The train trip limited videos and photos but enough to get the flavor of the event. Throughout the 100 mile round trip there were hundreds of speculators and train spotters following and filming the N&W J611. The locomotive was restricted to 40 mph yet easily pulled the 20 car set along with the crew cars up the Blue Ridge Mountain grades in the Front Royal area. The event was wall to wall people with food, model train displays, art exhibits, music, much food, and people crowding to take photos!
Bruce Chandler, Ralph Berg and I chased that from Manassas to Front Royal last year. Very impressive engine!
Thanks for sharing, Charles.
I couldn’t make it to the Manassas runs this year.
But I had a great time last year. Despite being up 43 hours straight the first day (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Ralph
I’m just glad they continued to run the excursions after Wik retired and would like to see more of them from a well run/managed RR!
Yea, I was sad to read, years ago, that the J wasn’t running anymore. I am glad that she is back in service.
Charles - what were the speculators speculating on? Were the operators selling shares in the locomotive?
I think that’s a great idea, and the fact that they were track-side shows that they had real interest in it as a locomotive, not the way to a fast buck.
tac
OVGRS