Hello,

When the 611 gets onto the NS system will most main lines be permissible for operation? As I recall in the press at restoration # 1, the 611 has a high lateral stiffness on the lead & trailing truck? They apparently significantly reduced or eliminated overbalance on the drivers....allowing it to run high speed on smaller drivers?

I was wondering if this stiffness will make it limited on some curves? I don't recall it ever being an issue in operation after resto # 1. Maybe it's a non-issue in today's track standards?

This design feature is unique to the 611, yes? I don't recall of any other railroad putting this into practice.

Looking forward to them potentially bringing her up through Hagerstown to Harrisburg....to show her off to us Northeasterners!

Thank you.

Regards,

Randy

611 and the Js didn't run on the Shenandoah line during their active careers. She (611)didn't run there during her excursion career, either. The As were restricted from there, too.

She (611) did run from Manassas to Front Royal in '92. Apparently, there were some realignments which allowed the 611 to run out there. 1218 went to Front Royal from Manassas regularly.

I don't recall why the Js (or the As) were restricted from that line. Y-6s and K class Mountains were common in Hagerstown.

Andy Pullen

The issue regarding 611 when she was restored in the early 1980s was a high center of gravity combined with a reduction in compensating super-elevation of curves. As recounted in the magazines back then, 611 was given a restriction of track speed on tangents, and 10 mph below prevailing speed restrictions on curves. This actually hampered 611's performance on some of the former N&W routes, and left them using her on straighter SR routes instead. Mind you, this was before the 1988-instituted blanket 40-mph limit on all steam on NS......

Roanoke to Hagerstown is 225 or so quite curvy miles......

One thing I would like to know is what about getting on the PRR routes and NYC. Where can 611 be able to run and knowing about 765 excursions on NS are limited and now 611. Are NS going to operate more excursions or use 765 less. That concerns me the NS already have two steamers operating on the NS the 765 and 630 and soon 4501 and 611 will be added. Like i said before are there going to be more steam excursions or use 765 & 630 less I don't know. I would love to see 611 operate but still what about 765 & 630 where do they fit in the picture. One more thing the passenger consist are there enough coaches for these engines that are Amtrak certified

The passenger cars that NS (TVRM and NKP 765) has been using are not required to be Amtraked, although a few have been. Since the trips are not running as Amtrak trips, they don't have to be and simply must pass the regular passenger mechanical standards.

NS probably doesn't know at this point yet either. Keep in mind that while the 611 restoration is going very well there could always be a problem that hasn't surfaced yet. If I was NS I wouldn't schedule anything with 611 just yet.


765 could be doing runs on the other lines like she is doing this fall. Same thing with 630, I'm sure TVRM would use her. None of these engines have to run on NS exclusively. Maybe TVRM wants 4501 up so that 630 can be used on their own line again.


NS rented trains before, I'm sure they could rent trains again. And if trips are being run under NS then there's no reason the coaches have to be Amtrak certified.

Remember, this is not the Southern program. Ever managed one of those trains? We did that when I was at TVRM and with all of the cost and hassle of arranging the coaches, we determined that running the super long trains did not make good business sense. In order to make any money, we had to set the minimum ticket price in the $80 range. We found that that priced many potential riders out.

That said, I doubt we'll see anything the likes of the old program-NS made it pretty clear that the 21st Century Steam Program is an entirely different animal. Shorter trips in areas targeted by NS management under their auspices-not for local NRHS Chapters or local organizations (if I understand correctly).

Same with running to Knoxville. She only came to Knoxville twice, once being pulled to the steam shop for overhaul in '81, and the other was a Cincinatti to Knoxville trip over the CNO&TP in '93. The route from Chattanooga to Knoxville and on to Bristol had bridges that could not handle the axle load of the J. I understand now they have been replace or upgraded. The A or 4501 handled the trips through Knoxville back then.