Steam on the new river trains
- Thread starter dpfan1
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simulatortrain
jointed freaking rails
How about 614, seeing as it's actually C&O?
Last I checked, so is the 261 for at least the next year. We have also tried to make it clear that 261, while it can pull the train, is not really designed to. Its power peaks at 50mph contrary to the New River's 40mph speed limit. In comparison, the 614 actually was built for the line, and it has a bit more power to hold trains up the constant grade. Basically: 261 was designed for flatter terrain, whereas 614 was designed for mountains. Also, the 614 has also run on the New River. It did it in 1981, and it did it many times for the A.C.E. 3000 test runs in 1985.
Clearly, you don't read anything new that happens in steam railroading, so let me give you this link to read. Read every page of it before you post again: http://server.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29605
To sum it up, the 614 (and two other engines) will be restored to pull a portion of this luxury train called "The Greenbrier Express". If all goes as planned, steam will begin pulling the luxury train in March 2013. If CSX will allow steam on the New River Train again, what's not to say 614 could step in once again?
- Jonathan "Wasting more time than he should on these posts" Eau Claire
perry_weekley
New member
614, but I doubt it. CSX has put up a no steam rule. They denied 734 to go a few miles on their rails to Romney,WV to pull an Excursion to WV Rails in Petersburg.
Greenbriar Express sounds interesting. I'll have to look it up.
Greenbriar Express sounds interesting. I'll have to look it up.
sorry i put wont on my last post.
cascaderailroad
New member
In your wildest dreams...only in Trainz
It turns out the route that the "Greenbriar Express" will run on will be mostly Norfolk Southern and the Buckingham Branch, with only a small portion of the trip being on CSX. Also, this seems to be a train with lot of fianicial backing vs. your standard railfan excursion. While I will still believe it when I see it, this has a larger chance of happening.
There's a lot of reasons why there is no way this won't happen.
- CSX recently denied having WMSR 734 travel over 10 miles of their track, so there is no way they would let it happen easily
- Reading & Northern has plenty of trackage already that 425 can run on, so there is no need to run 425 somewhere else
- 425 and most of the passenger cars have friction bearings, which are a major liability when running on a Class 1 railroad. To clarify, friction bearings are the type of bearings that are incased, whereas modern rollar bearings are exposed on the truck. Though friction bearing equipment can roll over Class 1 tracks, it's usually at reduced speed.
- 425 is a light Pacific. The diesels that run behind 425 aren't for show, they actually do have to help the engine get up the steeper grades. The 425 was designed to pull up to a dozen heavyweights on level track at 60mph. This does not translate to a dozen heavyweights on a .5% grade at 40mph.
- The New River Train is consistently a large train, going up to 30 cars in length. These are also large and modern passenger cars, so three P42s are needed to provide both head end power and tractive effort. Since you need these engines anyway, having 425 would simply be useless since it can't pull the train on its own. An engine like 765 is powerful enough to allow the P42s to simply be on standby and for head end power.
- An engine the size of 765 has a large enough tender to not require water about every 150 miles or water about every 300 miles. Even with the water car, the 425 needs water and even coal more often. This makes loading coal and water a much longer process from stop to stop, and more frequent stops as well.
So yeah, there's a lot of reasons why it can't happen. The 425 is fine where it is, and the New River Train is fine as it is. The two are so different that having them together would be impossible. Try to think about these things and answer them yourself before asking on here. It will save you some time and save us a headache
There's a lot of reasons why there is no way this won't happen.
- CSX recently denied having WMSR 734 travel over 10 miles of their track, so there is no way they would let it happen easily
- Reading & Northern has plenty of trackage already that 425 can run on, so there is no need to run 425 somewhere else
- 425 and most of the passenger cars have friction bearings, which are a major liability when running on a Class 1 railroad. To clarify, friction bearings are the type of bearings that are incased, whereas modern rollar bearings are exposed on the truck. Though friction bearing equipment can roll over Class 1 tracks, it's usually at reduced speed.
- 425 is a light Pacific. The diesels that run behind 425 aren't for show, they actually do have to help the engine get up the steeper grades. The 425 was designed to pull up to a dozen heavyweights on level track at 60mph. This does not translate to a dozen heavyweights on a .5% grade at 40mph.
- The New River Train is consistently a large train, going up to 30 cars in length. These are also large and modern passenger cars, so three P42s are needed to provide both head end power and tractive effort. Since you need these engines anyway, having 425 would simply be useless since it can't pull the train on its own. An engine like 765 is powerful enough to allow the P42s to simply be on standby and for head end power.
- An engine the size of 765 has a large enough tender to not require water about every 150 miles or water about every 300 miles. Even with the water car, the 425 needs water and even coal more often. This makes loading coal and water a much longer process from stop to stop, and more frequent stops as well.
So yeah, there's a lot of reasons why it can't happen. The 425 is fine where it is, and the New River Train is fine as it is. The two are so different that having them together would be impossible. Try to think about these things and answer them yourself before asking on here. It will save you some time and save us a headache
Joneau if you were the CEO of CSX would you allow steam locomotives like the milw 261,NKP 765, and Reading and Northern 425 to run on CSX?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=330011&nseq=6
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=330011&nseq=6
cascaderailroad
New member
Do you get the BIG overall viewpoint ? Class I Railroads have no time, nor any interest in steam and tourist trains.
You can dream big extravagant pipe dreams all you want, about these extravagant steam tours of yours, but none of of these dreams them are ever going to happen, not ever, not no way, not no how, not nobody.
You are lucky to have the tourist trains operating on the 5-10 mile long tracks that they run on presently. I hate to bust your bubble, but these extravagant things you wish and dream for, just ain't gonna happen.
Asside from the choice few excursions that may pop up now and then, years from now.
You can dream big extravagant pipe dreams all you want, about these extravagant steam tours of yours, but none of of these dreams them are ever going to happen, not ever, not no way, not no how, not nobody.
You are lucky to have the tourist trains operating on the 5-10 mile long tracks that they run on presently. I hate to bust your bubble, but these extravagant things you wish and dream for, just ain't gonna happen.
Asside from the choice few excursions that may pop up now and then, years from now.
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dpfan1 said:
The function of a CEO is to move the company forward and generate profit for the shareholders.
No CEO involved with rail transport would take his/her company backward in time just for the enjoyment of someone who likes steam loco's.
Your enjoyment of steam locos is great, I also enjoy seeing them, but just not realistic in this day and age.
As you mature, you hopefully will understand the difference between fantasy and the real world.
Inner rivit counter comming out in me.
I would just like to clarify a term that is commonly misused. "Friction" bearings simply do not exsist. The term, "Journal" bearings, do. That is the two types of bearings that is most common in America. "Journal", and "Roller". Friction bearing was a term made up by the diesel and car (as in frieght and passenger) builders to help sell their new Roller bearings. In truth, a well maintained "Journal" bearing will preform the same as a "Roller" bearing truck. Note: "Well Maintained". Journal bearings get their bad name due to people not checking the journals for oil, or just letting them rot. I honestly think the "Journal" bearings are just too hatted. But, I cant change minds of people, nor do I have the money to pay for all the people to oil and the oil with wich they will oil the "Journal" bearings.
So yes, here is my rant on bearings. I dont care if you continue to use "Friction". Just remember you are using a fake term developed by them evil Devishel:hehe: companies.
There will be no steam on the New River Train so long as CSX keeps up its current policy of "No steam at all". A real shame it came down to that, but it's their railroad and their business, after all.
Of course, 4501 is too small and the 1218 is very far from being close to operating again. Also, the likelihood of Norfolk Southern having an engine on CSX defeats the point of a "Norfolk Southern Steam Program"
Of course, 4501 is too small and the 1218 is very far from being close to operating again. Also, the likelihood of Norfolk Southern having an engine on CSX defeats the point of a "Norfolk Southern Steam Program"
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