Fwd: 611 moving this morning for new lead truck bearings

[NW Mailing List]

***February 1, 2016 *
Brian J. Smith

ROANOKE, Va. — The beloved black beauty of steam excursions is heading 
out today for new bearings on its front truck.

Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 is traveling from its long-time home at 
the Virginia Museum of Transportation to Norfolk Southern’s Shaffers 
Crossing locomotive shop for the work. Bearing maker Brenco, of 
Petersburg, Va., donated the bearings.

“We knew early on that it would needed to be replaced,” museum Executive 
Director Bev Fitzpatrick told /Trains/ NewsWire back in December. “But 
it was okay for the first excursion season.”

The standard bearings on the front truck will be converted from an oil 
bath to grease and will be cooled by ambient air temperature.

The total cost for the work is expected to between $150,000 to $200,000, 
which is covered in the original restoration budget. Fitzpatrick says 
that the truck will still look like the current one to the casual observer.

The locomotive has been winterized and has been under the roof of the W. 
Graham Claytor pavilion.



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