Steam & Excursion > N&W J 611 Happy birthday and preparing for Strasburg departure.

Saw the 4-8-4 being loaded up with coal this morning probably in preparation for its departure althought no specific details have been seen as yet.  There was much activity on the line yesterday with passengers, photographers, etc.  Local Lancaster TV had some film reporting including the fact that yesterday 5/29 was the J's birthday!  Built in Roanoke May 29, 1950.  With all the publicity, I'm surprised that fact was overlooked by many.
jb

Great photo of 611 crew on Strasburg FB page.  I think the local farmers will be glad to see it go,  Plenty of disregard for private property and newly planted fields.

My presumption is that not all the N&W  J-class locos 
received the side-rod modifications, like 611's
(away from Timken's tandem-rods, drivers #2 to #3).

Is there a record, and does it list,  which members of the class were 
modified with the N&W 'simplified' pattern?

Not only were the tandem rods removed, but new, shorter crankpins,
had to be made, as well as casting new driver-centers, with their
smaller counterweight 'cavities'..

All of which modifications helped reduce the whirling masses of 
Timkens' much heavier design.

 But, N&W apparently lost  axle "lateral-freedom",
and 611 was a constant problem. later in her life as a freight engine---
- she found all the bad sidings and secondary tracks...
Her driver wheel-base was rigidly-fixed, and weaker track support
gave-way to 611's mass...

(The wood blocks on the 611's water-deck of its tender were
   NOT fuel...)

Just curious..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/23 15:00 by wcamp1472.

Tominde Wrote:
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> Great photo of 611 crew on Strasburg FB page.  I
> think the local farmers will be glad to see it
> go,  Plenty of disregard for private property and
> newly planted fields.

Yea, I noticed that happening. Zero respect.

Posted from iPhone

I assume the lack of respect was idiot fans? d

When I was there on 5/21, I thought the biggest transgressions were  bad parking jobs and double-parking on through roads; one woman double-parked on Cherry Hill Rd. for 30 minutes so her husband? could shoot video through the passenger-side window.
Another annoyance from the younger set is their habit of constantly yammering at each other in photo lines, it seems that theatrics is part of their routine to get material for their YT or FB channels.
One teen actually started yelling at the Virtual Rail cam when the triple meet happened, it was good to see another young fellow hiss "Shut up!" at him so people could record 611 leaving the junction.
I'm sure it will be a circus as the 611 is moved back to Virginia, hopefully the Hagerstown FD won't be called out for a "train on fire", like what happened when 611 stopped in town 2 years ago...

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dpudave Wrote:
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> I assume the lack of respect was idiot fans? d

Yes, stay off of people’s private property. No one wants you romping through their fields so you can get a YouTube video or a picture of a train.

Posted from iPhone

Tominde Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Plenty of disregard for private property and
> newly planted fields.

All part of John Q. Public's entitlement belief that they can do what ever they want, where ever they want, whenever they want.

Wcamp - I believe 4 of the N&W Class Js got modified rods 600, 605, 610, 611



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/23 03:41 by feltonhill.

bigsavage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I was there on 5/21, I thought the biggest
> transgressions were  bad parking jobs and
> double-parking on through roads; one woman
> double-parked on Cherry Hill Rd. for 30 minutes so
> her husband? could shoot video through the
> passenger-side window.
> Another annoyance from the younger set is their
> habit of constantly yammering at each other in
> photo lines, it seems that theatrics is part of
> their routine to get material for their YT or FB
> channels.
> One teen actually started yelling at the Virtual
> Rail cam when the triple meet happened, it was
> good to see another young fellow hiss "Shut up!"
> at him so people could record 611 leaving the
> junction.
> I'm sure it will be a circus as the 611 is moved
> back to Virginia, hopefully the Hagerstown FD
> won't be called out for a "train on fire", like
> what happened when 611 stopped in town 2 years
> ago...

Lol......I guess you missed the guy arguing with the NS police officer when 611 was taking on water in Vardo Yard yesterday. He "thought" he could walk on RR property??!!   I'm surprised he wasn't cited.....