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RattlerJones [2019-03-03 20:59:38 +0000 UTC]

The 611 was designed and built by the Norfolk & Western's machine shops at Roanoke, Virginia in 1950. 
She's also the last-remaining sample of (14) streamlined 4-8-4 'Northern's built for the N&W's heavy passenger service - primarily from Norfolk to Cincinnati, Ohio. 
These powerful racehorses could haul various-named passenger trains such as the 'Powhattan Arrow', the 'Pocahontas', 'Cavalier', the 'Pelican', and the 'Tennessean'. 
Retired in 1957 when all of the (13) Class 'J's were replaced by diesel locomotives, the 611 was the sole-survivor after being overhauled from a major mishap derailment. 
Having saved from the scrapper's torch, the locomotive was sold by O. Winston Link who donated the 611 to the Virginia Museum of Transportation where she remained on display since then. 
In 1981 at a time when the 'Southern Steam Program' upgraded into the 'Norfolk Southern Steam Program', two former N&W chairmen made plans of restoring the 611 into operating condition. 
Moved from the Wasena Park to the Birmingham steam shops at Irondale, Alabama, the 4-8-4 went through a two-year restoration before it was fired up under its own power for the first time. 
Five years later, the 611 was accompanied by a fellow N&W steamer no. 1218 for future excursion runs around the Eastern United States. 
However with 1218 under a mandatory overhaul, the 611 managed to continue on its excursion career alone.


The 1218 was also designed and built by the Norfolk & Western's Roanoke Shops in 1943 at Roanoke, Virginia. 
This engine was once one of 43 constructed 2-6-6-4 articulated locomotives for the N&W, assigned for heavy freight service across the Appalachian Mountains. 
Among their fellow locomotives on the railroad, these Class-A's were equally at home hauling fast merchandise freight or a hundred coal-car trains through any flat or mountain. 
Retired in 1959 from dieselization on the N&W, the 1218 was sold for use as a stationary boiler at Charleston's chemical plant in West Virginia. 
A few years later, the last-remaining Class A was sold to Steamtown in Vermont on display until 1970 when it was taken back to its birthplace in Roanoke, Virginia as a static display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. 
Fifteen years later, the Norfolk Southern steam program bought the 1218 to the Birmingham steam shops at Irondale, Alabama for a two-year restoration. 
Entering excursion service in 1987, the articulated participated several excursions in the east as America's largest locomotive restored into operating condition.


Also known as "The Milk & Honey Line", the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad since 1976 is a shortline railroad that handles both freight and passenger tourist trains just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 
Aside from a vast array of vintage diesel locomotives, the M&H also employs its only steam engine; a Ex-Canadian National 2-6-0 class 'E10a' no. 91, which was designed and built by the Canadian Locomotive Company in 1910.
The M&H also owns a collection of Ex-Delaware Lackawanna & Western 'MU' trailer cars that are used for tourist-carrying operations.
These cars on either end of the consist are fitted with a headlight and airhorn which enables them to run backwards as well as forwards.
Although the 91 is currently under a major overhaul before her eventual return to steam, its sister locomotive #89 still operates at the Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania.

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