Moments after my friend Luke Lohrmeyer and I first laid eyes on Norfolk and Western 611, NS Train 957 stomps out of Massie past MP 132 at restricted speed delayed in block after stopping to correct an issue with an offending tree, which was blown onto track during a severe thunderstorm earlier in the afternoon.
As the engine came ahead, it took the 21 car train from a dead stop back up to 15 MPH, and then 40, it put on quite a show, accelerating quickly, just as it did 65 years ago on these very rails. It was quite the introduction to the J, one I won't soon forget.
The decaying code line to the right undoubtedly once carried the telegraphs, train orders and signal lineups that authorized movement for this engine and its brethren in revenue service.
