Return to Blue Ridge | Norfolk & Western No. 1218
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- čas přidán 30. 12. 2023
- This out-of-print film from the archives of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society features the work of English documentary filmmaker Nick Lera and his work to document the return of Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 1218 in 1987. Highlights include dramatic footage of 1218 and Norfolk & Western No. 611 on the Christiansburg grade in West Virginia.
Originally built in 1943, the A-Class locomotive was designed to muscle the railroad's heaviest freight trains at speeds of 60MPH or more. The locomotive was retired in 1959, used in stationary boiler service, acquired for display at Steamtown, USA, and later leased to the Roanoke Transportation Museum. Following the merger of the Norfolk & Western and Southern Railway in the early 1980s, the newly formed Norfolk Southern acquired the 1218 for restoration and moved for restoration in 1985. As a result, 1218 would tour much of the Norfolk Southern system, often appearing in Fort Wayne, Indian, Bellevue, Ohio, and numerous divisions around the railroad until 1991. It is currently on static display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.
"Return to Blue Ridge" was originally filmed on Hi-Band PAL U-Matic and published by Locomotion Pictures, Great Ponton House, Grantham, England. Cover photo courtesy of John Craft. For footage of Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 operating with a 1200-class whistle in West Virginia, click here: • Steam in West Virginia... - Auta a dopravní prostředky
This out-of-print film from the archives of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society features the work of English documentary filmmaker Nick Lera and his work to document the return of Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 1218 in 1987. Highlights include dramatic footage of 1218 and Norfolk & Western No. 611 on the Christiansburg grade in West Virginia.
Originally built in 1943, the A-Class locomotive was designed to muscle the railroad's heaviest freight trains at speeds of 60MPH or more. The locomotive was retired in 1959, used in stationary boiler service, acquired for display at Steamtown, USA, and later leased to the Roanoke Transportation Museum. Following the merger of the Norfolk & Western and Southern Railway in the early 1980s, the newly formed Norfolk Southern acquired the 1218 for restoration and moved for restoration in 1985. As a result, 1218 would tour much of the Norfolk Southern system, often appearing in Fort Wayne, Indian, Bellevue, Ohio, and numerous divisions around the railroad until 1991. It is currently on static display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.
"Return to Blue Ridge" was originally filmed on Hi-Band PAL U-Matic and published by Locomotion Pictures, Great Ponton House, Grantham, England. Cover photo courtesy of John Craft. For footage of Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 operating with a 1200-class whistle in West Virginia, click here: czcams.com/video/k5z5Di3Okx4/video.html
So it's only archival footage and not a hint of a possible story? Lol
I would love to see the 1218 run again!!
Living in Birmingham as a boy, my father use to take me to irondale Ala in the 80’s to see some of his friends that worked in the southern shops, I got to see just about the entire restoration of the 1218 and 611 side by side! I will Never forget that experience
She is going to need millions to fix her up again
I thought she is going to be on display at the Virginia museum of transportation forever, but wishing to see her chug back into action is very good news.
No, there is no reason to restore it because it is too big and long unlike 611. Plus, NS stopped hosting the newer excursions but still helps 765 and 611 get to other railroads.
@@robkrasinski6217 exactly what i was trying to say. it's too expensive to restore, too big for most places, and the steam program is dead.
@@robkrasinski6217whilst very true, look at what they are doing with 611 and 765, once they found places that would let them like Strasburg, Cuyahoga, and many others, they run as if it is the mainline. I don’t think Strasburg would let 1218 run cause as you said it’s to big, but where 611 is running currently and definitely Cuyahoga valley would definitely let 1218 run. Recently lots of people have been talking about this beauty of a locomotive and it’s getting some type of hype where we might get really close to an actual restoration. Who knows they might have 1218 go to NC and run on the loop for a bit before going other places, I know the VMT and the NC museum made many deals with 611 and they might even restore 1218 there.
Thank you so very much for posting. I remember the 1218 & 611, but mostly 1218 when I was a young child, now I am 72 yrs old and to see one of the engines I loved watching on the rails again. Thank you so very much Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.
Never knew this program existed, thank you for sharing it with everyone!
Sure would like to see her run again. Lots and lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I actually chatted online with a member of VMT shortly after 611 was restored. He mentioned that they looked into restoring 1218 around when the restoration of 611 was wrapping up. They figured it would take $3.5-5 million dollars to get it running again. Only time will tell if they decide to bring her back into service.
@@mylesspear wow that much. That's expensive
The 1218 is my favorite locomotive.
Railroad history is so festinating! Its amazing how different the rails are today than back in the day.
This is excellent, with the british narrator too. Reminds me of those 1960s films of the last days of steam on BR.
1218 is my birthday engine. Seeing it run would be end all perfection for me
what an epic event and amazing job capturing the sights and sounds of this likely never repeated event.
Love that screeching, raspy, steam whistle of 1218, like a hugh wild animal warning anyone to get out of my way,that whistle is ineed uneek
This was awesome. Watching 1218 is always elegant and eye catching. Also liked hearing a British man narrate this. Long live the N&W
The engine everyone would crave to see run again. But it would take a major hail mary to get that thing going again, especially raising the funds to fix it and finding a proper place to run such a massive beast.
It would be awesome to see 1218 under steam again, but it'll take alot of money and support for it!
Beautiful work here; thank you!
I’ve Never Expected Footage from the 1970 NRHS Convention
Part of me is thinking if 1218 ever wore another whistle. I know a lot of restored steamies in the US and some I know of occasionally had a different whistle. I could see 1218 having a C&O or Reading 6 chime at least one time. Just a thought.
Great video. Now we need this in current time
Great documentary! 👏👍
Wow, amazing. I used to have it in Vrc
I have this on VHS tape
Awesome video!
Why is the Fort Wayne Railroad historical society posting about 1218 🤔
I don’t know. They could have an interest in 1218
I have one of the original n&w railroad spikes
I have this locomotive in HO Scale 1218
I got to ride it many times when Norfolk southern had its steam program it was very reasonable too unlike the people that run 611 now made it expensive!
N&W didn't just build steam locomotives...they wrote the book on it (no disrespect to Lima or operators of a certain excursion race horse managed by arguably the best group in the business). Who's got 100 miles of mainline with zone speed of 55+ mph, 30+ car excursion trains and millions of dollars? there's an engine in Roanoke with your name on it. cheers from the great white north eh.
This is the demon of steam engines. The good demon.
Hmmm is there some other reason this got posted…… not just for everyone to see………….
Think Ft. Wayne is in quiet negotiations looking to lease 1218 from Roanoke?
@@trevorstein4603 could be….. or there taking 765 down there….. or just a repost of a movie……. Have to see ;) a lot going in the background that only members know and when it is time it will be shared!
@@ExplodedwarlockD2 all three options are plausible. If WMSR could get 1309 to sing again, no reason someone/organization couldn't do the same for 1218, just a dollar amount, investment money for renovations,testing, certifications and ROW Privileges for transportation to and from facilities. If they allow 611 to do just that from Roanoke to Strasbourg, moving 1218 to maintenance facilities that could handle her seem plausible.
And 765 making a trip down there makes sense. Good way to generate new revenue, I hope they've been doing good with the new trips through Indiana and Michigan, would love to get my toddlers up there for some rides.
@@trevorstein4603 they will also since headwaters Junction isn’t an option now when they do go to build bigger facilities somewhere……. I could see it on the cards.
@@ExplodedwarlockD2 I forgot Headwaters was out of the picture
I hope the modern railroad enthusiasts use 3D printing of CAD software to rebuild original parts from the original blueprints of restoring preserved steam locomotives.
1218 is a WWII vet
1218 needs a wealthy angel or group thereof. Get NS aboard and use her on coal drags.
If only she could run and breathe steam again. Maybe one day. 🤞
Cool of the operating crew to give a whistle salute to thay retired coal miner
What is the steam coming from the side of the boiler up front coming from? It's surprising that it doesn't all come out of the smoke stack.