Norfolk Southern is hosting an open house at its Roanoke Shops on September 8th. The term "open house" is a misnomer as the event is open by invitation only. Nonetheless, the open house at the shops is a big deal, and to emphasize it, #611 and #1218 may be making an appearance.

ROANOKE, Va. - This Saturday, Sept. 8, marks the 125th anniversary of the Roanoke Shops, and to mark the occasion, Norfolk Southern is moving two steam locomotives to the shops for display: N&W J Class 4-8-4 No. 611 and Class A 2-6-6-4 No. 1218. Both were stars of Norfolk Southern's steam program and were constructed at the shops in 1950 and 1943, respectively. Following the end of the NS steam program in 1994, the 611 was returned to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, followed a few years later by No. 1218.

According to Bev Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation, NS is moving both locomotives out of the museum as early as today. NS plans on putting No. 611 on the turntable for display Saturday with No. 1218 nearby. [Not to mention NKP 763...] Bringing the two steam locomotives to the shops represents yet another move by the company to embrace its history since the naming of Charles (Wick) Moorman as NS President, Chairman, and CEO. Moorman addressed the National Convention of the National Railway Historical Society last month. Earlier this year the railroad acquired a set of streamlined F units to pull the NS business train and painted them in a scheme similar to that of NS predecessor Southern Railway.