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Description
Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum HO-scale layout, Hagerstown, MD.

Three of Norfolk and Western's famous 4-8-4 J-class together again. L to R: 600, 608, and 611.

The J-class were some of the finest locomotives ever built. 14 J were built between 1941 and 1950 and were built in 3 groups. The first group of J, 600-604, were built in 1941. The second group, 605-610, were built in 1944 and due to wartime restrictions, were built without the iconic streamlining. They were designated J-1 to separate from the first group. The J-1 were also slightly heavier and had light weight driving rods (which were said to be so perfectly balanced, a team of 10 men could pull a J-1). The 3rd and final group were built in 1950, which includes the now famous 611. These last three locomotives were the last American passenger steam engines and among the last 4-8-4's ever built. By the mid 1960s, the J and most of N&Ws steam were retired and subsequently scrapped, except one. Due to a major wreck in 1956, 611 was rebuilt and was in much better shape than her sisters and was saved from the scrappers. 611 ran excursions in the 1980s and early 1990s, and after a full restoration, returned to steam in 2015. 611 is the sole surviving J and is one of only two operating N&W steam locomotives (N&W 475 on the Strasburg Railroad is the only other operating N&W steam)

Description
Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum HO-scale layout, Hagerstown, MD.

Three of Norfolk and Western's famous 4-8-4 J-class together again. L to R: 600, 608, and 611.

The J-class were some of the finest locomotives ever built. 14 J were built between 1941 and 1950 and were built in 3 groups. The first group of J, 600-604, were built in 1941. The second group, 605-610, were built in 1944 and due to wartime restrictions, were built without the iconic streamlining. They were designated J-1 to separate from the first group. The J-1 were also slightly heavier and had light weight driving rods (which were said to be so perfectly balanced, a team of 10 men could pull a J-1). The 3rd and final group were built in 1950, which includes the now famous 611. These last three locomotives were the last American passenger steam engines and among the last 4-8-4's ever built. By the mid 1960s, the J and most of N&Ws steam were retired and subsequently scrapped, except one. Due to a major wreck in 1956, 611 was rebuilt and was in much better shape than her sisters and was saved from the scrappers. 611 ran excursions in the 1980s and early 1990s, and after a full restoration, returned to steam in 2015. 611 is the sole surviving J and is one of only two operating N&W steam locomotives (N&W 475 on the Strasburg Railroad is the only other operating N&W steam)