Norfolk and Western 611
Encyclopedia
Norfolk and Western Railway
's J class steam locomotives were a class of 4-8-4
locomotives built by the Norfolk and Western Railway
's East End Shops
in Roanoke, Virginia
, between 1941 and 1950 Norfolk and Western Railway
. The first batch, numbered 600 to 604, were built in 1941–42 and were delivered streamlined
. In 1943, 605–610 were delivered without shrouding and lightweight side rods, due to the limitations on the use of certain materials during the war; due to these distinctions, they were classified J1. But, when N&W showed the War Production Board the reduced availability numbers because of this, the Board allowed the J1s to be re-fitted as Js with the lightweight rods and shrouding in 1944. The last batch, 611–613, were built in 1950, all streamlined. The Js were built and designed completely by N&W employees, something that was uncommon on American railroads. The class should not be confused with the much earlier J class
of 1903. The total cost for building 611 was $251,544 in 1950.
s, 70 inches (1,778 mm) driving wheels, and roller bearings on all wheels and rods. The 70 inch drivers and 300 psi boiler allowed for a higher tractive effort. When operating at maximum pressure, the Js delivered 80,000 pounds of tractive effort – the most powerful for 4-8-4 wheel arrangement locomotive without a booster. The engineers designed the J class to haul passengers at a high speed. The 70 inch drivers were very small for a locomotive that was to pull trains at over 100 mph. To overcome this, the wheelbase was made extremely rigid, lightweight rods were used, and the counterbalancing was extremely precise. As delivered, the Js had duplex (two) connecting rods between the primary (second) and third drivers, but in the 1950s Norfolk and Western's engineers elected they could do without these. Subsequently, 611 and at least one other Class J were rebuilt with a single connecting rod. The negative effect of the J's highly engineered powertrain was that it made the locomotives sensitive to substandard track. Its counterbalancing and precision mechanics were so modern that it was joked that the J's top speed is only limited by the nerves of the engineer. Judging by their performance in hauling a 15-car 1050-ton train at speeds in excess of 110 mph over Pennsylvania Railroad's "racetrack", the Fort Wayne Division, while on loan, it is hard to dispute that claim.
The Js were the pride of the N&W, pulling passenger trains such as The Powhatan Arrow
, The Pocahontas, and The Cavalier, as well as ferrying Southern Railway's Tennessean, Birmingham Special
and The Pelican
between Lynchburg, Virginia
and Bristol, Virginia
. While on test on the Pennsylvania Railroad
, number 610 proved that a J could pull ten cars at 110 mph along a section of flat, straight track. Despite the power and speed capabilities the Js were among the most reliable engines, running as many as 15,000 miles per month, even on the mountainous and relatively short route of the N&W. There is one notable accident in the J class's service history. On January 23, 1956, 611 derailed along the Tug River near Cedar, West Virginia while pulling the The Pocahontas. It was determined that the engineer ran the engine at an excessive speed around a curve and its high center of gravity caused it to flip on its side. Within a year, 611 was repaired and back up pulling the varnish.
In the late fifties, N&W began purchasing first generation diesels, experimenting with fuel and maintenance cost. They leased several sets of EMD E-6s, E-7s, E-8s from the Atlantic Coast Line
and Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroads. The diesels proved to be cheaper in maintenance and fuel cost, but several were required to equal the power of a steam locomotive. In the end, with steam parts suppliers closing from other railroads switching to diesels, diesel prevailed and the clock began to tick until steam was retired. In 1958 and 1959, the railroad ran several farewell to steam excursions, with 611 pulling the last one in October 1959. While many of the locomotives went to the scrap lines, 611 was more fortunate, in part due to its superb condition after 1956 derailment and subsequent repair, and also in no small part to the efforts of O. Winston Link
, the famous photographer, whose offer to purchase 611 himself, rather than see it scrapped, practically embarrassed N&W into donating it for posterity.
in Roanoke, where it sat dormant for two decades.
In the early 1980s, Robert Claytor, president of Norfolk and Western in its last months, had his eye on 611. His brother, W. Graham Claytor
, once president of the Southern Railway
, was in charge of Southern Railway's Steam Program. This program had been around since 1966 with Southern Railway 2-8-2 4501, sending steaming ambassadors system wide. Robert envisioned something similar for the N&W with steam. He made a lease with the museum, and in 1981, 611 was sent to Southern Railway's Norris Yard Steam Shop in Birmingham, Alabama
for an overhaul. In 1982, 611 emerged under steam, with the only change being a dual beam headlight instead of the single bulb lamp it carried in the fifties. That wasn't the only change that affected 611 during the rebuild: Norfolk and Western and Southern Railway had by now merged into Norfolk Southern. This now doubled the amount of track available for 611 to tour. 611's first trip was a ferry move up the Southern into Lynchburg, Virginia
, and then over N&W home rails to Roanoke
for a ceremony. In 1984 the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
named 611 a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark and it has since been added to the National Park Service
's Historic American Engineering Record. For the next twelve years, 611 remained the pride of the NS system.
On Sunday, May 18, 1986, tragedy struck once again. 611 was at the head of an Employee Appreciation train from Norfolk, VA, with Robert Claytor at the throttle. One of the passenger cars picked a switch on the main through the Great Dismal Swamp
, causing it and 12 other cars of the 23 car train to derail. Many of the nearly 1000 employees and their family members were injured, some of the more seriously injured had to be airlifted to hospitals in nearby Norfolk for treatment. Dorinda Butt, who was a volunteer EMT for Chesapeake at the time, was on the train when it derailed, making her the first emergency responder on the scene . In addition, the derailment prevented the use of the main line for freight traffic for some time. Had this been a public excursion instead of a railroad employee event it could have easily spelled the end of the NS steam program; nevertheless, this derailment brought a wave of change to the program, including the retirement of many of the older passenger cars. Despite rumors, the program chugged on, welcoming another locomotive, former Norfolk & Western 1218
, a simple articulated 2-6-6-4
. The two continued to pull the systems' trains until 1994, when another disastrous blow hit. In September of that year there was a switching accident in Lynchburg, VA, involving the passenger cars of an excursion consist that 611 was to pull the next day. This damaged several cars, causing a shortage and the consequent need for more cars. Only a month later, the announcement was made that many had expected after the Great Dismal Swamp derailment. The executives of NS determined to terminate the steam program due to rising insurance costs, increasing cost of maintenance, and low spare 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.
In 1995, 611 was put back in the museum, now known as the Virginia Museum of Transportation
, under a new train shed. In 2003, a major renovation of the railyard brought a bigger train shed (The Robert B. Claytor and W. Graham Claytor Jr. Pavilion), and 611 was joined by twice former stable mate, 1218
. Both locomotives sit at the museum today, along with many other regional railroad equipment. 611 remains in excellent condition, but shows some signs of weathering, including a small crack in its bullet nose. If the locomotive is to run again, 611 will need new flues and upgrades to the new FRA Form 4.
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.
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
's J class steam locomotives were a class of 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
locomotives built by the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
's East End Shops
Roanoke Shops
thumb|250px|[[Norfolk Southern]] Roanoke Shops in 2004.The Roanoke Shops of the Norfolk and Western Railway in Roanoke, Virginia were founded in 1881 as the Roanoke Machine Works. It came under the control of the railroad in 1883. Locomotive production started in 1884 and 152 locomotives were...
in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, between 1941 and 1950 Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
. The first batch, numbered 600 to 604, were built in 1941–42 and were delivered streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
. In 1943, 605–610 were delivered without shrouding and lightweight side rods, due to the limitations on the use of certain materials during the war; due to these distinctions, they were classified J1. But, when N&W showed the War Production Board the reduced availability numbers because of this, the Board allowed the J1s to be re-fitted as Js with the lightweight rods and shrouding in 1944. The last batch, 611–613, were built in 1950, all streamlined. The Js were built and designed completely by N&W employees, something that was uncommon on American railroads. The class should not be confused with the much earlier J class
N&W Class J (1903)
Norfolk Western Class J is a Class of 4-4-2 Steam locomotives purchased by Norfolk and Western Railroad, this being the second "J" class, and should not be confused with the later, more well known J class of 1941. The retirement of the first J classes in 1900 left the designation available for...
of 1903. The total cost for building 611 was $251,544 in 1950.
Design
The design of the Js was completely universal. They were equipped with 300 psi boilerBoiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s, 70 inches (1,778 mm) driving wheels, and roller bearings on all wheels and rods. The 70 inch drivers and 300 psi boiler allowed for a higher tractive effort. When operating at maximum pressure, the Js delivered 80,000 pounds of tractive effort – the most powerful for 4-8-4 wheel arrangement locomotive without a booster. The engineers designed the J class to haul passengers at a high speed. The 70 inch drivers were very small for a locomotive that was to pull trains at over 100 mph. To overcome this, the wheelbase was made extremely rigid, lightweight rods were used, and the counterbalancing was extremely precise. As delivered, the Js had duplex (two) connecting rods between the primary (second) and third drivers, but in the 1950s Norfolk and Western's engineers elected they could do without these. Subsequently, 611 and at least one other Class J were rebuilt with a single connecting rod. The negative effect of the J's highly engineered powertrain was that it made the locomotives sensitive to substandard track. Its counterbalancing and precision mechanics were so modern that it was joked that the J's top speed is only limited by the nerves of the engineer. Judging by their performance in hauling a 15-car 1050-ton train at speeds in excess of 110 mph over Pennsylvania Railroad's "racetrack", the Fort Wayne Division, while on loan, it is hard to dispute that claim.
Service history
Powhatan Arrow
The Powhatan Arrow was one of the named passenger trains of the Norfolk and Western Railway. Its route ran from Norfolk, Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio....
, The Pocahontas, and The Cavalier, as well as ferrying Southern Railway's Tennessean, Birmingham Special
Birmingham Special
The Birmingham Special was named passenger train operated by the Southern Railway, Norfolk and Western Railway and Pennsylvania Railroad in the United States of America. The train began service in 1909 and continued, with alterations, after Amtrak assumed control of most long-haul intercity...
and The Pelican
Pelican (train)
The Pelican was a named train of the Southern Railway which ran from New York City to New Orleans and back until 1970.-Operations:The Pelican departed New York's Pennsylvania Station going south via the Pennsylvania Railroad to Washington, DC, then on Southern's line to Lynchburg, Virginia, then...
between Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
and Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
. While on test on the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, number 610 proved that a J could pull ten cars at 110 mph along a section of flat, straight track. Despite the power and speed capabilities the Js were among the most reliable engines, running as many as 15,000 miles per month, even on the mountainous and relatively short route of the N&W. There is one notable accident in the J class's service history. On January 23, 1956, 611 derailed along the Tug River near Cedar, West Virginia while pulling the The Pocahontas. It was determined that the engineer ran the engine at an excessive speed around a curve and its high center of gravity caused it to flip on its side. Within a year, 611 was repaired and back up pulling the varnish.
In the late fifties, N&W began purchasing first generation diesels, experimenting with fuel and maintenance cost. They leased several sets of EMD E-6s, E-7s, E-8s from the Atlantic Coast Line
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
and Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroads. The diesels proved to be cheaper in maintenance and fuel cost, but several were required to equal the power of a steam locomotive. In the end, with steam parts suppliers closing from other railroads switching to diesels, diesel prevailed and the clock began to tick until steam was retired. In 1958 and 1959, the railroad ran several farewell to steam excursions, with 611 pulling the last one in October 1959. While many of the locomotives went to the scrap lines, 611 was more fortunate, in part due to its superb condition after 1956 derailment and subsequent repair, and also in no small part to the efforts of O. Winston Link
O. Winston Link
Ogle Winston Link , known commonly as O. Winston Link, was an American photographer. He is best known for his black-and-white photography and sound recordings of the last days of steam locomotive railroading on the Norfolk & Western in the United States in the late 1950s...
, the famous photographer, whose offer to purchase 611 himself, rather than see it scrapped, practically embarrassed N&W into donating it for posterity.
Preservation efforts
Due to the efforts of several men, including Link, 611 was saved. In 1960, the locomotive was donated to the Virginia Museum of TransportationVirginia Museum of Transportation
The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a museum devoted to the topic of transportation located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A..- History :...
in Roanoke, where it sat dormant for two decades.
W. Graham Claytor
William Graham Claytor , of Roanoke, Virginia, was the vice president of Appalachian Power Company, an electric utility service....
, once president of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
, was in charge of Southern Railway's Steam Program. This program had been around since 1966 with Southern Railway 2-8-2 4501, sending steaming ambassadors system wide. Robert envisioned something similar for the N&W with steam. He made a lease with the museum, and in 1981, 611 was sent to Southern Railway's Norris Yard Steam Shop in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
for an overhaul. In 1982, 611 emerged under steam, with the only change being a dual beam headlight instead of the single bulb lamp it carried in the fifties. That wasn't the only change that affected 611 during the rebuild: Norfolk and Western and Southern Railway had by now merged into Norfolk Southern. This now doubled the amount of track available for 611 to tour. 611's first trip was a ferry move up the Southern into Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, and then over N&W home rails to Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
for a ceremony. In 1984 the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
named 611 a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark and it has since been added to the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's Historic American Engineering Record. For the next twelve years, 611 remained the pride of the NS system.
On Sunday, May 18, 1986, tragedy struck once again. 611 was at the head of an Employee Appreciation train from Norfolk, VA, with Robert Claytor at the throttle. One of the passenger cars picked a switch on the main through the Great Dismal Swamp
Great Dismal Swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. It is located in parts of southern Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, as well as northern...
, causing it and 12 other cars of the 23 car train to derail. Many of the nearly 1000 employees and their family members were injured, some of the more seriously injured had to be airlifted to hospitals in nearby Norfolk for treatment. Dorinda Butt, who was a volunteer EMT for Chesapeake at the time, was on the train when it derailed, making her the first emergency responder on the scene . In addition, the derailment prevented the use of the main line for freight traffic for some time. Had this been a public excursion instead of a railroad employee event it could have easily spelled the end of the NS steam program; nevertheless, this derailment brought a wave of change to the program, including the retirement of many of the older passenger cars. Despite rumors, the program chugged on, welcoming another locomotive, former Norfolk & Western 1218
Norfolk & Western 1218
Norfolk & Western 1218 is a steam locomotive that at one time was the strongest-pulling operational steam locomotive in the world. It is a four-cylinder simple articulated locomotive with a 2-6-6-4 wheel arrangement. The Norfolk & Western Railway built it in 1943 at its Roanoke Shops in Roanoke,...
, a simple articulated 2-6-6-4
2-6-6-4
In the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotive wheel arrangement, a 2-6-6-4 is a locomotive with a two-wheel leading truck, two sets of six driving wheels, and a four-wheel trailing truck...
. The two continued to pull the systems' trains until 1994, when another disastrous blow hit. In September of that year there was a switching accident in Lynchburg, VA, involving the passenger cars of an excursion consist that 611 was to pull the next day. This damaged several cars, causing a shortage and the consequent need for more cars. Only a month later, the announcement was made that many had expected after the Great Dismal Swamp derailment. The executives of NS determined to terminate the steam program due to rising insurance costs, increasing cost of maintenance, and low spare system capacity. The last steam excursion was on December 3 from Birmingham, Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
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
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
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.
Virginia Museum of Transportation
The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a museum devoted to the topic of transportation located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A..- History :...
, under a new train shed. In 2003, a major renovation of the railyard brought a bigger train shed (The Robert B. Claytor and W. Graham Claytor Jr. Pavilion), and 611 was joined by twice former stable mate, 1218
Norfolk & Western 1218
Norfolk & Western 1218 is a steam locomotive that at one time was the strongest-pulling operational steam locomotive in the world. It is a four-cylinder simple articulated locomotive with a 2-6-6-4 wheel arrangement. The Norfolk & Western Railway built it in 1943 at its Roanoke Shops in Roanoke,...
. Both locomotives sit at the museum today, along with many other regional railroad equipment. 611 remains in excellent condition, but shows some signs of weathering, including a small crack in its bullet nose. If the locomotive is to run again, 611 will need new flues and upgrades to the new FRA Form 4.
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.