The most perfect locomotive

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

I am looking at a copy of an article written for the December 1964 issue of
Trains about the "J".  It is titled "Man in a Hurry" and goes on to describe
a ride the author, Col. Howard G. Hill, USAR (Ret.), took in the cab of the
611.  The date was October 18, 1959 and he rode from Petersburg to Norfolk.
He states that the train consisted of 14 passenger cars and the engineer was
Aubrey C. (Buddy) Phelps.  After passing through Waverly at 45 mph, the
train got up to 85 mph as they approached Wakefield and increased to 95 as
they hit a slight descending grade just east of Ivor.  As they crossed the
Balckwater River the speed picked up until it was running 100 mph.

 

The article also states that one of the J's hit 110 mph during preliminary
trials to test the strength of the rods.

 

Skip Sledge

Have a nice day - It's much better than a bad one!

 

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