Steam returned to the Norfolk Southern mainline in 2011 with the introduction of the 20th Century Steam program. In the five years the program has operated, four locomotives have headed up mainline excursion trains and employee appreciation specials: Southern Railway 2-8-0 #630, Southern Railway 2-8-2 #4501, Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 #765 and Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 #611.
This program presents all four locomotives in action, along with a look back at the original Norfolk Southern steam program that ended in 1994.
We begin with Southern #4501 back in the days when she wore the green and gold of the Southern’s passenger trains. #611 and former Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 #1218 were the main stars of the program in the 1980s and 1990s, and several scenes of both are seen. In addition to the N&W engines, former St. Louis & San Francisco 4-8-2 #1522 is seen on N.S. specials; both solo and doubleheaded with #611.
Then it’s on to the present, with all four of the locomotives operated in today‘s steam program seen in operation. All four are seen on the mainline without diesel assistance, and #765 is seen with four of Norfolk Southern’s Heritage diesels.
The steam program ended in 2015, though N.S. remains willing to allow steam to operate from time to time over its lines. Those five years were quite a ride!
