4501's Goin' to Bristol!

[jordon412]

4501's Goin' to Bristol! Pictures and Videos!

This picture was taken earlier today (06/23/2015) of 4501 heading for Bristol near Sweetwater, Tennessee. She's passing an iconic 'Rock City Barn', advertising Rock City, an attraction on top (and in) Lookout Mountain. She may not have Southern Heritage unit ES44AC #8099 with her, but SD40 #3170 will do.

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[jordon412]

Here's a video of 4501 leaving Cleveland

 

[norfolksouthern37]

and what a nice chase it was!

 

[jordon412]

Soon she passes thru Riceville, Tennessee . . .

 

[jordon412]

. . . Then Niota, Tennessee . . .

 

[jordon412]

. . . Then Sweetwater, Tennessee . . .

 

[jordon412]

. . . Before calling it a day at Knoxville, Tennessee.

She'll make the last lap to Bristol tomorrow, 06/24/2015.

 

[jordon412]

As for the Rest of the Train . . .

The cars that will make up the remainder of 4501's train is fresh off a few trips behind Norfolk and Western #611 and is caught at Elliston, Virginia heading south to Bristol.

 

[norfolksouthern37]

. . . Then Niota, Tennessee . . .

wonder who those guys in the red van are

 

[UnumProvident155]

Love that steam locomotive

 

[wva-usa]

That box car riding behind the SD40 looks to be NS-40, a HEP car formerly used on the EMD E8 powered "Conrail Office Car Specials" that ran back in '76 - '98.

 

[jordon412]

That box car riding behind the SD40 looks to be NS-40, a HEP car . . .

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[MeowRailroad]

I thought it was a tool car but it's probably NS 40. It's odd that they don't have a tool car.

 

[wva-usa]

I believe maybe the tool car is the short car behind NS 40, which is TVRM #50 "Emporium", which is apparently a rebuilt WWII era troop kitchen car (2nd photo.) Or maybe it's functioning as a snack bar, etc. Anyone know for sure?

 

[watemple]

I'm guessing it could be a tool car, as it looks like a streched version of the FWRHS tool car...

 

[wva-usa]

Actually, I think the kitchen car pic I posted is the wrong type of U.S. Army kitchen car. The one I posted is a U.S. Army WWII era car, but I think both the FWRHS and TVRM cars are rebuilds of the Korean War era U.S. Army kitchen cars that looked like the one below. If so, I believe both the Tennessee Valley and Fort Wayne cars should both be the same length, although depending the angle they're photographed, they can tend to look longer or shorter, etc.

 

[jordon412]

I'm guessing it could be a tool car, as it looks like a streched version of the FWRHS tool car...

No it isn't. Emporium is the commissary car. The car is mainly a 'rolling gift shop', but also serves snacks, drinks, and light meals. All 21st Century Steam excursions out of Chattanooga uses the sliding doors on both sides of Emporium to load and unload passengers at the handicap ramp located at Grand Junction. Emporium is also used on the Chattanooga-Chickamauga Chickamauga Turn and Chattanooga-Summerville Summerville Steam Special. However, I can confirm that the car is of Military heritage. However, I do find it unusual that the Norfolk and Western heavyweight baggage car that's used as a tool car is not with the train.

 

[wva-usa]

The tool car that the 611 used on its excursions from 1982 to 1994, was mail-storage car No. 1407, which belongs to the Roanoke Chapter NRHS. I'm fairly certain this was the tool car that's been used on all of 611's 5 excursions since May 30th. Car No. 1407 also accompanied N&W 2156 on its journey home in mid-May.

611 will be in Spencer on June 27-28 and will then head back in Roanoke (probably on July 1st) for another series of runs to Walton (Radford) on July 3-5, so tool car No. 1407 will probably be used with #611 during the next 7 or 8 days.

 

[jordon412]

Yes, #1407 was used by 611 for those excursions. 1407 was also used by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum with excursions behind 630. Looks like the TVRM needs to find another tool car.