Steam Locomotive 630 in Asheville
Yeasterday, I was fortunate to be in Asheville when the historic, 109 year old Norfolk and Southern steam locomotive 630 pulled into the train yard after succesfully climbing 1,400 foot over the Eastern Continental Divide from the town of Old Fort, North Carolina.
This is the first time I have ever seen a large steam locomotive in operation and in person.
I knew nothing about the train’s pending arrival, and just happened to be in the right place at the right time. It was a shear stroke of luck!
I abandoned my Buick along the tracks, and the mighty steam engine rolled to a stop next to my car. Here’s the video I managed to take, and also a video of the train climbing up through the famous Old Fort Loops earlier in the day made by the owners of the “Inn on Mill Creek” in the middle of the “Loops”. I found some photos of the historic train on the Web. The music is Yo-Yo Ma.
Living in The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina- A Blog 
Wow, Vann, that is really cool! What a great “happen upon!” Tim and I took my cousins on a one-hour steam train ride up in the Santa Cruz mountains a couple of years ago, running through a big redwood preserve and crossing over some amazing wood trestles along the way. That train isn’t as old as the 630, though!
Talk about LUCKY! Being in the right place at the right time, what an awesome experience. I Love the old trains, would love to have taken a ride! So glad you shared