By Railfan & Railroad Staff
Norfolk & Western 611 was back in service in an improbable 24 hours after her crew discovered a broken flexible staybolt inside the firebox, meaning the iconic 4-8-4 only missed one day of excursions on the Buckingham Branch Railroad this past weekend.
The 4-8-4 has taken up residency on the short line this fall to lead what has been dubbed the Shenandoah Valley Limited over former Chesapeake & Ohio trackage. The locomotive has been leading excursions twice daily on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays since October 6.
But on Friday night, the crew realized that one of the locomotive’s flexible staybolts — a part that allows the firebox to expand and contrast when heated and cooled — had broken. Organizers promptly canceled all of the weekend’s runs knowing that it would be challenging to make a repair so quickly. But by Saturday morning, the crew realized that the locomotive had cooled enough so that a member could safely climb into the firebox and begin repairs. They also had a replacement bolt readily available. By Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the issue was discovered, N&W 611 was fired back up and it was announced that the locomotive would lead the Sunday trips.
The crew side it was a combination of skill and luck that led to the quick repair, noting that the locomotive was being cared for by an expert team of steam locomotive mechanics.
“But what we can’t explain is how the locomotive gave off just the right sounds at just the right times to allow our crew to know that there was a problem. We can’t explain how the staybolt waited until the locomotive was back at the station before it broke. We can’t explain how the 611 defied thermodynamics to cool down in mere hours instead of days,” the group wrote on Facebook. “But this we know: the 611 is a survivor. Just when the 611 is written off as cold and static, something somehow allows the locomotive to endure. So if craftsmanship, skill, and passion meet happenstance and luck to create a miracle, then we’ll take it.”
N&W 611 will lead six more excursions this year beginning on Friday. Visit virginiascenicrailway.com for more information.