N&W 1218 NRHS Huntington, WV 8-91

Ferry move 8-6-91
1) Sciotoville, OH
2) West of Ironton, OH
Kenova, WV to Iaeger, WV round trip 8-7-91
Eastbound:
1) Pritchard, WV (coaling tower.)
2) East of Pritchard
3) Steptown, WV
4) West of Williamson, WV
5) Near West end of Matewan Tunnel
Westbound:
1) West portal Matewan Tunnel
2) Near Williamson
2) Near Pritchard
Kenova, WV to Portsmouth, OH round trip 8-8-91
Westbound:
1) Ohio River Bridge, South Point, OH
2) Near Ironton, OH
Eastbound:
1) Ironton train station.
VHS Master Recording

[@mattdotsonrailfanproductio266]

611: my whistle is so cool 1218: hold my beer

[@herdfaninrva]

She and 611 need to be back where they belong - freely roaming the NS rails. Probably never happen, but it needs to. We along and east of the mountains are being cheated by NS and CSX out of the joy of seeing these great machines in action. At least thanks to folks like you we have more than just our memories.

[@BigNate5404]

Welp 611 is back

[@Thej611]

I love everything about this engine: her double exhaust, her curves, her whistle, her power. She's just a great engine!

[@johnnylott9700]

N&W 1218 doesn’t have double exhaust. You’re thinking about the UP steamers, they have double exhaust.

[@GregHool]

This is fantastic footage of this beautiful & immensly missed machine. The locations and sound are fabulous. Thanks so much for sharing this with the rest of us.

[@brycenew]

0:01 Give it up to the Engineer!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hells YESSSSSSSSSSSIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S a steam whistle!!!!!! And THIS is the ONE steam loco that needs a return to operation, more than any other, in my totally biased opinion. 1218 is a beautiful beast!! To heck with UP 4014, ugly old girl she is. 1218 has brute grace, pace & power!!!

[@the.porter.productions]

4:35 just... wow. I wish I could have heard that in person - JP

[@roofdriller1537]

I could hear that whistle anywhere and know exactly it's 1218..I went to Iager WV back in the late 80's to see it, never will forget what a beast of a machine it truly is.

[@PrimeMoverVideos]

Ya gotta love the Hooter. I miss seeing her pounding the iron.

[@HaleHunterz]

Wow, I live about 5 minutes from Prichard. I have a video of 611 going through very close to Pritchard but never got to see 1218. Makes me sad that I'll probably never get to. Great video, thank you for sharing.

[@therobloxcreeper2144]

I remember the 1987 convention and the 1218 and the 611 ran side by side run and also the 587 NKP they all made a triple header to it was Awesome

[@Thej611]

It's a pretty epic whistle.

[@Strasburg1991]

that is truely nice footage (:

[@LocalRailfan]

Spectacular video. Great train and locations. That is a truly haunting whistle.

[@marcosferreira27]

I like that in my country, Brazil, the policy would prove more willingly to preserve our history as you guys do around here have groups fighting for Panther's memory alive, congratulations

[@NSCSXRailfan]

Nice shots of 1218!

[@Funnyperson251]

I just can't stop listening to that whistle :). I hoping one day she will once again ride the rails for us.

[@wolfzillaproductions4563]

This is one American steam locomotive that *needs* to run again. She’s too good for just sitting out and being exposed to the elements, she needs to be given all new parts and ride once again for a new generation. But given how most people seem to be against restoring 1218 it likely won’t happen for a while

[@Thej611]

Pretty sure all the passengers were there for the engine, not for the exhibit.

[@yankinga]

That was a ferry move (no passengers) to position the train for its next excursion run. They would haul coal in gondolas from one staging point to the next, for refueling the locomotive.

[@sebastianfloyd372]

I’ve got a question, what’s the consist for this train?

[@Traveller2016]

so cool!

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

Beautiful, I really do hope there's a way for her to come back to the rails at some point.

[@maxm2317]

JCBro2014 Full overhaul.

[@j.christopherlindsey8933]

I've read speculations over the years on why she can't be rebuilt; this is missing, that's missing, it'll never run again! I find that hard to believe. These things were designed and built using a fraction of the technology we have today. The parts missing? Without a doubt I believe they can be made and reverse engineered if need be. In some cases they could be even better than what was used 60-70 years ago or heck, even 30 years ago. It just takes enough people willing to donate the time and money.

[@Jakey611]

If I'd known then that she would be parked forever a few short years later I would have quit my job and followed her each step of the way! I sure do miss this old girl!!!

[@Boots1282]

i was 9 years old chasing this with my dad

[@haroldfannin9554]

This is my old stomping grounds

[@yankinga]

Middle of the boiler top, over the firebox, ahead of the turret.

[@maxm2317]

Reading & Northern 425 will be wearing an N&W Hooter for her ferry move back to Port Clinton tonight.

[@yankinga]

SJRailroader31 PereMarquette1223 They were loaded with coal to fuel the locomotive. A clamshell loader was used to do the job.

[@cavemanballistics6338]

Why does it seem as though in the USA that the fireman is over feeding the fire with huge plumes of BLACK smoke rather than light gray, as it should be when the fire is at it most efficient.

[@pjnelson5827]

When they do excursions for tourists, they know that many people are going to be taking pictures. They deliberately over fuel when they get close to a group of photographers so that the photos are more dramatic.

[@mariestick6636]

Beautiful

[@Thej611]

Does anybody know what was in the exhibit car?

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

This was taken on my DOB

[@SJRailroader31]

What was the point of the gondolas?

[@RailPreserver2K]

at 6:01 that's the same location where the 1957 farewell to steam excursion was filmed i think correct me if i'm wrong

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

rumors

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

Born on 1218s first day for 1991 in Huntington

[@nigelterry9299]

And not a horrible diesel in sight......

[@FahriPsatir]

Cant believe its 11 years ago

[@NW-gi1cp]

Good times

[@mattdotsonrailfanproductio266]

This puts 611s whistle too shame 😂🤣🤣😂

[@Strasburg1991]

what day was this taken??

[@Hired_49.-ri]

puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure soundddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

[@fukcudave2686]

It says Huntington,WV in the title but I didn't see it. South Point, Ohio -Ironton, Ohio - Ceredo-Kenova, WV is very close to Huntington, WV You have listed in the description but it's not Huntington. Those places are all west of Huntington. Where did the train go through Huntington and if it did go through on this video it must been a couple of seconds clip proper title timestamps and locations please

[@yankinga]

The 1991 NRHS Convention was hosted by the Collis P. Huntington Chapter and was centered in Huntington, WV. You are correct that I did not film anything in the city of Huntington, WV All the shot locations are listed in order in the comments section.

[@EngineerDaylight]

What's With the White Smokebox face???

[@Bowling1984FortniteandMLB]

I’ve heard this whistle in trainz

[@nocrap62]

I heard the fire-box was burned out and cost too much to fix. Does anyone know if that is true?

[@NEAFarmKid4010]

I know this is a late reply, but I figured you may still want to know. I believe their were some patches that needed to be fabricated for the firebox, but the main reason it was put out of service were the rising costs of the steam program. In 1986 an excursion train pulled by 611 derailed in the Great Dismal Swamp, causing damage to many cars. There were rumors of it ending then, but they were put to rest when 1218 came on the scene in 1987. Then, in 1991, 1218 went in for an overhaul to replace boiler flues, repair parts of the firebox, etc. Then, in 1994 there was a yard switching accident with some of 611's cars she was going to pull on an excursion. This severely damaged some of those cars, and a month later NS terminated the steam program due to rising insurance costs, safety concerns, etc. They put 611 back at the VMT, and 1218 was left in Birmingham, AL where she was in for her overhaul. In 1996 it was put back together, but was missing some internal boiler components, steam valves, etc. Then in 2003, she was cosmetically restored and placed in the VMT where she resides to this day. I actually emailed the VMT and asked if she would ever run again and they told me that, since it would be so costly to restore, and with the combined cost of running it and the 611 being so costly, that it would probably never run again. I realize this is probably more than you ever wanted to know, but that is why it was retired.

[@marcosferreira27]

good day would gladly document step by step restauração a machine of this.

[@rgsnidow1]

Get er Crankin she can do 75.....