All Things Trains was on hand Saturday, May 30th at the Virginia Museum of Transportation for the unveiling of N&W 4-8-4 #611's America250 paint scheme. Sponsored by Sunset 3rd Rail Models, the famous J-class steam engine is wearing a paint scheme based on a design for the American Freedom Train of 1975-1976, which used 611 as a muse, even though the engine ultimately did not become one of the three steamers (Reading T-1 #2101, T&P 2-10-4 #610, and SP GS-4 #4449) used for the Bicentennial-era celebration.
Enjoy our photos and videos from the event, along with a few other historical tidbits. As of this morning (June 1, 2026), #611 is steamed up and being towed to Waynesboro, VA by Norfolk Southern, for use on the Summer of Steam excursions on the Buckingham Branch Railroad and its affiliated Virginia Scenic Railway.
1973 depiction of N&W 611 (sans nose cone...and yes, there were members of the J-Class built this way!) in a draft American Freedom Train scheme. Image courtesy Jonathan Eau Claire, N&W 611 Tracking Group on Facebook.
Profile rendering of N&W 611 wearing American Freedom Train dress, from 1973. Compare this to the paint scheme she now wears for America250, thanks to the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the sponsorship of 3rd Rail Sunset Models. Jonathan Eau Claire, N&W 611 Tracking Group on Facebook.
And yes, in case you were wondering, this N&W historical society photo shows a new J-class 4-8-4 without streamlining, as depicted in the draft American Freedom Train renderings. While #611, which was not operational at the time of the AFT, was considered for that role, we don't know if they actually planned to operate her without her streamlined shrouding, and if so, why. If you have any information, please email us (info@allaboard.media) and tell us the story!