Steam & Excursion > A N&W 611 "rumor"

Here's a article I was shown by a friend...

"Norfolk and Western 611 scheduled to hit the road
November 15, 2009

In the recent decline in rail movement the Norfolk and Southern rail road
board of directors has made a surprise announcement. That the 4-8-4 steam
locomotive will be serviced and brought back for a executive tour of the
line stopping along the way at major cities to promote rail service. It
is not clear yet when this tour will occur or any of the details of where
the
locomotive will be shipped to be worked on. When contacted Donald W.
Seale the Chief Marketing Officer declined any comment on the matter only
adding to the mystery of when the tour will commence. Currently the steam
locomotive #611 is on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation,
it is a wonder of when they will sneek this massive locomotive out to
service its old rusted parts.
As one of the last, most prominent, and most distinctive locomotives
assembled in Roanoke, the 611 often serves as a symbol for Roanoke and its
railroad history. The 611 is also depicted on the Commonwealth of
Virginia's "Railway Heritage" license plate.

The executives of NS determined to terminate the steam program, due to
rising insurance costs, increasing cost of maintenance, and a high system
capacity. The last steam excursion was on December 3 from Birmingham,
Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee and back, pulled by 611. The next day
611 set off on a three-day trek home to Roanoke. 611's last official day
of being under steam was December 7, 1994, the 53rd anniversary of Pearl
Harbor Day.
Between Salisbury, North Carolina and Roanoke, 611 displayed black flags
on the run. That evening, upon arrival at Schaffers Crossing in Roanoke,
its fire was dumped for the last time."

Here are my questions: Is this another case of rumors getting to the point of almost believing it will happen? My thoughts are it is a bunch of BS, someone is most likely crying wolf. It wouldn't surprise me at all if someone was merely confused after seeing pictures of 611 during the recent Pete Lerro night photo shoots?

If anyone has seen or knows where the above article came from, it would be greatly appreciated if you would post it. I don't want to speculate.

-Mike

Sounds like a hoax to me. To me, the article reads like it was written by a railfan, not a reporter. Also, the fact that the source can't be found online is very suspicious.

If only it were true...

Speaking of rumors, has anyone heard any more about 4501's 100th birthday?

S.P. Gass
http://lowtechtimes.com

Judging by the spelling and grammar, this looks like an amateurish attempt to create a news article that appears "real".

RL Cabin

"An article" means nothing without publication name and date.

On the road Nov 15 huh?

This sounds like a bunch of, to quote the great John Belushi Bull****, cough, cough...

I'd think that NS or the museum would've said something weeks or even months ago.

It's a nice thought though..

What's "Norfolk and Southern"?

trainapproaching Wrote:
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> What's "Norfolk and Southern"?

Bingo.
Too bad, but never say never.

/Mitch

When the 611 and 1218 were actually out running in the old days I used
to hear people call it N and S!!! There is no such railroad. Its either NS(Norfolk Southern),
or N&W for Norfolk and Western. This always confused people I guess cause they thought
NS should have AND like N&W. Doesn't matter anymore I guess!! It was the NS Steam Program
operating former N&W engines (other other stuff like Southern Rwy engines,etc).
Greg Scholl

Here is the source of all this gibberish:

http://www.subchat.com/read.asp?Id=859947

— espee4ever

Is Subchat another railfan forum? I thought when 611 and 1218 went to the museum they were supposed to be made permanently inoperable. Concrete in the boiler comes to mind.

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

So, it's "scheduled," but "it's not clear when" it will happen.

Right.

It reads like a second-grader's composition for April Fool's Day.

JAC

---

johnacraft Wrote:
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> It reads like a second-grader's composition for
> April Fool's Day.

Well, I seem to recall a similar situation a few months ago concerning GCRR 4960! It was the typical, "Naw, it'll never happen" and I remember myself saying, "I'll believe it when I see it!" Well, guess what... I seen it! If it happens... Great!... If not... Oh well!

Probably not true, and not from a real source... but it could happen one day. I think it's likely to happen one day, but it may be another 20 years. She's too beautiful to leave her there forever.

Here is a fact about N&W steam. Did you know that 1218 whistle was used on nkp765 Octobers 10&11 photo charter?

I doubt any railroad would go to the trouble of filling a locomotive boiler with concrete-- but consider that #1218's boiler is basically hollow- no tubes or flues, and I believe the new firebox which was being installed at the time the steam program ended is only tack-welded in. Some of #1218's rebuilt, or new replacement parts, not to mention most or all of the support infrastructure was sold at auction and scattered to the four winds, or just scrapped after NS got out of the steam business. #611 was due for heavy maintenance work the end (new tubes and/or flues I think) and of course they'd both be subject to the new boiler regs that have gone into effect since 1995. With those factors against them, there was really no need to fill the boilers with concrete to render them permanently inoperable. I'm really surprised (but pleased) that they even go off museum grounds occasionally.

doubleheader Wrote:
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> When the 611 and 1218 were actually out running in
> the old days I used
> to hear people call it N and S!!! There is no
> such railroad. Its either NS(Norfolk Southern),
> or N&W for Norfolk and Western. This always
> confused people I guess cause they thought
> NS should have AND like N&W. Doesn't matter
> anymore I guess!! It was the NS Steam Program
> operating former N&W engines (other other stuff
> like Southern Rwy engines,etc).
> Greg Scholl

Actually, there was a Norfolk & Southern Railroad from 1889 to 1908 when it was reorganized into the first Norfolk Southern that was eventually merged into the Southern Railway in 1974.

http://www.norfolksouthernhs.org/briefNShistory.html

Well it is November 18 . Did anybody here that if 611 was moved this week, because I did not. I bet I know why, they must have built a a "fake 611" and replaced it with the "REAL 611" at night time, that way they can rebuild it and keep it a secret until it is under steam. lol
The fact is that I like many other would love to see 611 under steam again and on the point of a passenger train on the NS, but frankly NKP 765 has a better chance of running steam passenger trains on the NS than 611 does. I might be over doing it a little, but you get my point. Somebody has way to much time on their hand and/or needs to feel important to come up with this idea, Like somebody said early, they seen pictures of 611 from the past weekend photo charter and came up with this idea.
If I am wrong, which it would be great if I was, I would be one of the first to omit that I was wrong, and who ever wrote this article, please fell free to rub it in my face and everybody else face that said you was full of sh_t.

Doubleheaded with SP 4294.

nkp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well it is November 18 . Did anybody here that if
> 611 was moved this week, because I did not. I bet
> I know why, they must have built a a "fake 611"
> and replaced it with the "REAL 611" at night time,
> that way they can rebuild it and keep it a secret
> until it is under steam. lol

Thats who we can solve the Milwaukee 261 problem, send a "fake 261" back to the musuem and let the "real 261" stay in excursion service.