Steam & Excursion > 611 fire up events and movement to the Strasburg Rail Road

The Virginia Museum of Transportation has announced events in Roanoke this weekend as the 611 is fired up in preparation for movement to the Strasburg Rail Road.  Scuttlebutt has the 611 leaving Roanoke Monday morning.

From a recent email:

The FIRE UP 611 Experience
Assist the crew with firing up the 611 for her Strasburg adventure!
August 17, 2019
6:30am - 4:00pm
The Virginia Museum of Transportation announces The FIRE-UP 611 Experience:
Fire-Up 611 Program for August 17, 2019 in preparation of the departure of the N&W Class J 611 for the Strasburg Rail Road, Strasburg, Pennsylvania. “A Reunion of Steam” September through October 2019.  
Come and fire-up N&W Class J 611 and spend the day with our crew. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and lunch.
Presentations along with question and answer sessions will occur throughout the day.
Once there is enough steam pressure, participants will get to blow 611’s whistle later in the day.
There may be a few surprises along the way, so plan to spend your day with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Official Steam Engine. 
Participants are to arrive promptly at 6:30 am and class lasts until 4:00 pm. Fire up of the engine will occur at 7:00 am.
Pre-registration is required.
Must be age age 14 and older.
$200 per participant.
Includes:
Breakfast, lunch, firing manual, and diagram of N&W Class J611, as well as instruction from
crew and hands-on experience.
Closed toed shoes and long pants required.

BLOW THE WHISTLE OF J611
Saturday, August 18, 2019
12:00 pm - 5:00pm
Come to the Virginia Museum of Transportation on Sunday, April 18, 2019 and experience the feeling of sitting up so high in this locomotive that is so extremely powerful yet so majestic.
$25 per participant with paid admission.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/19 05:30 by Jimbo.

Jimbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Virginia Museum of Transportation has
> announced events in Roanoke this weekend as the
> 611 is fired up in preparation for movement to the
> Strasburg Rail Road.  Scuttlebutt has the 611
> leaving Roanoke Monday morning.

I heard it would have a diesel with it since it will need a cab signaled one
further at Hagerstown and beyond.  Guess we'll see when it leaves.

gregscholl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jimbo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Virginia Museum of Transportation has
> > announced events in Roanoke this weekend as the
> > 611 is fired up in preparation for movement to
> the
> > Strasburg Rail Road.  Scuttlebutt has the 611
> > leaving Roanoke Monday morning.
>
> I heard it would have a diesel with it since it
> will need a cab signaled one
> further at Hagerstown and beyond.  Guess we'll
> see when it leaves.

There will most likely be a diesel, equipped with PTC, in the lead.

Will it run up the valley to Hagerstown or over to the Southern then head north?

Posted from iPhone

nssd70m2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Will it run up the valley to Hagerstown or over to
> the Southern then head north?

Most likely up the Shenadoah Valley.

What if the Reunion of Steam is cancelled?

Why do you think it would be cancelled? 

Jimbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> nssd70m2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Will it run up the valley to Hagerstown or over
> to
> > the Southern then head north?
>
> Most likely up the Shenadoah Valley.

I thought that the N&W J Class 600s were restricted from the Shenandoah Valley line, all the way to Hagerstown. Did the J Class 600s ever operate up there in regular service?

The H Line had ATS in steam days, the ICC made every railroad have one division with ATS. Locomotives on the H Line needed ATS, I don't think the Js or As had ATS. 

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The H Line had ATS in steam days, the ICC made
> every railroad have one division with ATS.

Really? I sure as hell never heard THAT! Please explain how the SP, NP, GN, SP&S, MP, Frisco, and many, MANY other railroads NEVER had ATS, ATC, nor cab signals!

> Locomotives on the H Line needed ATS, I don't
> think the Js or As had ATS. 

I do not recall ANY N&W steam locomotives, nor diesel locomotives, with ATS.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> holiwood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The H Line had ATS in steam days, the ICC made
> > every railroad have one division with ATS.
>
> Really? I sure as hell never heard THAT! Please
> explain how the SP, NP, GN, SP&S, MP, Frisco, and
> many, MANY other railroads NEVER had ATS, ATC, nor
> cab signals!
>
> > Locomotives on the H Line needed ATS, I don't
> > think the Js or As had ATS. 
>
> I do not recall ANY N&W steam locomotives, nor
> diesel locomotives, with ATS.

Hot Water, try this link, about middle of the page it talks about ATC on the Shenandoah Division     http://railroad.millermutts.com/history
hollywood

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > holiwood Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The H Line had ATS in steam days, the ICC
> made
> > > every railroad have one division with ATS.
> >
> > Really? I sure as hell never heard THAT! Please
> > explain how the SP, NP, GN, SP&S, MP, Frisco,
> and
> > many, MANY other railroads NEVER had ATS, ATC,
> nor
> > cab signals!
> >
> > > Locomotives on the H Line needed ATS, I don't
> > > think the Js or As had ATS. 
> >
> > I do not recall ANY N&W steam locomotives, nor
> > diesel locomotives, with ATS.
>
> Hot Water, try this link, about middle of the page
> it talks about ATC on the Shenandoah Division  
>   http://railroad.millermutts.com/history
> hollywood

That didn't tell me anything. I road many a train on that Shenandoah Line, while on the delivery of new EMD GP30 units in late June 1962, and NONE of the N&W units had ATC. 

Plus, you didn't address your statement about the ICC requiring every railroad to have one division with ATC.

Hot Water take a look at this
http://railroad.millermutts.com/engines/4-8-2

from the article:  "From 1924, the locomotives assigned to the Shenandoah Division were in captive service more or less. By ICC edict, each major railroad had to have a district equipped with Automatic Train Control(ATC). N&W selected the Shenandoah-Hagerstown district initially, then extended it from Shenandoah to Roanoke. The engines had to be equipped with cab signals and didn't roam the system."

I have heard and read about  this several times,
It was probably long gone by the time they bought GP-30s  

hollywood

"



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/19 18:55 by holiwood.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gregscholl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jimbo Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----

>
> There will most likely be a diesel, equipped with
> PTC, in the lead.

Most foreign road locomotives are exempt from PTC rule requirements on NS right now. 611 may qualify as a foreign leader.

Posted from iPhone

Can Strasburg track handle the weight of the J? Also, can the J handle the curves of the line?

Posted from iPhone

#611 could be diverted to the Age of Steam Roundhouse instead of heading directly to the Strasburg Rail Road then back home to Roanoke.

If it can handle an ES44AC and the railroad hauls loaded freight cars shouldn't be a problem.   I am sure all parties checked these items.  

CPRR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can Strasburg track handle the weight of the J?
> Also, can the J handle the curves of the line?
>
> Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/19 05:47 by WLE2679.

This scenerio isn't possible.   It's not like a freight car being hauled around.     


MiketheMikado Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #611 could be diverted to the Age of Steam
> Roundhouse instead of heading directly to the
> Strasburg Rail Road then back home to Roanoke.

The danger of secondary sources.  Needs a reference to the ICC’s order if it exists.  The ICC’s orders are available in the National Archives and probably in some university libraries such as Denver and Northwestern.

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hot Water take a look at this
> http://railroad.millermutts.com/engines/4-8-2
>
> from the article:  "From 1924, the locomotives
> assigned to the Shenandoah Division were in
> captive service more or less. By ICC edict, each
> major railroad had to have a district equipped
> with Automatic Train Control(ATC). N&W selected
> the Shenandoah-Hagerstown district initially, then
> extended it from Shenandoah to Roanoke. The
> engines had to be equipped with cab signals and
> didn't roam the system."
>
> I have heard and read about  this several times,
> It was probably long gone by the time they bought
> GP-30s  
>
> hollywood
>
> "

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

The Southern Railway’s ATS division was the C,N,O&T,P all steam and diesels assigned were so equipped.