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Norfolk & Western No. 611 to steam again in 2016
Air Mile= 6,076 ft, Track mile= 5,280 ft. Just sayin!
Roanoke, HERE I COME!
STILL not coming to Richmond? BOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Just kidding! I’ll try to get to Manassas to say hello!
Unfortunately todays excursions do not have open-windowed cars, open vestibules or photo runbys. This is NOT your father’s steam excursion!
museum listed at charity search engine. Best Friends Animal Society raises $34,575.
Disappointed with the extremely limited schedule. The 611 travels only a couple of hundred miles from home for only a few weekends. While I never expected the 611 to come directly to my town, I (and others) thought this locomotive would get around the NS system to allow the people to see it. For many to see this fine machine, they have to travel long distances, maybe take vacation days, air fare multiple days of motel lodging, etc. This isn’t cheep, especially if you have children.
Yes, I made a modest donation (what I could afford at the time) to restore 611. Recently received a request for another. Until they share with everyone, I don’t think so.
Keep in mind, this is 611’s second year back in service and NS is currently facing a proxy battle for control of the company. Better to keep costs down now and if you survive, then MAYBE you can expand the program again and let 611 roam free.
The May excursions between Roanoke and Lynchburg / Walton: Shouldn’t the dates be May 7 and 8, since the 9th is a Monday !!! Please, let’s have some proofreading before folks hit the “Enter” key …
I think we should all feel fortunate that NS is operating any trips this year given declining traffic levels and the unwanted overtures from CP. It’s safe to say if the CP situation wasn’t happening that there would likely be a slate of trips similar to last year that would also include 765 and 4501 again (are we really to believe that TVRM spent the time and money to restore 4501 for 1 years’ worth of 21st Century trips along with their fall trips to Summerville which could be handled by 630?).
NS ‘gets’ the PR value of operating these trips and has spent too much time and capital building the program back up (including the purchase and overhaul of the former C&O coaches) to now eliminate it completely. They have also been smart in partnering with TVRM, FWRHS and now VMT to operate these trips and lessen their costs along with not pursuing as aggressive a slate of trips as they did in the original program. The addition of ‘on-display’ evens, especially at Danville, are nice to see as it allows NS to generate more PR value from the use of the locomotive as well as educating the public. This was something that was overlooked in the original program and I don’t believe was fully exploited with the now concluded 21st Century Program either.
While the trips are great, if they’re to continue these additional non-trip type displays will be important to show support to NS beyond the railfan arena. And maybe once traffic settles down and hopefully CP goes away, NS will look at inviting FWRHS and TVRM back for additional trips in future years.
SS United States preservation
Museums listed at Charity Search Engines. Worth $7 a person a year.
NS Savannah is docked in Baltimore at Pier 13, Canton Marine Terminal.
Hey! Better this comparatively limited schedule than none at all. Let us be thankful for what we have.
Thank you James Squires for not being another David Goode. As limited as the schedule and variety of locations are, I am thankful that we get to go back to Roanoke this year and enjoy some coal fired-smoke. This may be one of the last calls for steam trips if a merger still happens someday.