Steamin' Out of Charlottesville

The Norfolk and Western Class J 611 first rolled out of the Roanoke, Virginia shops in May 1950. With the introduction of the diesel engine, steam locomotives soon became extinct. The Class J 611 was pulled from the rails in the late 1950s and retired. For more than 20 years, it sat idle before being restored to operating condition. In 1982, the Class J 611 began pulling excursion trains, delighting railroad fans who flocked to ride it and photograph it. The 611 ran for 12 years until in late 1994, Norfolk Southern announced it would end the program. On December 7, 1994, the 611 completed its last run on a three-day trip from Birmingham, Alabama to Roanoke, Virginia – its home. It is now housed in the Virginia Museum of Transportation in downtown Roanoke, Virginia.

This picture was taken in 1984 as the train left Charlottesville, Virginia on an excursion trip.

For more information on the Virginia Museum of Transportation see http://www.vmt.org