We may never see the likes of this again.

https://www.facebook.com/joneau261/post ... 4761368045
(visible to people not signed up to Facebook--supposedly. Click on double-arrows at lower right of video to go full-screen.)

There are certain times when still photography is an exercise in futility, even when handled by a master.
Yesterday was one of those times--June 5, 2016.

Both Jonathan Eau Claire, my train-chasing partner for the day along with Jenny Heidewald, and I got to the overpass of the summit of Linden Hill, a short 1.5%-grade section of the former Southern Railway's branch from Manassas to Front Royal and Harrisonburg, Va. just ahead of the first of two round-trip excursions from Manassas to Front Royal this day with Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 611. 611 had 20 passenger cars, including heavyweights and domes, on a curved line after a brief bit of rain.

This is the result. This is literally as slowly as a big main line steamer can pull without stalling. The summit is literally under our collective feet. So close, yet so far. Never in my thirty years of occasional chasing on this line have I seen such a wave of humanity as more and more people converged on this easily accessible bridge as they heard the struggle. By the time she crept underneath, my photos showed an estimated 50+ people--and one visibly shaking dog. Often a mob scene like this descends to a frenzy of a few people shouting and cheering among a bunch of videographers growling "SHHHHH!" at them; 611 obliged to hush them with popping safeties at just the right moment. As 611 exhausted underneath the overpass, a 1997 steel beam replacement for what had been an old wooden overpass, I could feel the bridge deck move up ever so slightly under my feet. Not figuratively, literally. The train rolled over the top with the tender deck and roof of the tool car covered with leaves and branches blown away by the exhaust.

Enjoy Jon's capture of this spectacular conquest by engineer Aaron Sherman, fireman Cheri George, and "The Spirit of Roanoke."

Right there, in the photo above, is the reason the trails people HATE steam so much. When tracks are empty, it's easy to point out that the rails are a tripping hazard... remove them and we'd have a nice trail. Steam is the absolute best way to remind the general public that sometimes really neat things happen on rails, but they have to remain in place for it to be so.

That footage reminds me of a Atl to Toccoa trip behind her in 1985 maybe 86. Leaving Toccoa heading south the Southern RR has a 1% grade up to Mount Airy. Usually doesn't present much angst, but that afternoon the sand had gotten wet preventing sander from working. 611 stalled after attempting to walk the consist slow and steady up the grade. Mr. Collins could do anything with 611, but on that grade without sand, even he couldn't get her up the hill. Help was found in the form of diesels off of a North bound freight. The 3 units coupled up on the front pulled us up and over the hill, and cut off while we were rolling. The break man gave a salute, 611 a return 2 blasts and the helpers shot off like a car punching it at a red light. A few miles later we saw them again heading North with their manifest freight. Had a great view of the events from my vestibule spot a few cars back.

Updated 2017 Schedule with NCTM trips added

Here is the full 2016 Schedule for 611 as released by VMT yesterday:

• January – will move to Spencer for maintenance and annual FRA inspection, date TBA.

• April 08, 2017 - The Virginian, Spencer, N.C. to Lynchburg, Va.
• April 09, 2017 - The Charlotte Special, Spencer, N.C. to Charlotte, N.C. (morning)
• April 09, 2017 - The Piedmont Limited, Spencer, N.C. to Greensboro, N.C. (afternoon)

• April 22, 2017 - The Roanoker, Greensboro, N.C. to Roanoke, Va.
• April 23, 2017 - The Roanoker, Greensboro, N.C. to Roanoke, Va.

• May 6, 2017 - The Cavalier, Lynchburg Va., to Petersburg, Va.
• May 7, 2017 - The Cavalier, Lynchburg Va., to Petersburg, Va.

• May 27, 2016 - The Powhatan Arrow, Roanoke, Va., to Lynchburg, Va. (morning)
• May 27, 2016 - The Pelican, Roanoke, Va., to Walton, Va. (afternoon)
• May 28, 2016 - The Powhatan Arrow, Roanoke, Va., to Lynchburg, Va. (morning)
• May 28, 2016 - The Pelican, Roanoke, Va., to Walton, Va. (afternoon)
• May 29, 2016 - The Powhatan Arrow, Roanoke, Va., to Lynchburg, Va. (morning)
• May 29, 2016 - The Pelican, Roanoke, Va., to Walton, Va. (afternoon)

I’m guessing that NCTM will again offer a weekend of trips as they did last year along with the other special events they hosted featuring 611, but that they will be releasing those at a later date.

Also, surprised to see no Manassas trips this year for their Heritage Railway Festival. After 3 years of schedules it’s beginning to look like NS is allowing up to 4 weekends of public trips. If that is the case, it’s better than what was available from 1995 through 2011 in this part of the country.