ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk & Western Class A locomotive No. 1218, the 2-6-6-4 built by the railroad’s East End Shops in Roanoke in 1943, will be added to the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a Virginia Historic Landmark.
The locomotive, retired in 1959 and restored for excursion service between 1987 and 1991, is displayed at the Virginia Museum of Transportation, which is also the home of similarly recognized Class J 4-8-4 No. 611.
“We are thrilled to see the N&W 1218 recognized for its historical significance,” Mendy Flynn, the museum’s executive director, said in a press release. “This designation acknowledges the role that the Norfolk & Western Railway played in shaping the economic and industrial landscape of Virginia and the United States. The 1218’s inclusion on the National Register ensures that future generations will continue to learn about and appreciate this extraordinary piece of American history.”
Said Zac McGinnis, the museum’s railroad exhibit historian, “The Norfolk & Western Class A locomotives are often regarded as one of the finest steam locomotive designs ever built, blending raw power, precision engineering, and unparalleled efficiency, becoming icons of American railroading history. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is incredibly thankful and blessed to have two iconic locomotives like the 1218 and 611 in its collection, preserving a vital piece of railroad history and sharing these magnificent locomotives with the world for future generations to admire and experience.”
More on No. 1218 and the Virginia Museum of Transportation is available at the museum website.
Proper honoring of an revered American railroad legend…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Let’s recall that No. 1218 is the sole survivor of the Norfolk and Western’s class A locomotives and the only surviving 2-6-6-4 steam locomotive in the world.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
A locomotive of that historical significance deserves to be restored to operation. I’ve seen it in action and it’s amazing!
Note that at the end of the 1991 excursion season, after completing a round-trip excursion from Huntsville, Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee, N&W No. 1218 returned to Irondale, Alabama for an extensive overhaul, where its flues need to be replaced and the portions of the firebox need to be repaired. There were originally plans to have the No. 1218 locomotive running again for the beginning of the 1996 excursion season, but NS chairman David R. Goode cancelled the steam program in 1994 due to serious safety concerns, rising insurance costs, the expense of maintaining steam locomotives, a yard switching accident involving nine passenger cars in Lynchburg, Virginia, and decreasing rail network availability.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün