N&W 1218 in Excursion Service at Alexandria and Manassas, VA

This video adds to the video historical record of N&W 1218 in excursion service in 1988, 1989, and 1991. Scenes show 1218 assembling the excursion consists, departure from stations in Alexandria and Manassas, VA, and several runbys.

[@Andrew-McCormick]

I don't care what anyone says, this locomotive is an absolute beauty!

[@ten372]

Great video. The scene at 1:00:25 is actually at Burke, VA. There used to be a road crossing and a station there.

[@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast]

ten372 I think it is the now CP crestwood.

[@GuyjKite]

My grandfather guy j. Kite sr. Engineer southern railway. 1950 to 1971. He went to work southern 1923. Fireman. Alex VA.

[@billmarquet5835]

I rode behind the 1218 on a 500mile round-trip steam excursion from Lexington,Kentucky to Chatanooga,Tenn. and a return run the following day..

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

You did a tremendous job with this film. 5/5!!

[@Vintage1976]

I rode the May 15, 1988 trip. Great memories.

[@Willysmb44]

At 4:28, there's TWO things you'll likely never see again, 1218 in steam and SRR cabooses... I was lucky enough to get to see both on the rails moving around when i was much younger

[@leodavis7524]

Great locomotive I rode behind it twice 😀

[@rgsnidow1]

They most always lose a little steam on startup till the cylinder and rods got good and hot...

[@thomasliptak9469]

1218 visited my home city? Damn

[@alexthesouthernpacificmt4879]

Luckyyy

[@JawTooth]

cool video

[@stephenmarshall3771]

I have to point this out, at 1:03:53 those people who got scared by the whistle are hilarious

[@HaleHunterz]

Haha, can't blame them though. That's the loudest whistle I've ever heard in person. 765 wore it when it went through here a few years back and it's an ear buster...but beautiful at the same time.

[@anthonynigri8585]

Too bad it's unlikely to run again it's a very cool engine

[@thunderbird1921]

As difficult as it would be, the VMT apparently is not giving up on the idea. The maintainence building they want to construct for 611 had two stalls in the design last I checked. It would be a Herculean effort, but with enough funds and enough work, anything is possible.

[@thunderbird1921]

@Apex Gemini Technically, that's true. But a couple new parts are needed from what I've heard, which is very expensive with an engine this size. They can probably still do it, question is where in terms of facilities. 611 barely fits into the Spencer shop at NCTM (it's the largest engine ever serviced there), no way 1218 fits inside. Probably any restoration of the Class A would resemble that of UP 4014. Big Boy's restoration required the overhaul of the steam shops and massive overhead cranes. Not sure how many facilities exist like that in the eastern United States.

[@robkrasinski6217]

No point on restoring it if NS is going to be afraid to host excursions again. 611 can at least visit museums and tourist railroads with help from NS. Excursions are a big liability for class 1 railroads. It was former CEO Wick Moorman who allowed steam excursions on NS again.

[@grahamsawyer831]

wow what an absolute beast

[@JoeyBowman]

If you ever wanted to watch an hour and a half of a train backing up. This is your video.

[@GuyjKite]

Mr. William a. Payne and Mr. Preston fahnestock ran 4501 in the 1970s.

[@NW-gi1cp]

A whole film about me awesome

[@Matthew_O_Scale_Trains]

Did you ever film 611 when it was in Alexandria?

[@bootsdocsandconspiracies6589]

Is that the old Potomac Yard at the beginning?

[@NW-gi1cp]

I remember this

[@alexthesouthernpacificmt4879]

1:00:37 i like your haunting sound its better than mines

[@NW-gi1cp]

I managed to scare a lot of people doing that.

[@jamesm6638]

cringe 100

[@pippastone6018]

What is that box type building up on the tender 😮🧐

[@Loweko1170]

That is a Doghouse, a little shelter for brakemen dating back to the era when they had to walk the length of a freight train. This could be No Fun in Winter or heavy weather, so it contains a heater, some bench space, and storage.

[@GuyjKite]

Where has our culture gone. Those men were family . Brother hood railway engineers and firemen. On there tombstones.

[@brendenkennedy4304]

How long was the 1218 when the Norfolk and Western had it as a steam engine back in the days of steam?

[@wobblinwheel]

Looks like the piston rod packing on the right front cylinder is shot...lot of steam leaking...!

[@thunderbird1921]

UP 844 had that problem on the Golden Spike 150 runs last year with 4014. When the doubleheader passes by in a number of the videos, you can see and hear steam loudly puffing out of the 844's right cylinder (4014 had this issue a bit also, but the crew adjusted some stuff and apparently fixed it). Hopefully they get it repaired before the Northern runs again, it's big wasted energy among other issues.

[@sharkboyt10alves5]

you mean 1218

[@jtq69]

And now she sits cold quietly rusting @ the VMT. Only to see her hot back on the rails again....

[@Train_Tok_Man]

Even though it is unfortunate the Ol’ Girl won’t be running for a while, VMT doesn’t let her rust. In fact, they take amazing care of the #1218.