In 2023 the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Virginia Scenic Railway collaborated on limited fall excursions from Goshen, VA, to Staunton, Virginia, and back. Jim and I signed up and enjoyed it very much. In 2025, another collaboration, this time a joint venture between the Virginia Scenic Railway, The Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Steam Railroading Institute, and the Virginia Mechanical Preservation Society, again featured the 611 steam locomotive, the last of its kind. The Kendal "Photo Gang" decided on a photo ramble to capture images and asked me to coordinate.
I spent most of an August day getting lost on back roads paralleling and intersecting the track to find places for pictures. In early October, as the excursions were underway, another outing focused on schedules showed me that we could make multiple stops. Although a mild, dry autumn didn't bring out brilliant foliage colors for our scheduled ramble, it was a fun project and the results came out pretty well.
The 611 waiting for "all aboard" to depart on its excursion.
Black smoke comes from the coal firing the boilers.
White "smoke" is steam. In this case, the whistle is sounding.
A bin near the locomotive holds the coal that fuels it.
Norfolk & Western used coal-fired steam locomotives longer than many other lines because one of the company's primary cargos was coal. The fuel was plentiful and inexpensive. One of the company's nicknames was "King Coal." The last steam locomotive manufactured for general service in the United States, was built by N&W in their Roanoke shops in 1953.
Instead of men with shovels, there was a front-end loader that transferred the coal to the hopper.
The drive gear. A plaque on the assembly identifies it as a Baker Valve Gear produced by the Pilliod Company.
Fellow ramblers Lad & John.
It was the first frosty day of the season, so we were bundled up.
Steam engines weren't just used for locomotives. This tractor was on display at the entrance to the station.
As we drove to our first stop, an overlook of the tracks, we passed photographers set up all along the route -- many in downtown Goshen, some at every grade crossing, many along the roads parallel to the track.
Our spot was under this huge white-oak tree and we had it to ourselves.
We could hear the whistle at the nearby grade crossing to tell us the train was about to arrive. By the time it was this close, it was making that distinctive low-pitched rumble of a working locomotive.
The locomotive was loafing on this trip, probably not traveling more than 50-60 MPH. The record speed for a steam locomotive is 125 MPH, set by the "Mallard" hauling over 250 tons. Although the 611 could have theoretically attained a speed of more than that, its top speed in service was closer to 115 MPH.
A head of steam.
Our next stop was an overpass outside Swoope, Virginia.
We no longer had a space to ourselves! There were at least as many cars on the other side of the overpass.
We could not have asked for a more beautiful day, although one of our ramblers was disappointed that there were no clouds or fog to lend atmosphere.
On my schedule-scouting run, there was only one other photographer who had stayed after the word got around that the 611 would not be running that day.
The Buckingham Branch #18 locomotive may not be glamorous, but she also has a pedigree. She is an EMD GP38-2 built in 1974. Over 1800 of these were built and most are still in service. The Southern Railway was the original owner where she was designated #5143. At the time of the 1982 merger with the N&W, she came under Norfolk Southern ownership and retained the same number. I have not been able to determine when the locomotive passed into the hands of the Buckingham Branch and changed to BB #18.
Is there a term for conglomerations of photographers?
An f-stop of photographers?
An aperture of photographers?
A shutter of photographers?
A clique of photographers?
Who knows? There was at least one of these folks who had made the trip from Baltimore to get pictures. On my schedule-scouting run, I met a gentleman from Colorado who had timed his visit to his daughter in Virginia for this opportunity. Railfans are a dedicated bunch.
Here she comes!
And there she goes!
The excursion is only a few miles from its terminus in Staunton at this location.
It is an inspiration to see a great lady at work. I hope they run the excursions again next year.
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