611

Fri Jun 12 11:43:26 EDT 2015

For those of you not old enough to remember, in 1964 (folks born that year could have grandkids by now) Paul Merriman’s Mikado 4501 came out of the contract shop in Chattanooga where it had been restored for main line service.  It was painted in Southern’s passenger green and gold colors (which nothing but passenger engines had ever carried), was lettered “Chattanooga” under the number on the cab where division markings had been carried even though there was never a Chattanooga Division on the Southern, and the name Walter C. Dove below that (he was the retired General Road Foreman of Engines who ran the engine on its first trips).  

Nobody cared whether the livery was “appropriate” or not.  It was sanctioned by Southern’s top management represented by Graham Claytor and that was good enough for everybody else.  Steam was running again on the Southern and that was what mattered.

This was the locomotive that started our modern-day excursion movement.  If it hadn’t been for 4501 we’d likely not have had a 611, or anything else, running around under its own steam.  And they went so far as to put a Ks-1 Consolidation, the 722 (even less of a passenger engine than 4501), out in green and gold.

So as far as I’m concerned, some little yellow letters under the cab window are not worth mentioning.  Be happy that they are running around on such a magnificent machine.

The J proved that it could go on other folks’ railroads and do what their 4-8-4s could do, but nobody’s 4-8-4 (or 4-4-4-4) could come on the N&W and do what the J could, and did, do.

So appreciate what you have.  Picking nits is a waste of time.

EdKing

From: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List 
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2015 4:04 PM
To: NW Mailing List 
Cc: NW Mailing List 
Subject: Re: Fwd: Fw: 611

I second Roger  -----  Ron

On Thursday, June 11, 2015 9:52 AM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

I don't understand all the furor over the "Spirit Of Roanoke" lettering on the cab. I find the dual seal beam headlight and the removal of the TIMKEN covers on the trailing truck and tender truck journals more offensive than that. I think all the J's, and especially the 611, represent the Spirit Of Roanoke.

My 2¢,
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works

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From: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
Cc: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2015 3:02 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: 611

I wrote the VMT and stated my concerns about the words "Spirit of Roanoke on 611 and here is the response I got in return. Alan Cox
  Mr. Cox, 

  Thank you for your feedback. We know that putting the "Spirit of Roanoke" in small letters under the cab window has upset a lot of 611 fans. 

  The Roanoke City Council designated the Class J 611 as the "Spirit of Roanoke" and the Class A 1218 as the "Pride of Roanoke" a long time ago. This decision had the support of railroaders, community and business leaders and the railroad.  Both of these locomotives were owned by the City of Roanoke from the early 1960s to 2012, when ownership was transferred to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. 

  In and around Roanoke, the locomotives represent the pride, ingenuity and craftsmanship of the people who built these giants of steam. The Spirit of Roanoke honors the laborers who engineered, designed, built and maintained these superior locomotives in Roanoke's East End Shops. 

  The decision to add the Spirit of Roanoke under the cab window was made by the City Council and the Board of Directors at the VMT. City, community and business leaders wanted to honor the thousands of railroaders who were the heart and soul of the Norfolk & Western operation. 

  Peg McGuire

  Director of Communications

  Virginia Museum of Transportation

  303 Norfolk Avenue SW

  Roanoke VA 24016

  pmcguire at vmt.org

  cell: 540.339.2753

  fireup611.org  |  vmt.org

  From: ABCOX99 at aol.com [mailto:ABCOX99 at aol.com] 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2015 3:42 PM
  To: VMT Info
  Subject: 611

  I am very disappointed to see that the VMT has decided to put a name on the side of 611. No Norfolk & Western engine in the "J" class ever had a name to my knowledge. I have heard numerous complaints about this and have to agree that it doesn't belong. I consider it graffiti and has no place on such a beautiful locomotive. No matter what is said, the VMT will do what it wants and that is a shame. 

  Sincerely, Alan Cox

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