NS to Restart Steam Program

W

wilh

Off the Deep End
About a month or ago, NS announced that they were going to restart their steam program (In collaboration with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum). They have chosen to use ex-Southern 630.

Out of the 10 locos (that I can think of) Southern/Norfolk Southern have used, 630 is the only one that is going to be used again. (The program is going under the name of 21st Century Steam).
EDIT: TVRM 2-8-0 610, and Southern 4501 are also to be used along with the 630.

Railroad, wheel arrangement, loco number, current location, last use by the Southern/Norfolk Southern

A&WP 4-6-2 290- Southeastern RR Museum, Last used in the early 1990's
T&P 2-10-4 610- Texas State Railroad, Last used in 1979
N&W 4-8-4 611- Virginia Museum of Transportation, Last used in 1994
Southern 2-8-0 630- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Last used in 1983
Southern 2-8-0 722- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Last used in 1983
S&A 4-6-2 750- Southeastern RR Museum, Last used in the late 1970's
N&W 2-6-6-4 1218- Virginia Museum of Transportation, Last used in 1994
C&O 2-8-4 2716- Kentucky Railroad Museum, Last used in 1982 (I think)
CP 4-6-4 2839- Nethercutt Collection, Sylmar, CA, Last used in 1980
Southern 2-8-2 4501- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Last used in 1998
 
Last edited:
Cool. I live near NS trackage. I went to the website of 21st century steam, its under construction, but the picture there is of 4501. they may use both
 
Nice to see a steam engine out on the NS/SOU main again. I wish she could just run by herself with no diesel helper (I heard once that the Diesel is usually the one doing the real work in that situation) but hey, i'll take what i can get.
 
It's a start, but I wouldn't hold my breath on the 1218 being brought back to steam. If I recall properly, it had failed its boiler certificate, and there wasn't a very good chance that it could not be certified again.
 
Last I heard, 611 was in good shape. The Museum Pushes her around to keep her lubricated, or so i've been told. Her chances are significantly better at steaming than 1218. I admit i don't know much about 1218's condition, but she was stored in a partially dissasembled state for several years before going to the Roanoke museum, so that could have damaged her. She would probably need a Class C overhual to get her running.
 
Ex-Southern 630 and 4501 are to be used in this program. 630 is already completed and has made her first main line test run (with a GP38-3 diesel in tow, but not used). 4501 retorations have started but I am not sure how far along they are on it. As for 611 and 1218, I dont think they will run any time soon. VMT does not have the shops, personel, or money to restore either (the only reason 630 was finished and 4501 is started on is NS gave TVRM alot of money). 611 is in decent shape, most all it needs is to be updated to the new FRA standards and some other minor work. 1218 is a different story, it has new running gear that never saw steam after it was rebuilt, the boiler most likely needs rebuilding, and most of the firebox is off the locomotive and in the shop in Birmingham. It also needs to be brought up to current FRA standards. The high-ups at NS are professed Southern fans, so that is one reason the Southern locomotives are being used.


Paul
 
magickmaker said:
It's a start, but I wouldn't hold my breath on the 1218 being brought back to steam. If I recall properly, it had failed its boiler certificate, and there wasn't a very good chance that it could not be certified again.
Click to expand...

Plus she was down for a rebuild when they shut the program down and they sold a bunch of stuff that would need put back on. That along with a lot of what was necessary to make new parts.
 
630 did really well, only one problem but that's been evaluated and mostly fixed and we ended up firing her back up Friday to run this weekend.

Fun chase, they had her up to 40. :D

f595efa5a204d68c217929c1d1ea00e8.jpg
 
I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling when i see a steam engine opened up on the mainline:D She looks right at home (minus the ugly black abomination behind her:hehe:)
 
Just my luck as I live on the other side of the world now. I am fortunate enough that I got to ride behind most of these beauties but I still miss the smell of burning coal, hot oil and grease, and having my railfan cap and bandanna stained further by these wonderful locomotives.

To those of you that have never ridden behind one of these engines do not miss your chance as this could be a once in a lifetime experience and their not getting any younger and they ain't making anymore either :'( I promise you will never forget each ride!
 
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