No. 611, you and your crew know how to climb a mountain. I was supposed to ride Norfolk & Western No. 611’s excursion train Sunday. But I didn’t, and I am glad I stayed trackside or I would have missed an incredible show.
My long-time steam pal, railroad dispatcher, and all-around great guy Dave Crosby and I chased together Sunday afternoon after my live streaming gear had big problems that morning. Lunch with a group of friends and Dave’s companionship in the afternoon kept me from getting too crazy about the loss of this technology, and it opened up opportunities to spend more time with an old friend.
We got great shots westbound, but the best show was the climb up Linden Hill, where engineer Sandy Alexander was coaxing a performance out of the 70-inch drivers on rain-slippery rail. He did a magnificent job of knowing when to use the throttle and when to close it, and No. 611 made it up the hill without a major problem. Out of sight, we could hear the challenge of keeping those drivers adhering to the rail. We could sense the tension of the interplay between the open throttle and the one shut in reaction to a slip. You don’t see shows like that every day on a main line railroad, and it’s a treat to see an engineer bring out the best performance possible from one of the best steam locomotives ever built.
I’ll share more about this weekend’s trips soon. But suffice it to say that the next time the engine is on a mountain grade and the forecast is for rain, like it was Sunday, grab and umbrella and head trackside. You'll be glad you did.
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