611 Rides Again Pt.1

The Norfolk and Western J class 611 is in Lynchburg this week for two excursion trips, today and tomorrow.

Here she sits in the shop for some prep work.

Since the are no longer any coaling towers left for her to use, her supply is being carried in gondolas, and loaded with this backhoe.

Her she is, getting a final once-over while steaming up.

The crowd of riders gather by the tracks. I thought the train would load the passengers at Kemper Street Station, but instead they boarded in Montview Yard. I believe that the train length -19 cars- was too great for Kemper Street's platform.

The Queen after pulling the train forward.

The water tender, which is actually owned by the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Behind it is a baggage car, which is being used as a supply/support car for the 611.

Behind the baggage car is the Tennessee, a Head-End-Power (HEP) car. It's interesting to note that when both the cars and engine were new, the train would have been heated by the steam from the 611. Today, however, all of the passenger cars have been converted to HEP; thus the need for this car.

An illustration of just how long the train is. Note the dome car is painted for the Wabash, while several of the cars in front of it are lettered for the Pennsylvania.

And here is one of those "Pennsylvania" cars - a lounge car named Paul Revere. While the end of the car says "Pullman" in the letter band, it was actually built by the Budd Car Co.; note the corrugated roof, a signature element of Budd-built cars.