The Norfolk & Western Railway built a fleet of fourteen (road numbers 600 through 613) 4-8-4s that were an excellent balance of strength and speed. They were built by the N&W's own forces in its shops in Roanoke, VA.

In 1941, the first five, (road numbers 600 through 604) were designated Class J and were of a streamlined design and had 70" drivers, 27 x 32 cylinders and a boiler pressure of 275 psi. They weighed 494,000 lbs and had a tractive effort of 73,000 pounds. The Class Js could achieve speeds that exceeded the steam locomotives rule of driver diameter plus 10 and could cruise at speeds well into the 90 mile an hour range.

In 1944, six more, (road numbers 605 through 611), this time designated Class J-1, were built without streamlining because of wartime shortages of materials. They were otherwise identical to the Class Js. After World War II, they were refitted with streamlining and with light weight rods. Number 610 was loaned to the PRR for testing and during tests was able to hold a steady speed of 110 miles per hour.

In 1950, after the big three steam locomotive builders had stopped building steam locomotives, the Norfolk & Western Railway built three more Class J-1s (road numbers 611 through 613). These last three were the last steam passenger locomotives built for an American railroad and were identical to the other eleven. By 1950, all of the Class Js and J-1s had their boiler pressure raised to 300 psi which increased the tractive effort to 80,000 pounds.

During the 1940s and 1950s on the Norfolk & Western, locomotives were kept in top shape in facilities that were modern, clean and well-equipped. The Js could be fully serviced in just about one hour. With this efficiency, this small group of locomotives could handle 80% of the N&W's passenger trains. They operated daily between Cincinnati and Norfolk, pulling such trains as "The Powhatan Arrow", "The Pocahontas" and "The Cavalier".

There is one survivor, number 611, which is now at the Virginia Museum Of Transportation in Roanoke, VA.

Class J (Locobase 271)

Data from 1955 Norfolk & Western locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Thanks to Chris Hohl for his March 2013 inquiry about the trailing truck booster.

Firebox heating surface included five arch tubes with a total of 60 sq ft (5.6 sq m) of area. Boiler water temperature was raised by a Worthington Type G5-A feedwater heater, and and a Standard Type HT stoker supplied the coal to the firebox.

The most powerful 4-8-4s to run for any railroad, and one of the finest steam locomotive designs ever produced, the Js combined large cylinders, high steam pressure, and low drivers to generate a high tractive effort. Available power increased when boiler pressure was raised later to 300 psi (20.7 bar), yielding an indicated tractive effort of 80,000 lb. J-class engines 605-610, built in 1943, had to forego the lightweight side rods and roller bearings that had graced the first five engines, but they were refitted with both after World War II. 611-613 emerged from Roanoke in 1950.

Wes Barris of steamlocomotive.com reports: "602 was unique in that it was fitted with a Franklin high speed trailing truck booster which added 12,500 lbs. TE." According to a 12 March 2005 post to Railroad.Net's forum (http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=156&t=11772) by "Lehigh Valley Railroad" and signed "Chris", the booster was "removed at a subsequent major shopping as problematical and unnecessary."

Chris adds: "From N&W magazine, June 1950, talking about the 611, 612, 613: 'At normal passenger train operating speeds of from 40 to 60 miles an hour, these coal-burning, steam locomotives develop more tractive power than even giant 6,000 horsepower diesels, a great advantage on the Norfolk and Western which traverses mountainous territory.'A shiny new #611 is shown. Is it possible these locos were dynoed against passenger diesels while testing on the Pennsy? Is "tractive power" really "TE at speed" or "DBHP at speed"? "

The Js were famed for their dual-service capability, pulling long freights and running passenger trains at 90 mph. Automatic lubrication at over 200 points and Timken roller bearings everywhere (axles, main & side rods, valve gear, wrist pins) permitted 15,000-mile/month usage and 1 1/2 year intervals between shop visits.