What "utterly stunning" engine might have replaced 261?

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Tue May 11, 2010 8:56 pm

- #2718, 4-6-2 (National Railroad Museum)

Umm?

/Mitch

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue May 11, 2010 10:39 pm

big-bad-2666 wrote:

Was there a reason why C&O 614 wasnt there?

Possibly not "Midwestern" enough for the principal. Ditto N&W 611.

Although one has to wonder if the advantages of more modern design, roller bearings, etc. could outweigh the heartstrings for Midwestern locos............

j32885 · **Posted:** Tue May 11, 2010 11:52 pm

I was making a list based on what most people here were suggesting. Other locomotives that were suggested were NYC 3001 (New York Central Museum) & PRR 6755 (Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania). Ross already has plans in store for C&O 614. Maybe after the Yellow Ribbon Express, he could do a doubleheader with 261 and 614.

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

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

wilkinsd wrote:

What I find humorous with all of this somewhat useless speculation is that when N&W 611 was runninng, many fans bemoaned the fact that she had become "common" and was not "spetacular" anymore. Now, nearly 20 years later, people want her back.

I think what happened was not that people "bemoaned" her being commonplace. What happened was a certain derailment in the Great Dismal Swamp. Before said derailment, NS seemed willing to run 611--within reason and restrictions for curves based on her high center of gravity--at what the track and loco could bear, but later reined in all steam locomotives systemwide with a 40-mph speed restriction.

One of my fondest memories was chasing 611 on a run from Buffalo to Conneaut, Ohio, grabbing photos of 611 at sunset creeping down the street trackage of Erie. West of Erie, I somehow blundered upon a good gravel road that paralleled the former NKP for several miles just as 611 came storming alongside. That couple miles of post-sunset pacing at speeds in excess of 60, with no one else around, will be among my richest railfan memories. By comparison, 611 or 1218 ambling along the Southern main at 40 was like trotting a racehorse, mentally speaking. Nice to see, but you know she wants to be let loose and do what she was meant to do.

...and that 40mph speed limit held nice and well until they were running late and especially if it was dark outside. Speaking from personal experience, the return trip to Charlotte after the first Saluda trip in 1992 was NOT going 40mph after they left Spartanburg. I can think of several other times also pacing 611 at about 50mph in broad daylight in the morning with an excursion.

In the flatlands of Ohio and Indiana or the Southern mainline, that 40mph speed limit may have been rather disheartening. Get them pounding out of Roanoke up Blue Ridge or Christiansburg Mountain....or slogging it out on the Southern loops, and they were still mighty impressive. Speed isn't everything, and a 20+ car train on a heavy grade makes up for a lot.