To commemorate American innovation in this semiquincentennial year, the Virginia Scenic Railway has fired up a “Summer of Steam,” powered by the Norfolk & Western 611 steam locomotive. WMRA’s Meredith McCool rode the train from Staunton and filed this report.
[sounds of a steam locomotive]
To ride a train powered by the 611 steam locomotive is to travel through American history. Her modern lines, bullet nose, and shiny midnight black exterior encase the coal fire, boiler, and pistons that represent “more than 120 years of engineering development.” That’s according to the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
Built in 1950 in Roanoke, the 611 is the sole survivor of Norfolk & Western’s Class J fleet of steam locomotives, which have been hailed as the pinnacle of steam locomotive technology.
JOHN WATSO: In its first life, it was a fast passenger train running from … Norfolk on into Ohio.
John Watso is a member of the 611 crew.
WATSO: It was retired from service in 1959 … when Norfolk Western went to diesels.
After Norfolk & Western merged with Southern Railway in 1982 –
WATSO: … they took 611 down to Birmingham, Alabama, did a complete restoration of it, and it was in the Norfolk Southern steam program from 1982 to 1994, where it was retired again.
Following the successful “Fire Up 611” fundraising campaign in 2013, the locomotive entered its third life when it was –
WATSO: … taken down to Spencer, North Carolina, which was the old Southern Railroad back shops, which is another railroad term for a great big facility that overhauls big steam locomotives. We worked there for about a year and a half, almost two, bring it back to service.
Zac McGinnis is the steam operations manager at the Virginia Museum of Transportation and engineers the 611. Before the run, he invites me to climb inside and see how they operate the locomotive.
ZAC McGINNIS: Grab here and here.
McCOOL: All right. Grab here and here. … Wow! Oh man, that is some hot air.
McGINNIS: This is a cool day. … Last week, when it was like 95 degrees, with a temperature gun, the floor was 140, the handles were like 155, something like that, and the roof was like 170. It was miserable up here.
They cope with the heat by staying hydrated and switching out crews.
McGINNIS: So it takes two people to operate. You got the fireman over here …
He points to the left seat in the locomotive.
McGinnis: … and the fireman's job is to maintain the fire, the water in the boiler, and steam pressure. And this engine, it's coal fired, and it's so big, at 300 pounds, you can't shovel enough to keep up. So it's got a screw, called a stoker, that brings the coal from the tender, in the firebox, and steam jets blow the coal to distribute it. So this is the screw, you can see the coal coming in. And these are the steam jets. … When you're running down the railroad, it's about 2,500 degrees, and it's white hot, it's like looking into the sun.
McGinnis closes the firebox and moves to the right side of the locomotive.
McGINNIS: And then the engineer’s over here. The engineer's job is to operate the train. … This is the throttle, which is like your gas pedal on the car. The more you pull it out, the more steam you're putting to the cylinders to make the rods turn. … This is the bell. Pull that out …
[steam-powered bell]
McGINNIS: … the bell rings. And then these are for sand that puts sand down on the rails behind the wheels … to get your traction to go up a mountain or to stop slipping. … Right now, I'm putting water in the boiler. … And, of course, this is the whistle.
[steam whistle]
McGINNIS: That's about it. It looks complex, but it's pretty simple. … It's a big tea kettle on wheels that's a million pounds, 109 feet long, 16 feet tall, can go 100 miles an hour. Of course, we don't run that anymore, but this thing used to run 100 back in the days all the time.
On this trip from Staunton, through the Blue Ridge Tunnel to Afton, and back again, the 611 tops out at about 40 miles per hour.
[train whistle]
ONBOARD NARRATION: We've reached the halfway point of this excursion. At this time, the crew in the 611 will release control of our train to the crew in the diesel locomotive.
Switched from steam to diesel power, the train reverses course and heads west toward Staunton.
To commemorate America250, the length of the 611 locomotive has been adorned with a vinyl stripe featuring a red, white, and blue star motif.
DESTINY TRAVERS: It's definitely different to experience it in person rather than just watching it on TV or seeing it in the news …
Destiny Travers is a car host on the Virginia Scenic Railway.
TRAVERS: … especially if it's a once in a lifetime experience. You never know when's going to be the last time you see a steam engine.
Along the route, folks took advantage of this chance to see a steam engine, snapping pictures at railroad crossings and waving from backyards.
McGINNIS: It's very cool to see it track side.
That’s engineer Zac McGinnis again.
McGINNIS: We encourage to buy tickets if you can, because that's what keeps this thing going. Seeing it go by track side: please stay back 25 feet, because of safety.
Through July 5, the 611 will depart from the recently renovated, historic Louisa train depot. Tickets are available through the Virginia Scenic Railway, so there’s still a chance to experience the “Summer of Steam” before it rolls into history.
