Norfolk and Western Class "J" #611 is what I consider to be the most beautiful steam locomotive ever built. Built in the 1950s, it was Norfolk and Western's last attempt at steam before completely changing over to diesel. Fourteen of the Js were built. Only the 611 was saved, and until 1982, it remained in a museum in Roanoke, Virginia.

      Every summer from 1982 through 1994, it made excursion trips on Norfolk Southern's mainline a couple miles east of my parents' house south of Bucyrus, Ohio.

      It was in the summer of 1986 that I finally got to ride behind the 611 between Bucyrus and Bellevue, Ohio, on the 1986 Independence Limited. The "J" was travelling between Virginia and Illinois and also travelled through West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana.

      The weather was kind of on the rainy side as N&W #611 pulled into town. North of town, we went through a thunderstorm, but by the time we pulled into Bellevue, the skies had pretty much cleared up. All the passengers were unloaded, and the train backed up into the yard for the night.

      The next photo opportunity I had to catch the "J" came in the summer of 1993 for that year's Independence Limited. That year, the 611 pulled into town on a nice sunny afternoon. The train was to take on water during it's stop, which allowed for some nice close up pictures of the locomotive.

      After the train had come to a stop, I went down the tracks to the front of the train and got some nice pictures of the locomotive. The train was stopped for about 30 minutes while the 25,000-gallon auxillary water tender was filled from a fire hydrant. That gave me plenty of time to look over the rest of the train which Norfolk Southern had recently repainted into the original Norfolk and Western steam train colors. The coolest part of the experience was seeing the "J" starting up with steam and smoke going everywhere. Unfortunately, I'd run out of film.

      During the summer of 1994, I once again was able to see the "J" on one of its excursion trips at the Caldwell Road crossing south of Bucyrus as it headed northbound.

      The last time I saw the "J" before it went into retirement was in the fall of 1994. I went with a friend to Attica, Ohio, to catch the train coming through on its return trip on the last excursion in Ohio for the season. We got there a couple minutes before the train came through, and what a beautiful sight it was. I got the best picture of the train moving that I'd managed to take. The engine filled the picture as it whizzed by me. It was about a week later when I was on the internet that I found out that it was my last time to see the "J".

1986 Independence Limited: Waiting on the train. Our neighbors went with us on the trip. Their daughters Jennifer and Melissa are on the left of me (in the engineer cap and holding a tape recorder). My dad's standing to the right of me.	The 611 pulls the Independence Limited into Bucyrus. On the other side of the track, you can see Bucyrus's TV54 crew filming the arrival.	On board the train, we're approaching the East Warren Street crossing. The freight station on the right across the street has since been torn down for the new interchange with the former Conrail mainline.	We're approaching the East Rensselaer Street crossing. On the right is the former Toledo and Ohio Central station that is currently being renovated to be turned into a museum.
Approaching the crossing of Conrail's former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline between Chicago and Pittsburgh. Just past that is the bridge over East Mansfield street.	Approaching the crossing of Conrail's branch to the stone quarry at Spore. Beyond that is the original interchange with Norfolk Southern's and Conrail's routes and the bridge over the Sandusky River.	At the north end of the yard on the north side of Bucyrus.	Going under the US 30 bypass just north of State Route 98.
Passing the Bucyrus reservoirs.	Rounding the curve north of the reservoirs.	North of Bucyrus	The train is now in Bellevue and turning to go under the State Route 269 bridge and pull in next to the Mad River and Nickel Plate Road Museum.
The train is stopped next to the museum as passengers get off.	The 611 starts to slowly back the train into the yard where it will be parked overnight.	Another view of the 611 backing up.	Another view of the 611 backing up.
Melissa, Jennifer, and I stand on the pilot of an old steam engine across the street from the museum.	At the Mt. Zion Road crossing south of Bucyrus, the 611 steams southbound with an excursion.	1993 Independence Limited: A Norfolk Southern inspection truck hi-rails through ahead of the arrival of the 611 and it's train.	A Conrail freight rolls eastbound through town before the 611's arrival.
The 611 rolls into town and pulls past.
Some pictures of the 611 shortly after her arrival.
About halfway through the stop at Bucyrus, the 611's engineer started releasing smoke out of the smokestack, probably as a result of building up steam pressure for the departure.
The 611 rolls northbound at the Caldwell Road crossing south of Bucyrus in 1994.
The 611 steams southbound in Attica, Ohio, in the fall of 1994 on her final excursion through Ohio. This was also the last time I would see her before she was retired back to the museum.

Kevin L. Wagner

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