I just arrived home from Chattanooga, Tennessee this afternoon after having rode the last scheduled Autumn Leaf Special of the year from Grand Junction station to Summerville, Georgia and return. This was my first time riding one of these trips in nine years. The last time I rode was the last run of SR 4501 when she doubleheaded with ex-USA 2-8-0 610 to Lafayette, Georgia and return. I am very much appreciative of all the work that has taken place to install the turntable at Summerville so that the steam locomotive no longer has to be towed backwards on the return trip.

Although I was a little disappointed in the photo runby at Rock Springs on the return trip being cancelled (due to running late), I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I must say the whistle on 610 sounded excellent and I hope they keep this one on her for a while. I asked a crew member of it's lineage and I was told the person that I spoke with thought it had been used on Southern Ks-1 2-8-0 722. Furthermore, the lunch in the ex- Southern dining car "Travelers Fare" was excellent and the service was fantastic. All in All it was a wonderful trip and is the closest thing I've experienced to the Norfolk Southern steam excursions since their demise 13 years ago. I really hope TVRM and the C & C can continue these trips for the immediate future and I look forward to hopefully seeing SR 630 at the head end within the next few years.


With that said, although the South no longer has the NS steam program, you can still find operating steam even though it may not be as easy to find. Due to my current financial situation I am not able to travel great distances across the country to see the likes of Milwaukee 261 or UP's 844 and 3985 (although I hope my situation will change to be able to do so) or even the QJ 2-10-2s in Iowa. The last couple of years have been even more difficult to see operating steam in the South due to the fact that Southeastern Railway Musuem's 0-6-0T 97 has been down for repairs along with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad's 2-8-0 1702 as well as the North Carolina Transportation Museum's 2-8-0 604 (ex BC&G 4) and Graham County shay 1925.

South Carolina, where I live rosters no museums or tourist operations with operating steam, although I had the pleasure of visiting the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro in October for the visit of the Flagg Coal Company Vulcan 0-4-0T 75. I believe I read on a previous post on here that the whistle from the museum's Hampton and Branchville 4-6-0 44 was used during the locomotives visit.

Finally, back in September I visited Tweetsie Railroad for their Railfan Weekend. I was lucky enough to get a cab ride in ex White Pass & Yukon, nee USA 2-8-2 190 as she pulled five open air cars around Tweetsie's 3 mile loop. While I have been fortunate enough to have had cab rides in other locomotives, GTW 6325 and Graham County Shay 1925, I must say that the cab ride in 190 was really memorable due to the 3-4 percent grades we encountered on the trip.

Although I didn't get a chance to visit this year, I did make a visit to the Three Rivers Rambler in Knoxville last year. That was nice as the locomotive 203 had served on the Rockton & Rion railroad in my home state.

With all that said, I consider myself lucky in my 25 years to have ridden behind and seen as many steam locomotives that I have in operation. Hopefully some of the locomotives I have mentioned that are currently out of service will steam again someday.

I rode the "Steam All the Way" excursion about a year ago--610 unassisted with five coaches. What a show! 610 has to be one of the loudest engines I've heard.

I agree with you--TVRM has come the closest to duplicating the old Southern excursions of the 1970s. The trips are well run, good scenery, 2 per cent grades and photo runbys. Very laid-back, a great way to spend a day. I can't wait to see 630 myself.

I agree about 610's stack talk, it is quite loud. I know Frisco 1522 had quite a loud bark to her from videos I've watched. Unfortunately, I never saw her in operation before she was retired in 2002.

Along those lines, I'm amazed at the 610's ability to emit a tremendous amount of cinders. I stood in the front vestibule of adjustable-window ex-SR coach 1000 coupled right behind GP7L 1829 for about 20 minutes and got pounded by cinders. If I didn't know what locomotive was up front, I would have thought it was N&W 1218 pulling the train!

I would like to do one of the "Steam All The Way" excursions in the future. I know those trips lack the dining car, but it would be worth it to hear the 610 or whatever steam locomotive is operating at the time without the assistance of a diesel, even though I am somewhat of a fan of first generation diesels as well.

While the long barrel Crosby currently being blown on 610 may have been used at some point on 722, the whistle used predominantly on the 722 belongs to a private individual in Atlanta. The Atlanta whistle was also used on the 2716 during her short SR career.

I can say this...The long barrel Crosby is a VAST improvement over the 6-chime that had been on 610 for quite a while!

Which came off the ET&WNC standard gauge 2-6-0 206, secondhand from the Illinois Central. It is indeed a really great whistle. I hope we get to hear it again one day!

Hi Ken,

I think we can probably arrange that. Said whistle owner is usually very accommodating.

AD

Ken just to clear up confusion on my part are you referring to the 6-chime whistle Andrew mentioned or the long-barrel Crosby?

Tweetsie is a much-maligned (by purists) tourist operation that is a great place to visit. I got up there for the 2005 season during a visit to my folks at their Elizabethton, TN property. Hadn’t been there in a while, and it’s a great run to make. Like you, I got a cab ride which is the only video I think I’ve ever shot that I still watch with any frequency.
You should have gotten out to Dollywood, though. Most fans never think to go out that far, but my wife had always wanted to go so she didn’t have to twist my arm. They have a great operation there which easily ranks on Tweetsie’s level. They also use former WP&Y engines, and have a cab ride signup each day with seats on the front of the tender. Yeah, you have to pay a bundle to get in there, but it’s a great ride, one that every NG fan should do at least once.

The whistle in Atlanta is the one from the 206, not the Crosby. That Crosby is also a beautiful whistle.

I have been to Dollywood, although it has been a good ten years since my last visit. I've watched some video of the 192 on YouTube recently and must say I like the new simplified black with white lettering paint scheme.

I doubt I'll get to visit this year, but that maybe something to do next year, especially if I go to Knoxville to the Three Rivers Rambler as Pigeon Forge isn't that far out of the way.

I agree about your comment on Tweetise being maligned. I myself am not a big fan of the cowboy and Indian show, but as the park's purpose is to draw in families and not cater specifically to the railfan community I can understand the reason for having it, plus it's somewhat of a tradition that has been going on for forty plus years now. I went on Railfan Weekend and they ran a train with number 12 that omitted the cowboy show, so it was something you didn't have to watch if you didn't want to on that one weekend. I'm looking forward to their Railfest weekend again in September 2008.