Virginia's Most Scenic Fall Train Ride Is Back For 5 Weekends-With a Vintage Steam Engine and Peak Foliage Views

"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."

Norfolk & Western No. 611, a restored 1950 Class J 4-8-4 steam locomotive, will power a limited Shenandoah Valley Limited fall excursion in Virginia for five weekends beginning Sept. 26. The 3.5-hour round-trip departs from a Victorian depot in Goshen and travels through George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, offering peak foliage views. Trains run Friday–Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., with water and light bites onboard. The service is operated by Virginia Scenic Railway in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Steam Railroading Institute, and Virginia Mechanical Preservation Society. Multiple fare classes include a coveted Dome Class.

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