PRR T1 recreation and NS's 40MPH speed limit

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 3011

BTW, for those of you not "in on the joke", the scenario presented below is what happens on the ORHF's yearly Holiday Express. Each year at Christmas time, the SP 4449 and/or SP&S 700 (depending on engine availability) roll along the river in Portland at a rather leisurely pace.

Trips often sell out. I'm not sure what the capacity is, but it's usually about a 6 car train and the crowds are large.

http://www.orhf.org/the-holiday-express/

Bobharbison wrote:

Let's imagine this. Let's say you took SP 4449 or SP&S 700 and restricted them to 15 mph. Maybe some local shortline that only had class 1 track let's say. Obviously nobody would come out to ride that, would they? I mean after all, 4449 only looks good going 60 mph or more, right? Certainly not worth coming out to see her loafing along at 10 mph or so. They'd never fill the train! It would be a total disaster. Good thing they never tried it... ;)

Dave · **Posted:** Wed May 20, 2015 4:06 pm

I've gotten more enjoyable railroading on mountain lines, industrials and shortlines at 15 MPH than I have being another butt in a seat back in the 18th car behind a mainline steam locomotive way up front somewhere flying down the line. I don't care so much about the speed, but about the proximity to and depth of the experience.

I consider this project to be about 99% design and construction, 1% hauling ass down the line in the distant possible future.

dave

Dougvv · **Joined:** Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:52 pm **Posts:** 914

Hi Dave,

One of the nicest runs was the Middletown & Hummelstown with no high speed.

Dad worked in Charleston WV from about 1965-1967. Rode Cass several times. It was the first time I noticed the underside of the leaves on the trees were black from the shays.

I enjoyed the days when 750 would be at about 60MPH from Atlanta to Gainesville and back.

Miserable were the trips from Atlanta to Taccoa with a long day and a slow speed.

Basically, if the trip is designed well, speed does not matter.

Two long trips that I rode many times were the Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec.

The Southern/NS steam program c1990 was not fun when they got rid of the open car and they slowed the top speed. Too long and boring a ride.

Bottom line, it's the total experience (product) and not the speed.

Just my point of view.

Doug vV