Sixty years after Norfolk & Western Railway retired its last steam engine, the iconic locomotive is back on the tracks—just in time for fall.
This September, Virginia travelers have a rare chance to ride behind the legendary No. 611, the sole surviving Class J 4-8-4 steam locomotive, a sleek black beauty once hailed as the “Queen of Steam.” The special edition Shenandoah Valley Limited journey will run for just five weekends, beginning Sept. 26, carrying passengers through a blaze of autumn color in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. With its billowing plumes of smoke set against fiery ridgelines, the excursion offers a one-of-a-kind way to see Virginia’s peak foliage season.
“The N&W 611 is a standalone superstar,” Steve Powell, president of the Virginia Scenic Railway, operator of the Shenandoah Valley Limited, said. “With over 5,000 horsepower, the 611 sounds, feels, and looks like no other locomotive.”
The Shenandoah Valley Limited joins Virginia Scenic Railway’s lineup of signature excursions, including narrated rides through the Blue Ridge Mountains and specialty tours like the Sip and Savor Express, which spotlights Virginia wines. The locomotive itself—a 1950 steamer built in Roanoke, Virginia—comes courtesy of the Virginia Museum of Transportation, made possible through a partnership with the Steam Railroading Institute and the Virginia Mechanical Preservation Society.
The seasonal journey begins at a Victorian-era depot in the village of Goshen, Virginia, where passengers embark on a 3.5-hour round-trip ride through the Shenandoah’s rolling countryside. Along the way, passengers can enjoy water and light bites. Excursions run Friday through Sunday, departing at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., from Sept. 26 through Oct. 26.
Ticket options range from classic Coach ($128) and Premium Coach ($149) to Table Class ($202). At the same time, the coveted Dome Class ($318)—a circa 1948 passenger car once owned by outlaw country legend Merle Haggard—offers panoramic skylight views of the pastoral landscape unfolding beyond the rails. Little ones two and under can ride free on a ticketed adult’s lap.
“With the combination of this steam engine, these passenger cars, the Shenandoah Valley mountain views in fall, and the mainline track speeds,” Powell said, “this will be a trip that people will remember for years.”
For tickets, visit virginiascenicrailway.com.