N&W 611 Charlotte, NC to Asheville, NC 10-24-92 Pt.1

[@cadillacman028]

I swear everytime I hear that whistle it sends chills up my spine. imagine seeing that dim yellow headlight and hearing that powerful whistle coming at you in the dark. ...

[@mattjohnston7686]

Would be awesome

[@lindaconsorte1158]

I love the sound of a distant train whistle! Operative word : DISTANT!!!!

[@FanRailer]

4014's whistle sounds like this! I'm super stoked to hear it in person next week.

[@brianfalzon6739]

Love that whistle on 611!

[@bra5187]

What an impressive performence of the finest steam locomotive ever. Im building this locomotive at the time in scale 1/10, 5" gauge,Thanks for those memories. All the best from germany!!!

[@yankinga]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@mattjohnston7686]

Dang, what a beautiful sight and sound!

[@deloreanman14]

I could listen to that whistle all day long.

[@mattjohnston7686]

I have it as my ringtone

[@GTRailroadVideos]

This is one classic piece of footage! Totally Awesome!!! That whistle gives me chills and makes me remember seeing her back then!!! Thank you for sharing this!!!

[@pwalpar]

I always enjoyed seeing the 611 run

[@NCtrainlover]

@WolverinePride97 I rode on 611 over Saluda Grade in 1994 too. It was something that I will never forget, it was one of the best times of my life.

[@NSCSXRailfan]

Great Shot of 611!

[@09JDCTrainMan]

Dat whistle do

[@SteamKing2160]

Yea I heard it was off J 600 the first J built.

[@johnwhitehead3229]

Thought I was going to see some Darwin award winners around the 4:10 mark!

[@yankinga]

@MrRick3084 Thanks for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@vic4798]

Beautiful footage..

[@NW-gi1cp]

Wonder what happened to that perfect whistle

[@yankinga]

It was the original whistle from N&W J #600. It was owned by Preston Claytor, the son of Graham Claytor, the former CEO of NS and the man most responsible for restoring 611 and later 1218. When the 611 was retired in 1994, the whistle went back to Preston . Fast forward to the latest restoration. Preston was invoved with the "Fire Up 611" folks until he quit over a disagreement. It was decided to put a decal under the cab window, nicknaming the engine "The Spirit of Roanoke". Claytor thought (like I do) that it was a cheesy thing to do and quit the group, His whistle naturally went with him. She now carries a UP Big Boy's whistle which is the property of a lady on the crew named Cheri George. It is the exact same model whistle carried on all the Js and also the K class Mountains of the N&W, an off-the-shelf Hancock Long Bell Three-Chime, one of the most common whistles of the late steam era. Probably a thousand or more engines of numerous different railroads wore the same model whistle.

[@NW-gi1cp]

@@yankinga that's incredible so glad that 600's whistle lives on

[@jdrtrainwatcher]

Nice video, but a few corrections on the locations. The 1st shot is indeed at Salisbury, the 2nd shot is at the siding at Barber in Cleveland,NC just west of the diamond at Barber Jct. The 3rd shot is the Catawba River, but that is already west of Statesville. The 4th shot is in downtown Claremont NC at the west end of the siding.

[@yankinga]

Thanks. I appreciate any and all corrections. I changed the descriptions to the street names so that non-local railfans can find the camera locations.

[@jeffreyyatkowski9940]

sounds like that whistle is under half water

[@HaleHunterz]

Miss seeing her alive and thundering down the rails. And that beautiful voice of hers *Sigh*

[@aidanztrainsnthingz]

anyone know anything about the CR boxcar cut in behind the diesels?

[@yankinga]

It had a diesel generator set to provide Head End Power for the cars in the train. Neither the 611 nor the freight diesels had the capability to supply HEP.

[@DUBMANS]

Somebody find this whistle and put it back on the 611

[@CoreyBrown1864]

I know right! Wonder what happened to it? 611 is one of my favorites. The front looks like a face.

[@EngineerDaylight]

​@@CoreyBrown1864 The man who owned 611 previously took it with him because he did want her sidelined

[@yankinga]

@ToledoRailfans No worries. I try to incorporate the date in the title of each of my videos. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[@RyanRailfan]

Do you mind if I use a portion of your video for my 611 video because i want an older video of the 611

[@yankinga]

Ryan Railfan Productions That would be OK with me. I would appreciate if you would give my channel a plug in your description. Maybe include a link to it. Thanks

[@RyanRailfan]

yankinga Thank you. I appreciate it.

[@run202run]

This video, while beautiful, showcases very well one of the main reasons why NS is reluctant to bring back the full steam program, especially 611. Idiots like those shown between 4:00-4:30 are responsible for the, admittedly, well deserved stigma that follows a rail-fan. It's a well known fact that 611, and other NS steam-program locomotives gather a huge fan base from both those who saw them in action during their steam-program days, and those who can only imagine the thrill and excitement.

[@GhostShark4449]

2:46, The Original Hot Rod.

[@cadillacman028]

Oooo ...talk to me you beautiful lady..

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

What ever happened to this whistle?

[@nicholashuynh6907]

From what I understand is that former Fire Up 611! chairman Preston Claytor owned 611's original Hancock whistle due to his disagree of having the locomotive's "Spirit of Roanoke" moniker inscribed underneath both sides of the cab window.

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

@@nicholashuynh6907 that stinks

[@maxm2317]

Why are the two diesels sandwiched between the tool car and the generator car, which is ingeniously disguised as a boxcar, as opposed to the traditional position behind the water tender and before the tool car? Maybe that's how Norfolk Southern does things. Oh, I guess I just answered my own question.

[@yankinga]

@ToledoRailfans It's right there in the title, 10-24-92

[@bob123601]

i wish i could have seen her

[@gallriothe1189]

1:20 this is what you came for :)

[@johnsplayworld2402]

611 was 42 years old here

[@mattjohnston7686]

This is what I think of when I hear the term, "Rolling Coal" not a diesel Pick up truck.

[@AirchimeLTDproductions174]

Absolutely I couldn't agree more!

[@HaleHunterz]

@deloreanman14 Me too. It sounds so much better in person as I'm sure you can imagine.

[@mattjohnston7686]

Rode behind it in May of 2015, best experience of my life!!!!!!!

[@cadillacman028]

That whistle blast sounds soooo evil.

[@sherrysetliff2502]

Well, half of the vid is the first 50 feet.

[@CrazyJBD]

The whistle I remember. I wish she (611) was riding the rails, (PS: I HATE the NS locomotives behind her)

[@adfgfds]

@falzonbr Got a few million dollars laying around?

[@521wurlitzer]

Don't you love those stupid people who say in gauge until the last minute. Then we wonder why most roads won't run steam anymore!

[@PrimeMoverVideos]

Great video except for the idiots who need to crowd the tracks for a photo.....never stops amazing me.

[@jeffreyyatkowski9940]

half under water