The Southern and Norfolk Southern excursion trains delighted us for 28 years with a wide variety of steam locomotives operating throughout the southeastern U.S. Starting with Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501, and continuing to its pinnacle with Norfolk & Western class J 4-8-4 No. 611 and the giant N&W A class 2-6-6-4 No. 1218, the excursions were a step into the past for passengers and viewers alike. Now, Jim Wrinn writes the story, from the last run of No. 611 in regular service in 1959 to the dearth of excursions in the early 1960s, the beginning and expansion of steam excursions on the Southern under Graham Claytor, to the endless stream of different 'hired' steam locomotives from other railroads, and brings the story into the N&W era with 611 and 1218. There is a roster of every documented trip from 1964 to 1994. 150 superb photographs were selected for this book from over 5,000 available.