Sixty years after Norfolk & Western Railway retired its last steam engine, the iconic locomotive is back on the tracks—just in time for fall.
In September, Virginians will have the rare opportunity to ride in front of the legendary No. 611The only surviving Class J 4–8-4 steam engine, once known as “Queen of Steam,” is a sleek, black beauty. The special edition Shenandoah Valley Limited The journey will last only five weekends starting Sept. 26. It will take passengers through a blaze autumn color in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. This excursion is a unique opportunity to view Virginia’s peak fall foliage season. It features billowing smoke against fiery ridgelines.
“The N&W 611 is a standalone superstar,” Steve Powell, president of the Virginia Scenic Railway“With over 5,000 horsepower, the 611 sounds, feels, and looks like no other locomotive,” said Shenandoah Valley Limited. “With more than 5,000 horsepower, this locomotive sounds, feels and looks unlike any other.”
The Shenandoah Valley Limited has joined the Virginia Scenic Railway lineup of signature excursions. This includes narrated ride through the countryside. Blue Ridge Mountains Specialty tours such as the Sip and Savor ExpressThe focus of the show is Virginia wines. The locomotive itself—a 1950 steamer built in Roanoke, Virginia—comes courtesy of the Virginia Museum of TransportationThis partnership has made it possible to bring you. Steam Railroading Institute You can also read about the Virginia Mechanical Preservation Society.
The Shenandoah Valley’s rolling landscape is the backdrop for the seasonal journey, which begins in a Victorian depot located in Goshen. Passengers will be able to enjoy light bites and water on the journey. The excursions are available from September 26 to October 26. They depart at 9:30 and 2:30 am.
Table Class tickets are priced at $202. At the same time, the coveted Dome Class ($318)—a circa 1948 passenger car once owned by outlaw country legend Merle Haggard—offers panoramic skylight views of the pastoral landscape unfolding beyond the rails. Children two years old and younger can ride for free on an adult’s lap.
Powell said that this trip would be one people would remember for many years. “With the combination between the steam engine and these passenger cars as well as the Shenandoah Mountain views in the fall, along with the mainline track speed,” Powell added, “this is a journey that will last a lifetime.”
To purchase tickets, please visit virginiascenicrailway.com.
