4501 returns

[MPSOUTHERN]

True,but what a nice way to celebrate NATIONAL TRAIN DAY.Afterall,whoever thought that anyone would actually build a brand new steam engine for the sole purpose of operating fan trips?And yet,that's exactly what they did in England.You make a good point ABC.Steam pulling AMTRAK may never happen.But with the right people in the right places who want to make it happen,anything could happen.Im just glad N.S. is again wanting to return steam to their mainline.

[ebtnut]

In my previous listing, I forgot the mention that 4449 visited Southern rails during the Freedom Train ops.  Some may recall that the Freedom Train was pulled by 3 different steam locos in its travels - 4449, 2101 and 610.  No. 2101 (ne Freedom Train No. 1) was a Reading T-1, and it was generally used in the northeast where there were tighter clearances.  When the train came to D.C. it was headed south afterwards.  The Southern decided to operate a two-day ferry trip from Atlanta to D.C. with 4449 to pick up the train. 

The first day was marred a bit because the hotbox detectors along the main line didn't recoginize the difference between a hot bearing and a hot cylinder head.  Then-President Graham Claytor was on the trip, and we noted after the overnight layover in Salisbury, NC that we didn't stop for any more hotbox detectors on Sunday!  When we hit the long straightaway north of Orange, VA the engineer let 'er out.  Several folks riding in the open-air car at the rear timed the mileposts and said we were exceeding 90 mph.  Fastest I've ever ridden a train outside the northeast corridor. 

[MPSOUTHERN]

That's sounds like quite a ride.According to this book I have,Doyle McCormack was the engineer.I guess he would know better than anyone what that engine was capable of.It also says there was even a band playing in one of the cars.Sounds like that was a very enjoyable trip.I don't know how fast the 611 ever got on the trip I rode,but I don't think it was 90.

[ebtnut]

I've talked with some old-time railfans who rode behind 611 on her "farewell" trip back in 1959 or 1960.  They said she was timed on the long-g-g straightaway through the Dismal Swamp at about 100 mph between Richmond and Norfolk.  I doubt that any of the regular SR/NS steam excursions have gone much above 50 mph.  High speeds are harder on the equipment, and in general there wasn't much need to be in a rush. 

Ross Rowland, on the other hand, did like to whip things along.  I rode a DC/Philly trip with 614, and on the return trip we were really flying south of Wilmington.  Don't know exactly how fast, but probably track speed which IIRC is 60 mph.

[pipefitter]

I remember one of the last Alexandria - Lynchburg VA trips behind Class A 1218. Like all those last trips, she had a huge long train behind. There were traffic delays on the Southern mainline resulting in the excursion having quite a delay departing from Lynchburg. When we finally got going it was late and our train was running at track speed (70 mph) to make up time. For reasons I don't understand, the open doors baggage car behind the loco was empty of foamers who had lost interest after it got dark A friend and I got to an open door for the last couple of hours of the trip. Wearing shop goggles against the cinders, we both had our heads out the window. It was like putting your face into an industrial sand blaster and it was a magnificent ride

1218 made interesting sounds, like when at low speed the two engines were out of sync and there was a disconnect in the rhythm of the chuff's. But I noticed that when she got going at a little speed, the engines always synced up with one another and the exhaust in rhythm. However on this run up the Southern mainline, the sound was just a steady "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...." and there was a bright glow from the firebox. So fine watching her running at speed through the curves and watching the signal lights go from green to red as she passed each one. I will never forget that ride