With N&W J class 4-8-4 steam locomotive #611 having been already been fired up, it was time to put the old girl to use and in the fall of 2019 the engine was booked for a month long stint at the Strasburg Railroad pulling special trains between the Strasburg terminal and the PRR Main Line connection at Paradise/Leaman Place. Having not been to Strasburg since the 1990's, I decided this was as good a time as any and purchased a ticket for the opening round trip on one of the first weekends.
Because steam is such an audio-visual experience I took an above average number of videos that I will show here separate from the stills. As I had paid the few extra dollars for open car seating I managed to stake out a standing position on the front/rear observation platform that was adjacent to the engine on the outbound trip. Using my GoPro and its associated magic wand of vantage points, I managed to get a full video recording of #611 on the outbound trip as well as the associated coupling and uncoupling operations. The remainder of the videos are shorter clips of runbys and steam locomotive sounds.
We'll start out with #611 running past the coaches from the exhibition track and then reversing to couple to up the head end. Due to the lack of turning services, #611 would haul the train in reverse to the Main Line connection at Leaman Place.
After the engine was coupled we pulled out of the station for a non-stop trip to the PRR interchange. This video covers most of the trip until the train was just shy of the Yard Limits at Leaman Place.
Here the train arrives at Leaman Place where #611 uncouples and runs around the coaches on the passing track. Note the proximity of the Amtrak Harrisburg Line.
On the return trip the #611 special passes the regular train hauled by N&W #475 at Groff's Grove picnic area.
After returning to Strasburg, I lingered on the open car to get video of #611 running back to the east end of the trainset.
Before pulling forward to re-couple to the coach I had just ridden on.
At this point I left to hit up the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania across the street, however I did return to catch #611 pulling back in after completing one of the later round trips. Note Strassburg SW8 #8616, a former NY Central switcher that is being used to support the railroad's busy transloading operation.
Here we see the now overshadowed NW #475 doing the Strasburg shuffle with the nearly empty regular service train used only by those you failed to purchase their #611 tkts early enough.
I'll finish up with some short clips of J Class sounds including hissing steam and chugging air compressors.
Well I hope you enjoyed the videos. Stay tuned for the still photos coming up next.
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