The 1987 Suwanee Steam Special ran from Southern Railway's Simpson Yard in Jacksonville, Fl to Valdosta, Ga, a distance of 106.5 miles each way. Norfolk & Western Class A 2-6-6-4 1218 was the power this day. N&W 1218 was built by N&W's Roanoke Shops in 1943. She is a simple articulated locomotive with 70 inch drivers, boiler pressure of 300 lbs, Baker valve gear, and four 24 × 30 in cylinders. She could exert up to 114,000 pounds of tractive effort. On March 26, 1987, 1218 ran a break-in run from the steam shops at Irondale (Birmingham), Alabama to Wilton, Alabama. Soon after she entered excursion service and headlined many excursion trains until the end of the 1991 season,
This image shows N&W 1218 being coaled. Southern/Norfolk Southern brought along their own coaling facility for the Steam Specials utilizing a gondola filled with coal and a crane to do the loading.
An attempt to put the best picture of engines that represent each of America's railroads. When a better picture of an engine/type is found, it will be added.
