The legendary N&W 611 steam engine is back on rails…in Salem.
Students at HopeTree Academy (of HopeTree Family Services -formerly Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services) have built a scale model of the famous engine first fabricated in Roanoke’s Norfolk & Western rail shops during World War II. This replica will be the centerpiece of the Academy’s parade float to be presented in both the Salem and Roanoke Christmas parades.
HopeTree Academy’s vocational program has built a strong reputation for building award-winning parade floats. Students’ creations have won numerous prizes in the Salem Christmas parade float contests in recent years, including three First Place/Best in Show prizes.
Many of the Academy’s floats have been scale models of significant regional buildings. Last year students built a replica of the ‘old’ Salem Court House. The year before, they crafted a working model of Mabry’s Mill. This year, students chose to go a different route and pay homage to a legendary example of the Roanoke Valley’s importance to the rail industry.
“The students have a lot of fun building these floats and they take a lot of pride in how well their work turns out. Plus, they learn a lot of local history while they’re using vocational skills like carpentry, electrical wiring, and metal working. The 611 locomotive was a marvel of engineering created right here in the Valley. It’s important for these kids to know that if they study and apply themselves, they could do something just as important in their time,” said HopeTree Academy Vocational Teacher Wayne Perkins.
The 611 replica boasts working lights and will even spout smoke from its stack as it progresses along the parade route. Students developed their carpentry skills to build the base of the float, then learned welding and metal working in crafting the engine’s iconic streamlined body and accompanying coal carrier. Fine attention to detail was necessary to complete the painting and striping to give the engine it’s finishing touches. Students from all vocational classes participated in all phases of the project making it a truly a school-wide collaborative effort.
“It’s important for students to learn to work together. They will need to do that no matter what type of job they may have in the future, so this is really good practical experience,” Perkins added.
The HopeTree Academy float can be seen in the Salem Christmas Parade on December 6 and in the Roanoke Christmas Parade on December 13.
HopeTree Academy provides specialized services for students who need alternative education opportunities to be academically successful. The Academy serves participants in HopeTree’s residential program for at-risk children and youth as well as day students from surrounding localities.
HopeTree Academy is licensed by the Virginia Department of Education to serve grades 6-12, day and residential students, including disabled learners for their specific learning disability, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, or other health impairment.
For more information on the HopeTree Academy visit HopeTreeAcademy.org.
