Norfolk & Western 611: Assault on Christiansburg Mountain (Roanoke to Walton 2016)

On the 7th & 8th of May 2016, N&W 611 ran four excursions out of her hometown of Roanoke, Virginia. It was along this route that the 611 and the rest of the J class hauled famous passenger trains such as the Powhatan Arrow, Cavalier, Pelican, Pocahontas, and Tennessean. The 611 put on a great show doing exactly what she was built to do, hauling a 20-car passenger train in and out of the Roanoke Valley. The afternoon excursions ran westward out of Roanoke up the Christiansburg Grade to Walton wye, near Radford. I chased both trips, and this video is in geographical order. On Sunday 611 flew pink flags for Mother's Day. LOCATIONS: 0:10 - Roanoke - Pedestrian overpass near Gainsboro Parking Lot 3:15 - Riverside - West River Rd 4:25 - Ellison - US 460/Lee Hwy 5:20 - west of Shawsville - Friendship Rd 7:08 - Montgomery Tunnel, Den Hill Rd 9:06 - west of Christiansburg - Chrisman Mill Rd 10:13 - Vicker - Switchback Rd 13:15 - west of Christiansburg - Chrisman Mill Rd 15:00 - Riserside - West River Rd 16:25 - Wabun - West River Rd