page_title: Norfolk and Western 611
section_title: Revenue service and preservation
hierarchical_section_title: Norfolk and Western 611 / Revenue service and preservation
caption_attribution_description: English: Builder's Plate from Norfolk &amp; Western Class J #611
context_page_description: Norfolk and Western 611, also known as the "Spirit of Roanoke" or the "Queen of Steam", is a preserved class "J" 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built and operated by the Norfolk and Western Railway from 1950 to 1959. Built at the Roanoke Shops in May 1950, No. 611 is the only surviving example of fourteen class "J" locomotives, and currently the largest operating 4-8-4 "Northern" type locomotive in the United States.
  611 was retired in 1959 from revenue passenger service and moved to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in 1962. In 1982, Norfolk Southern restored the locomotive to operating condition for excursion service as it became the star of their steam program pulling excursions throughout the eastern United States. No. 611 was retired again in December 1994 and moved back to the VMT. In February 2013, the VMT formed a campaign called Fire Up 611! to return No. 611 to operating condition once again for excursion service in May 2015. Most recently, from late September to late October 2019, No. 611 went to Strasburg, Pennsylvania to participate in the Strasburg Rail Road's "N&W Reunion of Steam" event where it ran several excursion trips alongside N&W 4-8-0 No. 475.
context_section_description: 611, along with the other class Js, pulled the Norfolk and Western's prominent passenger trains, such as the Powhatan Arrow, the Pocahontas, and the Cavalier between Norfolk, Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio as well as ferrying Southern Railway's the Birmingham Special, the Pelican, and the Tennessean between Monroe, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. Because of their power and speed, the class Js were among the most reliable engines, running as many as 15,000 miles (24,000 km) per month, even on the mountainous and relatively short route of the N&W.
  In the late 1950s, N&W began purchasing first-generation diesel locomotives, experimenting with fuel and maintenance cost. They leased several sets of EMD E6s, E7s, E8s from the Atlantic Coast Line and Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroads. The diesels proved to be cheaper in maintenance and fuel cost, but several were required to equal the power of a steam locomotive. In the end, with steam parts suppliers closing due to other railroads switching to diesel power, the N&W purchase some new diesel locomotives, and retired their fleet of steam locomotives. In 1958 and 1959, the railroad ran several Farewell To Steam excursions, with No. 611 pulling the very last one in October 1959.
  Due to the efforts of several men, the 611 was saved. This was in part due to its superb condition after its 1956 derailment and subsequent repair, and also in part to the efforts of railway photographer O. Winston Link, who offered to purchase 611 himself rather than see it scrapped. The locomotive was donated to the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Roanoke, Virginia in 1962, where it sat dormant for two decades. The 611 was also a possible candidate for the American Freedom Train; however, Reading 2101, Southern Pacific 4449 and Texas and Pacific 610 were ultimately chosen instead.
caption: No. 611's builder plate
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