Steam & Excursion > 611 Engine Truck Work

Right at the top of http://vmt.org. I assume she's going back to NCTM but that's not stated anywhere. 

The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam Passenger Locomotive —known affectionately as the Spirit of Roanoke— is anticipated to leave the Museum some time in January for engine truck wheel set replacement which is required before the next excursion season. During this time, 611 will not be available for viewing. The exact date of 611's departure and return will be posted when known.

Emmo213 Wrote:
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> Right at the top of http://vmt.org. I assume
> she's going back to NCTM but that's not stated
> anywhere. 
>
> The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam Passenger
> Locomotive —known affectionately as the Spirit
> of Roanoke— is anticipated to leave the Museum
> some time in January for engine truck wheel set
> replacement which is required before the next
> excursion season. During this time, 611 will not
> be available for viewing. The exact date of 611's
> departure and return will be posted when known.

I would NOT assume that she will go back to NCTM.  I'll bet she will be towed over to the NS East End Shop, right there in Roanoke, in order to use the drop table there. The NCTM does not have a functional drop table, otherwise the work would have already been done to replace the engine truck wheel sets, while all the boiler work was being done..

Good to see the crew pressing on despite all of the uncertainty around NS' corporate situation. I really hope they're able to carve out a stable arrangement that allows them to operate periodically over the long term.

Emmo213 Wrote:
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> The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam Passenger
> Locomotive —known affectionately as the Spirit
> of Roanoke—


By whom?

PatternOfFailure Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Emmo213 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam
> Passenger
> > Locomotive —known affectionately as
> the Spirit
> > of Roanoke—
>
>
> By whom?

http://articles.wdbj7.com/2011-10-24/locomotive_30318429

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

bigjim4life Wrote:
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> PatternOfFailure Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Emmo213 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam
> > Passenger
> > > Locomotive —known affectionately as
> > the Spirit
> > > of Roanoke—
> >
> >
> > By whom?
>
> http://articles.wdbj7.com/2011-10-24/locomotive_30
> 318429

Well Jim, that is all well and good for the management of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. However, THAT was part of what caused Preston Claytor to resign, and take the "Family Whistle", which is a REAL N&W Class J whistle, home with him. THAT is a damned shame in my opinion!

HotWater Wrote:
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> bigjim4life Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > PatternOfFailure Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Emmo213 Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > >
> > > > The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam
> > > Passenger
> > > > Locomotive —known affectionately as
> > > the Spirit
> > > > of Roanoke—
> > >
> > >
> > > By whom?
> >
> >
> http://articles.wdbj7.com/2011-10-24/locomotive_30
>
> > 318429
>
> Well Jim, that is all well and good for the
> management of the Virginia Museum of
> Transportation. However, THAT was part of what
> caused Preston Claytor to resign, and take the
> "Family Whistle", which is a REAL N&W Class J
> whistle, home with him. THAT is a damned shame in
> my opinion!

I have no dog in this fight or opinion one way or the other.  I was just answering his question.  I'm hoping you were not assuming that I was supporting the museum's naming decision.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

welchblvd Wrote:
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> Good to see the crew pressing on despite all of
> the uncertainty around NS' corporate situation. I
> really hope they're able to carve out a stable
> arrangement that allows them to operate
> periodically over the long term.+
There is hardly "uncertainty" surrounding NS. There merger proposal by CN stands next to no chance of happening.

I don't think that was the only concern. There was a rumor going around that NS declined to renew their excursion insurance policy for 2016.

Work will be done at Shaffers Crossing.

Posted from Android

flash34 Wrote:
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> I don't think that was the only concern. There was
> a rumor going around that NS declined to renew
> their excursion insurance policy for 2016.

Precisely. Change of CEO, etc. I try not to pay much attention to rumors, but it's pretty clear that the situation for steam is not as stable as 2015.

Posted from Android

I just wish when she operates again they run at a decent track speed like say 60-70+ and do a better job planning excursions. Yeah and I know all about the 1986 derailment. 30 years is enough time to get over it esp since the 611 and the train were not at fault.

Considering NS is the one towing the engine to the shop, providing the shop, and probably providing a little labor, seems like that's not a bad sign.

If NS was dead set against steam running next year, I can't see them taking 611 over to the shop.

WauhopM Wrote:
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> I just wish when she operates again they run at a
> decent track speed like say 60-70+ and do a better
> job planning excursions. Yeah and I know all about
> the 1986 derailment. 30 years is enough time to
> get over it esp since the 611 and the train were
> not at fault.

I wish I was married to an attractive wealthy woman, but neither of these things are going to happen.

Id settle for either ATTRACTIVE or WEALTHY! One will help you forget your money woes with S**X the other will help you forget your H**NY by spending money on you!

jethat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> welchblvd Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Good to see the crew pressing on despite all of
> > the uncertainty around NS' corporate situation.
> I
> > really hope they're able to carve out a stable
> > arrangement that allows them to operate
> > periodically over the long term.+

> There is hardly "uncertainty" surrounding NS.
> There merger proposal by CN stands next to no
> chance of happening.

Sir ---
Would you please be so kind as to share the facts
you used to base this statement on?
TIA!
BTW --  the proposed merger is between CP, not CN,
and NS.

FWIW --- I really hope that the NS will let steam run
next year.  As they say, stay tuned for further
developments.

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jethat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > welchblvd Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Good to see the crew pressing on despite all
> of
> > > the uncertainty around NS' corporate
> situation.
> > I
> > > really hope they're able to carve out a
> stable
> > > arrangement that allows them to operate
> > > periodically over the long term.+
>
> > There is hardly "uncertainty" surrounding NS.
> > There merger proposal by CN stands next to no
> > chance of happening.
>
> Sir ---
> Would you please be so kind as to share the facts
> you used to base this statement on?
> TIA!
> BTW --  the proposed merger is between CP, not
> CN,
> and NS.
>
> FWIW --- I really hope that the NS will let steam
> run
> next year.  As they say, stay tuned for further
> developments.


The stb won't allow a major merger like this to happen. The same reason why every other major merger has been shot down.

Posted from Android

Macster Wrote:
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> Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > jethat Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > welchblvd Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Good to see the crew pressing on despite
> all
> > of
> > > > the uncertainty around NS' corporate
> > situation.
> > > I
> > > > really hope they're able to carve out a
> > stable
> > > > arrangement that allows them to operate
> > > > periodically over the long term.+
> >
> > > There is hardly "uncertainty" surrounding NS.
> > > There merger proposal by CN stands next to no
> > > chance of happening.
> >
> > Sir ---
> > Would you please be so kind as to share the
> facts
> > you used to base this statement on?
> > TIA!
> > BTW --  the proposed merger is between CP, not
> > CN,
> > and NS.
> >
> > FWIW --- I really hope that the NS will let
> steam
> > run
> > next year.  As they say, stay tuned for
> further
> > developments.
>
>
> The stb won't allow a major merger like this to
> happen. The same reason why every other major
> merger has been shot down.
>
> Posted from Android

What is "every other major
merger?"

If people are so confident the STB would not allow a major merger, why did CSX make such drastic cuts to avoid a CP takeover?

Posted from iPhone

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bigjim4life Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > PatternOfFailure Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Emmo213 Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > >
> > > > The Norfolk & Western Class J 611 Steam
> > > Passenger
> > > > Locomotive —known affectionately as
> > > the Spirit
> > > > of Roanoke—
> > >
> > >
> > > By whom?
> >
> >
> http://articles.wdbj7.com/2011-10-24/locomotive_30
>
> > 318429
>
> Well Jim, that is all well and good for the
> management of the Virginia Museum of
> Transportation. However, THAT was part of what
> caused Preston Claytor to resign, and take the
> "Family Whistle", which is a REAL N&W Class J
> whistle, home with him. THAT is a damned shame in
> my opinion!

My question was somewhat rhetorical. The point being that someone has yet again tried to put some inflated local pride over the significance of VTM's N&W locomotives to the rest of the world. It happened before in the 90s, it's happened again with unpleasant consequences.

PatternOfFailure Wrote:
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> My question was somewhat rhetorical. The point
> being that someone has yet again tried to put some
> inflated local pride over the significance of
> VTM's N&W locomotives to the rest of the world. It
> happened before in the 90s, it's happened again
> with unpleasant consequences.

What happened in the 90s that was similar?