1995. The 611 is now on display (outdoors, but under a protective roof) at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, once again as the museum's centerpiece attraction.

When I think back on seeing and hearing the 611 under steam for what was most likely the last time, I cannot help but feel a profound sense of loss over this mechanical masterpiece that, at times, truly seemed alive. The year prior, I witnessed firsthand the awe inspired in a young boy by the powerful locomotive when I rode alongside the engine down Rt. 460 with a friend and his three-year old son. It's sad that he probably won't remember this sight, and even sadder that many more after him may never have the chance for such an experience, at least not with the 611.

Kipp Teague
Lynchburg, Virginia
August, 1995

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