Norfolk Southern steam to return with SR 630,than 4501

Unseenthings · **Joined:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:51 pm **Posts:** 155

2 months, no news? No website, no update on 630? Anyone heard anything?

JohnnyWinkler · **Joined:** Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:32 pm **Posts:** 85

I don't see how NS can get anything going before the fall season is over.630 still looks like it has more than 3 months of work left to do and as far as I know work on the six ex-C&O coaches has not started yet. If nothing happens this year it would be nice if an annoucement could be made saying the program will start next spring. I need to plan now if I want to be free on any saturdays this october.

Kevin Gilliam · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:28 pm **Posts:** 292

JohnnyWinkler wrote:

I don't see how NS can get anything going before the fall season is over.630 still looks like it has more than 3 months of work left to do and as far as I know work on the six ex-C&O coaches has not started yet. If nothing happens this year it would be nice if an annoucement could be made saying the program will start next spring. I need to plan now if I want to be free on any saturdays this october.

The little I heard is that 630 has either had a hydro by now, or is scheduled for one very soon. Apparently they are hoping to get her out before the end of the year, but no promises. There is still a lot of work to be done (including the tender!), and the inevitable bug-testing once you get steam up.

610 still has about a month of boiler time left, so I guess it could be used if desired, but you still have the coaches problem. With the lack of the website, I'd say chances of anything this fall are pretty slim at this point.

A fall start time was always going to be seen as optimistic with the amount of work to be done. Best bet is to just wait for Spring 2011.
Kevin

Termite7 · **Joined:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:29 pm **Posts:** 397

Listen fellows: In a previous post we learned from somebody at TVRM that NS might put a web-cam in the shops at East Chattanooga and it would be at that point that we would learn what was going on. I think they said the web-cam might go up in November...is that right?

So please be patient...don't get your knickers in a knot. I am sure somebody is already planning that web-cam.

T7

IC382 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:28 am **Posts:** 135

I was at the museum yesterday. I was told that the 630 had completed a successful hydro. One step closer.

SPpacificfan · **Joined:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:19 pm **Posts:** 58

Can't wait to see the 630 done! The 401 in Monticello was a beauty, I'm wondering how purdy 630 will be. Thanks for the update!

gmray · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:34 am **Posts:** 382

You are correct, the 630 successfully completed its FRA hydrostatic test. 3/4 of the grates and the superheaters are now installed. The new tender tank is in the paint shop and should be ready in another two weeks. The steam test is not far away.

The 401 (and 385) is a beauty but recall that she is an H Class Consol whereas 630 (and 722) is a K Class. The K's are heavier and exert more tractive effort. The 542 at NCTM is a J Class. The other surviving (and operating) Southern 2-8-0 154 (originally built for the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia in 1890) is a G Class.

The cool thing about this is that when 630 goes operational, there will be a G, H, and K class Southern locomotive under steam. The 4501 will add the letter M to the mix. The 1401 could add the letter P.

A test on the class designations will follow.

Who would have thought that some 58 years after one of the major railroads to diseaselize in the US would have 4 of them under steam (and two of them doing PR work for that same railroad)?

cr6358 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:21 am

They have indeed started work on one of the ex-C&O coaches, the NS 42, which was the cab car.

big-bad-2666 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:21 pm

Could someone post a picture of these ex-C&O coaches?

derail · **Joined:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:45 pm **Posts:** 142

big-bad-2666 wrote:

Could someone post a picture of these ex-C&O coaches?

I believe these are the passenger cars in question, http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/4100.htm

big-bad-2666 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:39 pm

Okay, thanks. I do remember seeing that link before...

IC382 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:28 am **Posts:** 135

How about some cool shots of the tender in the paint shop...maybe some upclose shots in the shop of 630? I wish my Iphone had had a flash this weekend...my pictures were worthless.

Newriver400 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:48 pm

gmray wrote:

You are correct, the 630 successfully completed its FRA hydrostatic test. 3/4 of the grates and the superheaters are now installed. The new tender tank is in the paint shop and should be ready in another two weeks. The steam test is not far away.

The 401 (and 385) is a beauty but recall that she is an H Class Consol whereas 630 (and 722) is a K Class. The K's are heavier and exert more tractive effort. The 542 at NCTM is a J Class. The other surviving (and operating) Southern 2-8-0 154 (originally built for the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia in 1890) is a G Class.

The cool thing about this is that when 630 goes operational, there will be a G, H, and K class Southern locomotive under steam. The 4501 will add the letter M to the mix. The 1401 could add the letter P.

A test on the class designations will follow.

Who would have thought that some 58 years after one of the major railroads to diseaselize in the US would have 4 of them under steam (and two of them doing PR work for that same railroad)?

Test on class designations will be easy.
Don't start any 1401 rumors - :-) We do have a nice substitute J7b, however.

As for your question about who'd have thunk it - how about who'd have thunk that 3 class I railroads would all roster steam locos for PR purposes and a fourth is friendly on a case by case basis?. Now, if someone can get CSX and CN on board...

Hope all is well with you, Mark.

Best,
Mike

gmray · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:34 am **Posts:** 382

Well not to fan the flames of any rumors but I am in Washington DC this week. Yesterday I was on the 12th street side of the Museum of American History and looked at multiple ways to remove the Ps-4 from its resting place. With today's moving equipment, it's a piece of cake to get her out of there. Tomorrow I get a look from the inside.

Remember, it's all rumor. There is nothing going on here...

WMASS · **Joined:** Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:47 pm **Posts:** 27

Note on Canadian National they may have no steam program. but they allowed 4449 over their rails top Durand. 630 hydro test fantastic.