Built in May 1950 at N&W's Roanoke (East End) Shops in Roanoke, Virginia, it was one of the last mainline passenger steam locomotives built in the United States and represents a pinnacle of …

Jul 9, 2025 · The 1950 Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 is the sole surviving Class J 4-8-4 steam locomotive. After entering service in 1950, it transported passengers until it retired in …

Feb 27, 2025 · In the case of Norfolk and Western 611 and its sibling "Class J" 4-8-4 locomotives, the railroad was looking for a fast, reliable, and efficient steamer which could pull a passenger …

It has become an important piece of American railroad history, and is considered an engineering marvel by many rail enthusiasts and historians. The Class J #611 is designated as the …

Norfolk & Western No. 611, also known as 'The Spirit of Roanoke' and 'The Queen of Steam', is a class J 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the Norfolk & Western Railroad (N&W) …

Jul 16, 2024 · In an emailed statement to Railfan & Railroad, Executive Director Mendy Flynn confirmed that N&W 611 would not run in 2024, but that the museum was exploring …

Oct 26, 2025 · The Norfolk and Western 611 was built in 1950 by N&W engineers at the company’s East End facility in Roanoke, Virginia. It was categorized under the “J” class and …

#611 is the largest and most powerful, operational, coal burning steam locomotive in the USA. N&W J #611 is owned by the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia.

For the first time in seven years, Norfolk & Western Class J #611 took to the mainline in a triumphant return to glory. Since then, the Class 1 Railroads have turned a blind-eye to...

The sleek and powerful Class J locomotive, designed and built in Roanoke by the Norfolk & Western Railway, has been widely hailed as the finest steam locomotive in the world. The …