The J and the Mountain, N&W 611 & Frisco 1522

The 1990s were a great time for steam in this country and the 1994 National Railway Historical Society meet in Atlanta in 1994 was a signature event of the decade. N&W 611 (The J Class) and Frisco 1522 (A Mountain type) teamed up for the convention with Frisco 1522 leading off on a run to Macon via ex-Central of Georgia trackage before N&W 611 joins her at Macon for a doubleheader to Atlanta on the former Southern Railway.

Then the camera finds 611 on its run to Lula, Georgia and back with special Norfolk Southern diesels running the train to Athens, Georgia as 611 is serviced at Lula. Now we’re back to teamwork action with 1522 as she leads 611 on a run to Chattanooga to close the convention. At Chattanooga, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s 2-8-0 #610 is found on its regular run as the Doubleheader passes with a nice whistle salute!

On the Monday after the convention, Frisco 1522 heads for home pulling a short freight train with a nice caboose at the end. Norfolk Southern ended their original steam program just six months after these two classic locomotives made their last appearance together – so this is truly a rare performance.