Fifteen Years Ago today

[NW Mailing List]

Wow! Hard to imagine it was that long ago. I was out that way on business 
and managed to secure tickets for myself and newly pregnant wife. We were in 
the group too far back in the train to ride up Saluda behind 611; the 
diesels hauled us up and we got to watch from trackside. Saw one of the 
funniest sights in my life when a railfan standing on an embankment leapt 
feet-first into a thick batch of kudzu to get to ground level and almost got 
eaten alive by the weed, flailing his way down a long ways, kudzu rustling, 
to track level, arms and cameras flying.
On the way back to Charlotte, I remember riding in the combo coach-baggage 
car behind the A-tank on the return trip up the SRR main that night, 
listening to the sound of the engine (yes, she was running at least 45 mph 
at points by my watch). There were about a half dozen of us in the darkened 
baggage area, listening in silence to the sounds of the engine and train. At 
one point, a state trooper pulled abreast on the road alongside and turned 
his spotlight on the engine. He paced us for awhile, blowing through one 
little town's main intersections at track speed to keep up with the train. I 
remembered wondering  if I'd ever hear 611's whistle again after that night. 
Don't think I did ...
Oh well, memories. Wish I'd had a digital tape recorder that nite and many 
others...

Andre Jackson and/or Lisa Burrows
Life is short; update your anti-virus software
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:46 AM
Subject: Fifteen Years Ago today



> It's hard to believe it, but today marks 15 years since the day I rode

> 611's first excursion up Saluda Grade. October 25, 1992 is a day that

> I won't ever forget when me and my dad rode the Piedmont Carolinas

> Chapter NRHS excursion from Charlotte, NC to Asheville, NC via

> Spartanburg, SC (my hometown) and return. It was a LONG day, but well

> worth it considering that both the J and Saluda grade are no longer in

> operation.

>

> I rode in the former Norfolk and Western P3 coach 531 which was the

> fifth car of the rear. Having boarded the train I had no idea that at

> Melrose, I would be on the first of the last five cars to go up Saluda

> grade behind 611. I was sitting in the middle window seat on the left

> hand side of the car under the letter "D" in "AND." I was rather young

> at the time and so when 611 stalled I was not really concerned,

> although I saw my dad seemed to be. Now I realize he understood the

> dangers of Saluda grade, but as everyone knows Bob Saxton successfully

> restarted the mighty J and conquered the grade.

>

> In Asheville, I went over to the Asheville Chapter NRHS's museum and

> got in the cab of ex- Southern Railway 2-8-0 number 722 and rang the

> bell during the layover as 611 was being serviced in the yard. Of

> course most of the return trip was in the dark and I ended up falling

> asleep during the stop in Spartanburg. My dad says though that he

> believes 611 was breaking the 40 mile-per-hour speed restriction that

> was enforced following the 1986 NS employee special derailment in the

> Dismal Swamp.

>

> I also rode the final excursion up Saluda on November 13, 1994 which

> also ended up being my final excursion behind the 611. Although

> unfortunately as luck would have it 611 would be carrying the auxilary

> water tender and tool car up Saluda and the train was broken right

> behind the coach I was riding in, which was the Watauga Valley Chapter

> NRHS' former FEC coach Clinchfield.

>

> I have seen both the 611 and 531 since. I went to Roanoke to see the

> 611 and 1218 in October 2003 and enjoyed seeing my old friends. Then

> back in May this year I saw the 531 again, although time hasn't been

> kind. Hopefully the folks at TVRM will have the car restored and

> spruced up again sometime in the future.

>

> Even though the 611 may (likely) never run again, I'm thankful for the

> memories and October 25 will be a date I continue to remember dearly.

>

> Steven Ashley

> Spartanburg, South Carolina

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