This weekend and the return of the "J"

[NW Mailing List]

Come on down:

Heading to the Lynchburg area Friday and then Saturday is the BIG CHASE as
the return of the J happens big time.

The beauty of any steam locomotive is not riding behind it (although that's
okay, trust me), reading about it (okay but .........), standing trackside
while it pants away before going chuggity-chugg-chugg stop like museums can
do is also okay, ............ but the TRUE beauty is just like on the
African Safari ........ to see the animal roaming free and unfettered, just
like it once did in days of yore. ....... in its real home.

To see the animal in its native habitat, roaming the countryside free and
clear, THAT my friends is THE beauty of a large, big steam locomotive.

It can best be related by the final (at least in 1994), curtain calls for
the 611 which I share with you now.

A friend of mine and I chased that animal as it prepared to depart
Greenville, SC for Spartanburg and Saluda grade. As we waited at the edge
of Greenville that frosty morning, the chill in the air and frost on the
ground that November morn' made the anticipation all the better.

We knew what time it was scheduled to depart so about 5 miles out we found
a nice, quiet, residential area trackside and awaited "our" moment. It was
somewhere around 8:30 am on the 2nd Saturday in November. What happened
next was worthy of an O. Winston Link recording but trust me, the "moment"
is forever emblazoned in my mind.

Soon after it departed the station we could hear its dim, distant approach
as it accelerated for its day's chores for the 100's of fans on board (and
those of trackside interest). What was once a daily occurrence fifty years
before, was now a bit of deja-vous all over again.

Faint at first, but distinctive nonetheless, it got clearer and louder as
every moment passed by until we could actually start to feel the vibrations
in the ground as well as the air. Its mournful chime-steamboat whistle was
truly as a call of the wild. Its crescendo grew and grew as we stood ready
with our cameras, all the while in awe of the truly awesome beast which was
approaching us one final time. Its call was unmistakable and we heard and
stood there at attention and readiness, taking it all in as it blasted by
us, thundering hooves, all eight of those beautiful 70" drivers, ground
trembling beneath our feet, all as it performed its magnificent feats once
more. Backyard hounds voiced their approvals as this rare animal passed
them by, almost as though they too knew, she may not pass this way again
and they wanted to take it all in with us. Their approval was so noted, all
the while, as we enjoyed the "moment."

And then it was gone and the chase was on, which we and many others engaged
in that happy day.

Three weeks later I was fortunate to ride behind it for what was then its
last public excursion, knowing it COULD happen again, but not knowing like
all of us if it WOULD happen again. Four days after that we watched as the
sad train made its funeral run to a "stuffed and mounted" oblivion on
December 7, 1994.

And now, here we are, twenty and one-half years almost to the day from that
sad day of my more youthful years, but this time ---------- nah-h-h, I'm
going to enjoy it and take it all in once again somewhere along the
mainline as it makes it triumphant return to where it was created
sixty-five years ago, almost to the day. But something will be different
this time around.

May all the thousands of people chasing it from Spencer, NC on Saturday, up
the Southern mainline, then on to Lynchburg and across Blue Ridge into even
more cheering thousands back home in Roanoke, let us all remember there are
others doing the same things we are doing and let's not spoil each other's
moments. Whatever we do, let's not contribute to various statistics for
accidents, nor the local J'eanne d-Arms speed restrictions (trust me, the
local PO-leece WILL know what's happening and will love to their end of
month quota extensions) and let's do it all safely and in a friendly,
courteous manner.

Hope to see you "somewhere" trackside this weekend. Let's say "HI" and
enjoy our moment, however brief, once again.


Bob Cohen
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