The 611 gathers all the iconic elements of the Art Deco era of train travel. The sleek, streamlined profile took the edge off the gritty industrial jacket that transportation by rail proffered. The Class J passenger locomotives were designed and built by Norfolk and Western Railway between 1941 and 1950. With very sleek lines and a bullet shaped profile adorned with a Tuscan Red stripe bordered in gold, cut a fast black shape against the rural landscapes as well as the urban areas it would serve. The J’s were built in the shops of the N & W and powered famous routes with names such as the Powhatan Arrow, Cavalier, and Pocahontas to name a few. The J’s embodied the innovation and ingenuity of engineering as it symbolized the pinnacle of steam technology.

– R KENNETH ENGLAND