No idea. Maybe so many cars have power requirements that the additional locos must generate. The train seems to have pretty much boarded. That cone on the left keeps blowing over, but it does not look very windy there.
EDIT-The train just finished leaving after 3 PM. Winds have picked up feavily there and were even jiggling the camera. Any guys from this forum on that train? I noticed a few people waving and dancing for the camera. No, I don’t think they’re going to get on So You Think You Can dance…
It has left at 2.04 cst.Long train
Newswire:
N&W 611 now “Spirit of Roanoke”Published: October 28, 2011
ROANOKE, Va. – Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4 has a new designation: “The Spirit of Roanoke.” The locomotive is displayed at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. Museum Executive Director Bev Fitzpatrick told Roanoke’s News7 television that 611 is worthy of a new name. “We’re now talking about it as the one thing that embodies the rail history of Roanoke better than anything else,” Fitzpatrick said. “When you think about the fact it was not only built here, but plied these rails up and down from Cincinnati and Columbus to Norfolk and back hardly ever stopping for maintenance because they had just engineered it so well, it’s an icon," Fitzpatrick said.
The museum has plans to move the 611 in the next six months. ?Its new home will be the third track under the museum pavilion, a location that will offer a better view of the locomotive.
No. 611 was built at N&W’s Roanoke Shops in 1950. Fifty-two years ago this week, on Oct. 24, 1959, it made its last regular service run, pulling a round trip excursion from Roanoke to Williamson, W.Va. It returned to service in 1982 as part of Norfolk Southern’s steam program, and was retired a second time in 1994. |
-I wonder if this will be coming down one of the tracks coming into Roanoke, and, if we’ll get to see it on the camera. Keep watching for this one in the future.
It certainly represented it’s heritage well. Took many photographs of it back in the 80’s as it visited Muncie, In.
Have a series of shots I took of it leaving Munice on the Frankton line, west…with a consist of perhaps 20 or so passenger cars. I was on an overhead bridge and watched it approach at a pretty good speed, and got a series of photos of it as it came toward me.
It visited Muncie several times.
does anyone know what the amtrak train number is that left yesterday?
Train number, no, but I see the lead loco is numbered 93, and the second loco is 136, and the third is 148, all Amtrak locos, running in AAB formation. Maybe this can help. I also saw a large number of buses running that day.
I caught the train, and it appeared to be backing into the yard. it sure seemed long for a passenger train. Led me to believe it was a fall excursion. I think having three locomotives up front was primarily to produce hotel power for all those cars.
Why are a bunch of Coca Cola trucks all lined up, blocking traffic? You can see them on the VMT cam…link:
EDIT- it seems to have been an accident there. At least 1 firetruck showed up, and other unknown emergency vehicles. I don’t see any spilled Coke bottles that people are scrambling to gather, so it must not have involved any of the Coke trucks. The delay on the live feed is really noticeable compared with the VMT cam, a good 30 secs.
The stuff is set up again today, though I see no passenger train. Did it already depart, or will it be coming and going soon? How long will these trains be running? Even Roanoke seems to have lost a significant amount of foliage.
Yeah, I see the orange cones and yellow tape, but I have not seen any trains that I would associate with them. Lots of light engine moves to the west on that track, though.
I also noticed that the whit pickup with the low topper had gone away last week, but now it is back.
And what is with that yellow pickup at the far end of the parking lot. Is it missing the front wheels or did something real heavy fall on the hood? (It looks squished!)
The yellow pickup seems to have already left. The white high rail truck parked afar for some reason didn’t pull into a specific space.
The truck I meant is still there… I just thought it was yellow because my screen was tipped slightly and colors change depending on the angle. It is not as white as the little topper pickup, but it is not as yellow as I initially thought. I am not sure it is a high-rail truck, and I still think the front end looks squished.
You’re talking about the farthest truck parked at an angle, or that one parked in back-first a few spaces closer? I thought I saw high-rail gear on the far one from an earlier snapshot. At least the peg sticking up indicates it is a high-rail truck.
Yeah, the farthest one… it does look somewhat like a “Utility” truck of some sort, but whether RR related or not, I can’t tell. I have used the “Magnfier” program to look at that area up to 500%, but it has not helped a whole lot. As the lighting has changed during the day it has morphed into various vehicles for me. From a 2 door coupe of some sort facing away from the rails to a large truck facing toward the rails. I still think the and toward the rails is considerable lower than the other end. I can’t stay on line for any continous time but I am checking peridodically in hopes of seing someone drive (or tow) it away. Maybe then I could see what it really is!
What’s with the passenger train parked as I type. There are a lot of people entraining and detraining at this moment? A special of some sort? Departure time anyone?
OK, for those interested, 2 P42s just backed up onto the line of coaches. Guess they’re getting ready to depart. Cheers.
It just pulled out {west}, 8:44 pm. What a nice site. Domes lit and passenger car windows showed light inside.
Anyone know what or where it’s headed.
It’s sad we don’t have this method of travel in our country anymore…except the skeleton network of Amtrak. And as usual, The House of Representives has put out the chopping block for funding that system again…I don’t see how Amtrak can plan for new equipment…more service…routes…etc. Plan even to keep any of the system running.
I don’t understand why they haven’t just throwed in the towel long ago.
A fair amount of cars in the parking lot for a Sunday. I see a few people milling around near the tracks. Might the pass. special be returning soon?
Crap, just missed it pulling in. It backed in by the way.
…Suprise…I didn’t expect to see it sitting there this morning. But again, a nice site.
Is this a special run being done each weekend…and for what exact destination, and how long will this be occurring…?
And another surprise, all the cars {vehicles}, in the parking lot.
Wow…! Back to the cam and it was gone…8:44