Ok so, I'm gonna geek/nerd out here a little bit, and I apologize in advance!

If anyone in here has been around trains or the railroad in general, they probably have heard of Norfolk & Western Class J #611 steam locomotive. It was one of the last of its kind ever built and was done in 1950. It's power output is rated at 5,100hp and is capable of a top speed of 110mph.

In 1956 it was in a derailment in which it was overturned, but was re-built and back in service a year later. In 1959 the steam era was fading out and it was retired from service. It was to be scrapped out, but was saved for use as a reserve steam generator at their shops in Roanoke, VA.

After being donated to the now Virginia Museum of Transportation, it was brought back to life and put into "excursion service" for Norfolk Southern's steam program in 1981. It ran all over the eastern half of the country for the next 22 years. Then in 1994 they ended the steam program and it was once again retired to museum display duty.

But, in 2013, Norfolk Southern started the "21st Century Steam" program and over the last year #611 was again restored to operating service. Which is where we are at now. Here are a few videos from my gopro from the first public excursion run of 611's new career.

Enjoy!

 

That's pretty cool

 

Thats a tough sounding train horn

 

Thats a nice train and horn ... Looks and sounds great ...

 

I would love to ride in the front of one of these things, i briefly worked assembling new locomotives and getting up in the cab you wouldnt think theirs anyway with all that weight and width they are could stay on those two narrow little rails. But they do more often than not even with horrible tracks..

 

My buddy is a train engineer and ex-navy boiler tech. He has been involved with the re-build on this train for some time now. There are quite a few really good you-tube videos to be found. Who doesn't love trains, especially good ol steam trains.

 

What's truly impressive to me is that the locomotive itself weighs 494,000lbs and has 70" drive wheels, and could still reach speeds over 100mph.

 

My buddy Adam said that the entire chassis was one cast piece. It's hard to get a true ideas of the size until you see pictures of normal sized people standing next to the wheels.

 

Yea I read that it was too. I believe just the engine itself, not counting the coal tender, is just over 16ft tall and 109ft long...