Norfolk & Western 611 on the Buckingham Branch mainline back on October 27, 2023, just after peak fall foliage in Shenandoah Valley.
During October and early November, the famous N&W J Class 611 pulled weekend excursions on the Buckingham Branch (former Chesapeake & Ohio mainline) between Goshen and Staunton, the first mainline steam excursions in Virginia since 2017, and the first 611 autumn excursions since 1994.
The Buckingham Branch mainline runs from Richmond to Clifton Forge via Gordonsville, Charlottesville, and Waynesboro. On a regular basis, the line sees Buckingham Branch locals and excursions, westbound CSX coal and grain empties, and Amtrak's tri-weekly Cardinal (west of Gordonsville). The weekend 611 excursions ran from October 6th through November 5th.
Notable timestamps in this video:
N&W 611 heading east with the morning "Shenandoah Limited" excursion:
00:05 - Railroad Avenue west of Craigsville, VA
02:15 - Herbon Road west of Staunton, VA
Amtrak 50, the eastbound Cardinal from Chicago, IL to New York, NY - lead by one of Amtrak's new Siemens "Charger" locomotives.
04:14 - Hewitt Road near Swoope, VA
N&W 611 heading east with the afternoon "Shenandoah Limited" excursion:
05:58 - Black Oak Lane east of Goshen, VA
Buckingham Branch GP38s pulling the westbound "Shenandoah Limited" afternoon excursion:
07:36 - Hewitt Road near Swoope, VA
09:02 - N&W 611 arriving back in Goshen, VA (Victoria Station)