The 611 thunders up the Blue Ridge Grade eastbound towards Lynchburg, VA over Memorial Day weekend.

The 611 rounds the S-Curves just north of Reidsville, NC heading southward to Greensboro.

N&W 611 charging through the Blue Ridge Mountains unassisted leads mass chaos between the general public being trackside and the crazy railfans all trying to get their shots.

Memorial Day morning finds the N&W 611 heading east through Riverside with the return trip to Roanoke.

#611 works upgrade towards Front Royal with "The American"

N&W 611 puts on quite the show as it splits the photo lines at Shawsville.

On a picture perfect Memorial Day morning, Norfolk & Western 611 steams west through the hamlet of Wabun, Virginia with the morning Pocahontas excursion bound for Walton.

N&W J Class 4-8-4 611 passing under the coaling tower in Vicker on the Memorial Day morning trip back to Roanoke

N&W J Class 4-8-4 611 blasts out of Montgomery Tunnel on it's way to Radford

N&W J Class 4-8-4 611 breaking the silence on a clear Memorial Day Monday morning on it's way to Radford

Even if for only a brief moment, a glimpse of what an earlier period in time looked, sounded, and smelled like transcends generations when great machines of the past come to life.

Pay no attention to the man behind the pole... There's always one in the crowd.

A view from the engineer's seat of N&W 4-8-4 #611 as she simmers before another day of excursions out of Roanoke

After turning its train on the wye at Walton, Norfolk & Western 611 charges upgrade under the coaling tower at Vicker, Virginia with the morning excursion in tow bound for Roanoke.