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Museums reach agreement on No. 611 restoration, fundraising continues
Hope this is moved by the time the Streamliner event in NC!! would be awsome to see a “Steamliner” with the Streamliners"
Happy to have donated to the cause…
It’ll be great to see this beautiful engine back in steam and doing what she was built to do…Move passinger trains.
That is awesome!!! But what about 1218? Is she gonna join 611 soon… It would be awesome to see all both of them dream again.
FINALLY!
wonderful news! progress is being made!
Thats awesome
Great news.I live fairly near Spencer and can’t wait to see 611 there!
Don’t mean to be negative but, $6.5M. The Virginia Museum of Transportation needs a reality check. I got a fund raiser mailing from them yesterday and it states that NS has donated 1.5M already and still NO progress on the restoration, but fund raising continues.Their estimates say 1/2 - 3/4 million for restoration of this beautiful and historic engine which is in line with other restoration projects around the US. They say that funds are needed for shops, tooling, bla bla bla. I think the Fireup611 project is just a fund raiser for the museum and they are using the 611 as a vehicle that tugs at a lot of peoples hearts (pockets). Don’t get me wrong I love old and new steam but TEN times the required amount seems fishy, but I still hope she returnes to the rails someday.
With the UP efforts in the west with “Big Boy” as well as other steam engines already in operation glad to see NS working to bring # 611 back to life even with the majority of support coming from the public venue. Our future generations need to see active steam engines to realize, the creative, energetic, fore-seeing thoughts that our ancestors had to do, to make this country great. The creation, completion of the transcontinental railroad, could not have been done with steam. The USA’s efforts could not have had such a great positive on the outcome of the 2nd World War without railroads and steam. The movement of equipment and troops could not have happened. Go # 611 project, looking forward to seeing locomotive back in action and a trip back to Virginia.
Someone figured out that it took only about 10 years from start to finish to build the trans. cont. line. But today that same task would take 57 years.(if it ever even got done) Wow, how far we`ve come!(or not) I agree that this unit should run again, but on a reasonable budget.
Sorry about the negative comments from Merle. First of all, The VMT would never use funding dedicated to the restoration of 611 for any museum project as that would be wrong. And, we are trying to raise $5 million that includes an endowment to keep 611 running for 15 years before her next flue job. If folks would bear with us and help us get this funding they will be pleased to be a part of it. I hope Merle invests soon. Bev
Sorry about the negative comments from Merle. First of all, The VMT would never use funding dedicated to the restoration of 611 for any museum project as that would be wrong. And, we are trying to raise $5 million that includes an endowment to keep 611 running for 15 years before her next flue job. If folks would bear with us and help us get this funding they will be pleased to be a part of it. I hope Merle invests soon. Bev
Re: Merle Cockane’s comment. Wouldn’t it be sad to see such a magnificent engine in pieces all over the roundhouse floor then have the money for restoration run out? I think VMT is totally “on the right track” to ensure that funding for the “full meal deal” is in the bank before letting the project begin. A facility for storing, maintaining, and displaying this engine to the public between fan trips is imperative to the continuation of this program. I intend to make several contributions over time as I can to do my small part.