Steam Excursions
A Blast from the Past
Steam Excursions on the Norfolk Southern
Another wonderful rail activity, sadly no longer occurring, was the Norfolk Southern steam excursions which originated at Birmingham, where the equipment was maintained at the shops at Norris Yard, in Irondale. Unfortunately, the railroad decided that it could no longer run these excursions, but they were sure fun to see.
Until about 1994, the Norfolk Southern operated two locomotives out of Birmingham, both former Norfolk and Western, number 611 and number 1218. Both of these are "modern" steam locomotives, as N&W was one of the last railroads to dieselize, due to their interest in the coal industry. Norfolk Southern operated and maintained both locomotives out of the shops at Norris Yard, in the Birmingham area, in the City of Irondale.
Click on the photos below to select a gallery of photos for either N&W 611 or N&W 1218.
The photos of 1218 were taken about 1990, and the excursion was from Chattanooga, TN to Harriman, TN.
The photos of 611 were taken about 1994, and the excursion from Birmingham, AL to Chattanooga, although I only followed it to Attala, AL.
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