Norfolk & Western 611 - The Shenandoah Valley Exodus | Buckingham Branch

In fall of 2025, the Virginia Scenic Railway would host another series of excursions featuring Norfolk & Western “J” Class #611 along their ex-Chesapeake & Ohio mainline. The #611 last ran this route in fall of 2023. The “Shenandoah Valley Limited”, as these trips were coined, ran out of the Victoria Station in Goshen, Virginia north to the city of Staunton, Virginia, nestled away in the Shenandoah Mountain Range. The Mighty J would run five weekends of excursions in both September and October, this production being shot during the final runs in October. Peak fall foliage was expected for these runs, however, fall would seem to flee just a little quicker this year. Moderate color would be found on southern portions of the route, with most, ironically, being gone due to the exhaust of the #611. Large gradients and a hard working locomotive compensated for the lack of color, making for an excellent weekend of photography. ___________________________________________________ From the Virginia Museum of Transportation: The Norfolk & Western Class “J” #611 is a steam locomotive built in 1950 by the Norfolk & Western Railway at the East End Shops in Roanoke, Virginia. The locomotive is notable for its streamlined design, which was intended to showcase the efficiency and power of steam technology in the face of the increasing dominance of diesel engines. The 611 is considered one of the most powerful and technologically advanced steam locomotives ever built, and is the only surviving Class “J” steamer to the present day. It was used to pull passenger trains on the Norfolk and Western railway system, including the Powhatan Arrow and the Cavalier. ___________________________________________________ 0:00 Dusk 1:01 Bells Valley 1:55 Sweeping Curve 2:27 Via’s Crossing 3:13 North Mountain 4:09 Hay Bales 4:43 Augusta Springs 5:56 Passing Siding 7:03 Staunton Approach 8:06 Credits 8:28 Staunton, VA 8:43 Departure ___________________________________________________ ‪@TrainTableRailroad‬ ‪@railfanningwithtydan‬ ‪@smokymountainmedia‬ ‪@The490Fan‬