Here is a May 28, 2015 newspaper article about 611:
Roanoke Times: Steam dream: Norfolk & Western 611 'a true national marvel

Today's consist for the Spencer to Roanoke trip:

Roanoke Chapter NRHS N&W Class MS baggage-tool car RNRH #1407 (Bethlehem Steel, 1927). Acquired from NS, 1995.

NS HEP generator-coach #42 Tennessee, ex-Adirondack Railway Preservation Society (ADIX), exx-Connecticut DOT, exxx-PaTrain generator-66 seat coach #168x, nee-C&O #16xx-series 52 seat chair (P-S, Lot #6856, Plan #7600, 1950).

NS coach #46 New Jersey, ex-ADIX, exx-CDOT, exxx-PaTrain 102 seat commuter coach #160x, nee-C&O 52 seat chair.

NS coach #43 Iowa, ex-ADIX, exx-CDOT, exxx-PaTrain 102 seats, nee-C&O.

NS coach #47 Louisiana, ex-ADIX, exx-CDOT, exxx-PaTrain 102 seats, nee-C&O.

NS coach #44 Florida, ex-ADIX, exx-CDOT, exxx-PaTrain 102 seats, nee-C&O.

NS acquired 6 nee-C&O cars from ADIX in 2010, the 6th car is #45 Mississippi, which has yet to be rebuilt. There are conflicting number histories for these cars, but what Randall lists is that in 1974, PaTrain acquired 9 #16xx-series cars from C&O (of an original total of 59 cars): #1624 (to #1604 City of Pittsburgh), #1627 (to #1600 City of McKeesport), #1628 (to #1603 Borough of Liberty), #1629 (to #1602 Borough of Braddock), #1638 (to #1601 Borough of Versailles), #1614, #1616, #1621, and #1639. Not listed are what 2 cars were converted to generator cars #1681 and #1682, and coaches #1605 and #1606. Also, names and numbers were later changed a second time by PaTrain, and CDOT had yet another series of names planned for these cars! Beyond what Randall lists, I'm attempted to figure out the proper numbering/naming histories, but can't straighten out this particular plate of spaghetti. Can anyone provide more info?

NS coach #28 The Powhatan Arrow (#800780), ex-N&W 68 seat divided coach #501, nee-Class P1 40 seat chair-8 seat smoker-crew room (P-S, Lot #6801, Plan #7558, 1949/59), to #28 in 1984.

NS coach #29 The Powhatan Arrow (#800781), nee-N&W Class P3 58 seat chair #533 (P-S, Lot #6801, Plan #7560, 1949), to #29 in 1984.

NS coach #26 New York (#800778), ex-Conrail #27 (#800458), exx-Amtrak 56 seat chair #5667, exxx-PC #2949, nee-NYC (Budd, Lot #9613-004, 1947).

Watauga Valley Chapter NRHS coach WATX #539 The Powhatan Arrow, ex-NS, nee-N&W Class P3 58 seat chair (P-S, Lot #6801, Plan #7560, 1949). Donated by NS, 1991.

Orrville Railroad Heritage Society 46 seat lounge RPCX #3125 Paul Revere. Built in 1951 by Budd in Lot #9628-110 to Plan #9526 as PRR Class PP85 29 seat parlor-1DR #7141 Paul Revere, galley space added by PC, sold in 1971 to Amtrak #3641 (name removed), to buffet lounge #3327, temporarily renumbered to #8367, converted in 1981 to HEP lounge #3125, sold in 1995 to private owner, stored on the Eureka Southern in Willits, CA, later resold to Orrville RHS, Orrville, OH.

Watauga Valley Chapter coach WATX #500 St. Augustine (#800402). Built in 1954 by P-S in Lot #6950 to Plan #7593C as FEC 56 seat chair St. Augustine (ACL order), sold in 1965 to SAL #6271, to SCL #5474 (seats reduced to 54), to Amtrak #5474, stored in 1979 and sold in 1981 to Bristol & Northwestern RR #800035, resold in 1986 to WATX, Johnson City, TN, as the Clinchfield (seating increased to 56), recently renamed back to St. Augustine.

MRLX dome chair #9410 Jackson Square. Built in 1955 by Budd in Lot #9646-155 as GN 46 seat leg rest chair-24 seat dome #1331 for the Empire Builder, intended to be renumbered BN #4611 (not applied), to Amtrak #9471, outshopped in 6/1976 in Amtrak Phase I, converted in 1/1984 to Head End Power (HEP) #9410, sold in 4/1995 to BKS Limited as BKSX #9410 for the Montana Rockies Daylight, MRD acquired in 1998 by Oregon Rail Corporation/AOE, operation rebranded Montana Rockies Rail Tours/American Spirit, #9410 was part of the sale of MRRT to Rail Quest America (RQAX) in 2001, acquired in 2004 by Philip Sheridan-IFE Leasing as MRLX #9410, leased 2005-07 to Alaska RR, 2009-12 to CVSR as the Emerson (1st), then leased to TVRM for use on the Hiwassee River trips, along with former CP #15401/VIA #15501 dome sleeper lounge observation RPCX #15401 Algonquin Park.

Watauga Valley Chapter master room-2 drawing room sleeper-21 seat buffet lounge WATX #2531 Crescent Harbor (#800349). Built in 1949 by P-S in Lot #6814 to Plan #4160 as SOU #2351 for the Crescent, sold in 1979 to Don Primi, later resold to WATX, majority of restoration/refurbishing work for current use completed in 2013.

Tennessee Central RR Museum 5 double bedroom sleeper-24 seat club (buffet) lounge solarium observation TCRX #800129 Hollywood Beach. Built in 1956 by P-S in Lot #6970 to Plan #4202 as SAL #20 Hollywood Beach (1st), with 21 lounge seats, 1 of 3 such cars for the Silver Meteor, to SCL #6501 Sun Ray, to Amtrak #3231 (lounge seats reduced to 19), stored in 1981 and later sold to Southern Classic Train Cars #830125, leased to Broadway Dinner Train, then based at Lancaster & Chester, now based at TCRX. Is the Hollywood Beach privately owned and based at TCRM with TCRX reporting marks, or is it actually owned by TCRM?

NS business car #7 Pennsylvania (#800463), ex-Conrail #5 Boston, exx-NS #100 Pocahontas, nee-N&W (Pullman, 1911).

NS track inspection-theatre #23 Buena Vista (#800776). Built in 1918 by Pullman in Lot #4531 to Plan #2412F as 16 section sleeper Cuyama for the general pool, rebuilt in 1932 to Plan #4025 as 8 section-restaurant-lounge La Fontaine Club for the Erie, sold 12/31/1948 to SOU #2509, rebuilt in 1954 to coach #1032, later rebuilt to track inspection #19, to NS #23.

Wick was a CIVIL engineer when he started at Southern not a locomotive engineer. He left NS in the 1980's to go to Harvard to get his MBA, then was re-hired by NS and began to rise through management to become CEO.

Two Ron Flanary photos of Mr. Moorman, taken back when he was a Division Engineer:

Lookout Mountain at Duffield, Virginia, USA, May 16, 1982

Lookout Mountain at Irondale, Virginia, USA, May 17, 1982

Mr. Moorman was reported to be at 611's throttle the last leg of the trip into Roanoke! I believe he took it at the station stop in Lynchburg.

Yes, Wick was behind the throttle

They let the pilot (a regular NS engineer) run the last few miles: http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/meet-the-norfolk-southern-engineer-who-brought-the-611-into-roanoke/33318514

Anybody know, who's willing to tell, when the deadhead run to Manassas is going to be?

Challenged in quality of cinematography by this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfAG7Un171k

And the first half of this video brings back every last feeling and emotion of "the chase" to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfqMxiJRYes

I was in downtown Roanoke that Saturday, and one thing I have not yet found in posted videos that I found very moving was the sound of the crowds cheering, 611 whistling, and church bells ringing. That combination of sounds would probably have brought a smile to O. Winston Link's face.

Here's one of my favorite videos. Not much to see, but the audio makes up for it. 611 starting from a stop on a grade after a check for a hot box indication:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrBKqN5JrFU

It reminds me of many hours I spent in NKP 765's tool car during my short service with the N&W.

Thanks! I took that video with my phone. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some awesome sound, and it was!

Cool! You can really see the "surge" in acceleration from each piston stroke as your camera hand sways just a little bit each time. Thanks for posting it.

BTW- have any of the rest of you noticed there seems to be a good bit of rod knock (apparently on the right side) in some of these videos? While it's nothing like the typical noise you'll hear on a locomotive with conventional rods, the last time I saw 611 in the early 90's it was almost dead silent when drifting. IIRC, there's a procedure for adjusting the clearance in the rod bearings; maybe the crew will be doing some fine-tuning this week.

And, of course, it's an experience that none of the paying passengers on board the train could experience or record behind sealed windows and closed vestibule doors.

Which must be remembered when people once again lament any future dearth of ticket sales.

I have similar videos and photos from behind everything from PRR 4877 to Milwaukee 261 to N&W 611 and 1218, "WM 734," LNER 4471 and 4489, two pairs of PRR E-units, CP 2317, the EBT steamers, and many others. And, to be completely honest, had I not been allowed, even briefly, to enjoy the wind in my hair, the cinders in my face, the sounds in my ears, and the exhaust in my nostrils, I probably would have given up railfanning ages ago.