Hey, Um, I Think it's Choo Choo Season

[Mark D]

This time of year the steam loco's tend to come out of hiding, right? Except those that run all year 'round anyway.
So, anyone planning to go anywhere and ride a train pulled by a steam locomotive? Anything, anywhere, as long as it runs.

ME? nah, I'll be spending any spare time I have trying to help get the local former Milwaukee Road engine running. Notice I said help. It takes a pretty big team to do the work. But in the end, it will be as good as a brand new locomotive.

But I'd like to see what's running and who's going to see, chase or ride what. And when you do, be sure to post some pictures here. There aren't a lot of posters right now, but there's quite a few lookers. People who'd like to see your photos as much as I would.
Mark D.

[Wowak]

I've been meaning to head down to TVRM but I hear the 630 ran into some bearing trouble and limped home with the connecting rods between the 3rd and 4th drive axles removed. Not going to make the trip until I'm sure she's on the road again.

[Mark D]

Ouch!
Was that a rod bearing? Or an axle bearing? If a rod bearing, that isn't usually a huge problem unless the crank pin is damaged too.
Mark D.

[Fitz]

Mark, I hope to have something to post soon. It's always a welcome season when steam comes back alive for Memorial Day weekend. I got the latest newsletter from Friends of the 261 today. Photos of the tubes going back in, good news. Also the purchase of two more Amtrak compatible cars from the St. Louis museum. Pretty soon you guys will NEED a diesel helper with all those cars, but that's a good thing. Cars are very hard to come by for excursions, and Steve has the right idea, provide your own fleet to pull.

[Mark D]

Absolutely, it's the cars that bring the people to ride, and that is exactly what supports the steam locomotive.
An engine without cars is sort of like a ship captain without a crew. Or maybe a ship without a crew.
Anyway, any thoughts of heading down to head to AZ with the 3751? My favorite western engine.

Mark D.

[Fitz]

Mark, I had a lot of thoughts about going down south for the 3751 run to the Canyon, but too many other things are going to keep me in the northwest. Things like a new roof on the house and appliances giving up. On the other hand, I am heading north tomorrow and hope to bring back some decent photos. Right now it's raining big time, so don't know how it's going to come out. More to follow.

[Wowak]

Mark, my info is like 4th hand, but I think it was a rod bearing. All I know for sure is she was seen running with the rods between 3 and 4 removed.

[Mark D]

Yeah, that would kind of indicate a rod bearing problem. Unless there's more wrong than just a overheated bearing that could happen from simple things like forgot to grease, or too tight on the clearance, it shouldn't be a big deal to clean up the bearing in a lathe and put it back together.
You might want to think about going down there anyway and see the old beast, and maybe see it run. I know, I know. You want to be sure it's going to run. I understand.
Mark D.

[timom615]

To respond to the initial post, I plan to chase and ride Santa Fe 3751 on her journey to Williams, AZ and back. I will ride her double-header with 4960 to and from the Grand Canyon. The chase begins Monday, May 14.
I will also be on Steamtown's Canadian National 3254 quite often this year.
Not sure which other steamers will be part of my year, though.

[Fitz]

Yes! Choo choo season started early at the Mt. Rainier Scenic. This past weekend was a blast, on a Martin Hansen photographers special. I have not yet begun to get into my photos, but here are a couple. It was great to see a lot of old railfan friends. The weather wasn't great, typical northwest wet stuff, but we made do with it. These guys at MRSR are just terrific. They have done so much restoration work in the last few years. Before 2012 is over they may have SIX steamers running.

[Mark D]

To respond to the initial post, I plan to chase and ride Santa Fe 3751 on her journey to Williams, AZ and back. I will ride her double-header with 4960 to and from the Grand Canyon. The chase begins Monday, May 14.
I will also be on Steamtown's Canadian National 3254 quite often this year.
Not sure which other steamers will be part of my year, though.

YES!! The 3751! Be sure to post a report on that when you get back, and pictures too! If they give cab tours, will you be planning to get up in the cab for a few minutes? If so, a cab photo would be great too.


Fitz, those are really nice photo's. It doesn't always have to be CAVU to get an interesting picture. Pictures of the REAL world are every bit as good as those taken under the 'ideal' conditions. In my opinion, hose pictures tend to show it with a touch of every day reality.
Mark D.

[Kevin Gilliam]

Around NC, we had the Flagg Coal 75/Lehigh Valley Coal 126 doubleheaders at Spencer a few weeks ago under perfect weather (which is rare for this part of the country). Next on the schedule is Pete Lerro's charter at the Valley Railroad in Connecticut with the former Knox & Kane fire-damaged SY. Haven't seen the 58 since it was running on the K&K, so that should be fun. Then, the NS Steam Program rolls into the piedmont bringing steam back on the main line in North Carolina and Virginia for the first time since 1994. Not all bad to be a steam fan around here--and it's great not having to drive 8hrs to find something running for once!

[Mark D]

Kevin, I'd heard something about N.S. bringing steam back, in a limited way.
Isn't Ross Rowland involved in that?
If you go see the train run, would you be willing to post some photo's?
Whose engine are they running? Where do they get cars from?

On that fire damaged 2-8-2, does it still show fire damage? I ask because you call it a fire damaged SY.
Just curious.
Mark D.

[Kevin Gilliam]

Kevin, I'd heard something about N.S. bringing steam back, in a limited way.
Isn't Ross Rowland involved in that?
If you go see the train run, would you be willing to post some photo's?
Whose engine are they running? Where do they get cars from?

Not Ross. Head guy in charge for NS is Bob Saxtan, who was an engineer with the old NS Steam Program. Ross Rowland isn't part of this at all. They will be using SR 630 from the Tennessee Valley RR Museum and the NKP 765. Heard they are leasing some Midwest cars for the 765.

Here's the schedule that's online, although Rich Melvin of the 765 group says some things have already been changed. Either way, most of the excursions (employee-only) are just 10 miles or so. The ferry moves are where the fun stuff happens.

-Southern 630-
June 2-3: Inman to Austell (Atlanta, GA area)
June 9-10: Salisbury to Barber, NC
June 30-July 1: Roanoke to Walton, VA
July 14-15: Knoxville to Coster, TN
September 15-16: Irondale to Downtown Birmingham, AL (14th Street)

-NKP 765-
July 21-22: Bellevue to Colsan/Bucyrus, OH
July 28-29: Homestead to Airline (Detroit, Michigan)
August 4-5: Williamson to Naugatuck, WV
August 11-12: Conway to CP Wood (Pittsburgh, PA)
August 18-19: Enola to CP Capital (Harrisburg, PA)
September 15-16: Luther to Robertson (St. Louis, IL)

4 months of scheduled steam on NS Main Lines. Who would have believed that a couple of years ago??? First mainline steam in the southeast since 1994 since the original steam program ended--aka when 261 ran the New River Train for you midwestern folks! It's been a while.

On that fire damaged 2-8-2, does it still show fire damage? I ask because you call it a fire damaged SY.
Just curious.
Mark D.

I believe the majority of the fire damage was cosmetic with the exception of the cab--which had to be replaced. Then, Valley decided to make it into a New Haven engine and changed some more stuff.

Here was the original out-of-the-box engine at Knox & Kane--probably taken within a year or so of being built in '89
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ilroad.jpg

then, a bit later....
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2872273
(note diesel behind steam engine....K&K trains often exceeded 14 cars during the fall color season)

the fire...
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 92&nseq=20

current day...came back into service last fall just a few days before this pic was taken
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 729&nseq=1

too bad about the Knox and Kane as it was a really cool place. Where else do you get a 96-mile roundtrip behind steam with a wye on each end running about 5 days a week? Roughest track I've ever seen though. Good to know at least the steam engines found a home.

Will post pics when I can...
Kevin

[alco636]

I'm not very far away in Flagstaff, but no 3751 for me. Cannot get the time off. Such is life.

Al Seever
Flagstaff, AZ