With the goings on in Spencer this weekend it appears that the return of steam to the "Rathole" division after a two decade hiatus has largely been overlooked. With the great weather in Kentucky this weekend it was an excellent two days of railfanning resulting in many opportunities for some good shots of #630 in its natural habitat.

Also of note is that other than the regular railfans one can see in the videos that the public at large was drawn out in large numbers to the side of the tracks which is what these trips are for. Many regular folks got a look at the engine at the festival in Onidea, TN and the curiousity of several folks were raised wondering why the highway bridge over the Cumberland River (that paraells the big NS bridge there) was suddenly so interesting to a big group of people with cameras.

Trip overview between Burgin, KY and Onidea, TN:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XYm_gWJmkk

Underside shot of the train rolling over the camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUwA_CmCJQc

An interesting consist:

Roanoke Chapter (RNRH) Class MS mail (postal) storage #1407 (ex-NS, nee-N&W, Bethlehem Steel, 1927)

TVRM 52 seat coach #907 (ex-SOU, nee-CofG 68 seat divided coach #543, AC&F, 1947)

TVRM 56 seat coach #661 (ex-NS, exx-SOU, nee-CofG, AC&F, 1947)

Southern Appalachia RY Museum (SARX) 52 seat coach #829 (ex-Bluewater Chapter, exx-Amtrak #5290, nee-SOU #829, Budd, 1949)

TVRM 60 seat coach #857 (ex-Bluewater Chapter, exx-Amtrak #6032, exxx-52 seat coach #5221, nee-RF&P #857, Budd, 1947)

Watauga Valley Chapter (WATX) 54 seat coach #500 St. Augustine (#800402) (ex-Clinchfield, exx-private owner #800035, exxx-Amtrak #5474, exxxx-SCL #5474, exxxxx-SAL 56 seat coach #6271, nee-FEC St. Augustine, P-S, 1954)

MRLX coach #1498 Ohio State University (ex-TVRM, exx-SW Georgia RR Excursion Auth., exxx-MARC #105, exxxx-Maryland DOT #1414, exxxxx-PC #3240, exxxxxx-PRR Class P85M 6 seat snack bar 72 seat commuter coach #1498, nee-N&W 10RM-6DB sleeper Ohio State University, Budd, 1950/64)

Watauga Valley Chapter (WATX) Class P3 58 seat coach #539 The Powhatan Arrow (#800403) (ex-NS, nee-N&W, P-S, 1949)

TVRM tool car #50 Emporium (ex-USAX kitchen, StLCC, 1953)

NS 56 seat coach #26 New York (#800778) (ex-Conrail #27, exx-Amtrak #5667, exxx-PC #2949, exxxx-NYC, Budd, 1947)

NS coach #46 New Jersey (ex-Connecticut DOT 102 seat commuter coach, exx-PA Train, nee-C&O 52 seat coach, P-S, 1950)

NS coach #47 Louisiana (ex-Connecticut DOT 102 seat commuter coach, exx-PA Train, nee-C&O 52 seat coach, P-S, 1950)

NS coach #43 Iowa (ex-Missouri (1st), exx-Connecticut DOT 102 seat commuter coach, exxx-PA Train, nee-C&O 52 seat coach, P-S, 1950)

NS power-coach #42 Tennessee (ex-Connecticut DOT, exx-PA Train, nee-C&O 52 seat coach, P-S, 1950)

"TVRM tool car #50 Emporium (ex-USAX kitchen, StLCC, 1953)"

TVRM car #50 is a commissary rather than a tool car.

"Emporium" would be an innovative name for a tool car.

Thanks, gerf4501, for the info!

TVRM 50 is one of the roughest riding cars out there. It's a nice car, but it still rides on the original freight car trucks.

A few thoughts:

1) TNVR 50 is most assuredly NOT on freight car trucks. It has a short wheelbase truck with split equalizers, primary and secondary ISH suspension, and conventional passenger style truck mounted brakes and automatic slack adjusters. The car was built for passenger service and the trucks and draft system were so designed. Its a short, light car and I absolutely agree that its not the best riding passenger car ever -- even the tool car rides better -- but freight car trucks are not the problem.

2) TNVR 857 was modified back to the original seating capacity (52 seats) by Bluewater before going to TVRM.

3) TNVR 907 is still 68 seats.

4) MRLX 1498 is also 68 seats now -- a very well thought out modification BTW.

5) NS 26 is no longer 56 seats. I haven't counted lately, but I'm thinking 52...

ETA

Thanks, ETA, for the info!

All,

I had a pleasant ride with a friend, my mom and 11 year-old niece on Sunday. This was a well-run excursion and everything, from parking in Lexington to seating was well thought out.

I rode in Southern 829 and was very impressed at the quality authentic restoration this car received, namely in "de-Amtraking" it (carpet on walls, ceiling, etc.). SARM is and has very good reason to be proud of this car. All of the deluxe coach cars in the train were nice, but 829 took the prize as the nicest.

I also agree with Mr. ETA that MRLX 1498 had a well thought out seating arrangement. They took out the commuter seats and installed standard coach seats. They were in facing pairs (I did not determine whether they rotate or not) and were spaced so everyone had a good view out of a window. Also, the car had lounge style seating at both ends and a stainless bar set up.

As always, it was good to meet other RYPNers (you know who you are).

David

"I rode in Southern 829 and was very impressed at the quality authentic restoration this car received, namely in "de-Amtraking" it (carpet on walls, ceiling, etc.). SARM is and has very good reason to be proud of this car. All of the deluxe coach cars in the train were nice, but 829 took the prize as the nicest."

I agree that these ex-SOU Budd coaches are very nice inside, but this car hasn't been restored. It didn't need to be. A light refurbishment maybe, but otherwise it retains it's original Southern 1970's-era interior appearance. While it and most of the other ex-SOU Budd 1949 coaches did go to Amtrak eventually, it was very late in the game so they were never refurbished by Amtrak with the usual Amtrak 1970's-era décor. They retained their Southern appearance inside and out until retirement by Amtrak circa 1981.

Most of the restoration on this car was done by Bluewater when they owned it. It never got the Amtrak Heritage Car treatment -- so that didn't have to be undone.

I know it got new tile and they went to quite an effort to come up with something authentic, but the result wasn't quite a reproduction of the original tile which badly needed to be replaced.

Bluewater went as far as to keep the original number boards for the car, but while they were running it, turned them on the other side.

TVRM now has a sister car, but didn't use it on the 630 trip last weekend.

Bob H
SARM's objective has been to obtain, use and preserve an all SR fleet of cars.

Bluewater did in fact do a considerable amount of work to the running gear and interior of 829. But there has also been a fairly substantial contribution from SARM as well with more to come. SARM has retired the last of the DC circuits, batteries, and genemotor, and updated to 240v/120v systems, installed Microphor toilets and holding tanks, rebuilt 10 of the 15 coach section windows, going from fogged and ugly to the green tint solex look, and done a general remodel and update of the exterior appearance.

There is a 40KW Deutz genset, 10 ton Carrier AC unit, and an ABDX-L conversion in the works.

TVRM got Southern 832 from Bluewater, but I believe it is still unserviceable, just as it was when it left Saginaw. I'd say its unlikely to see it out soon.

And finally, I don't think SARM's focus is exclusively limited to Southern passenger equipment.

ETA

"And finally, I don't think SARM's focus is exclusively limited to Southern passenger equipment."

Don't they have 3 of the 4 CofG 1947 Budd Man-O-War cars - the 2 coaches and the former Tavern Lounge Observation?

SARM owns coaches #664 Fort Oglethorpe and #665 Fort McPherson, while club lounge observation #692 Fort Benning is owned by the Walden's Ridge Railroad Company (ETA and Hayneshopcat).

The only car not in Oak Ridge is baggage coach #391 Fort Mitchell, which is owned by CVSR as #727.

SARM also has CofGa 663, ACF 1947, 56 seat coach, and 6-6-4 sleeper NC&StL "Georgia Pine". They are also caretaker for the "Tennessee Pine" and "Rocky Creek Pine".

One of SARM's board members observed once that its not a lack of effort on acquiring equipment from the L&N or other area roads, just a lack of success. For whatever reason the Southern and Central of Georgia cars just seemed to work out.

Thanks, ETA, for the info!

Including the three at SARM, I have the current locations of nine of the Lot #6909, Plan #4183 Pine-Series 6-6-4 sleepers:

C&EI #902/L&N #652 Loblolly Pine is now the PV Promontory Point (#800724).

L&N #3453 Green Pine is/was RBBX #42105--haven't found any recent photos--retired/sold?

L&N #3462 Plantation Pine is now Iowa Pacific (SLRG) #9660 Colorado Pine (#800563).

L&N #3463 Rocky Creek Pine is now at SARM.

L&N #3464 Short Leaf Pine is now at the Florida Gulf Coast RR Museum.

L&N #3467 Towering Pine is now in Bowling Green, KY.

NC&StL #200/L&N #3472 Chickamauga Pine is now at TVRM.

NC&StL #201/L&N #3473 Georgia Pine is now at SARM.

NC&StL #202/L&N #3474 Tennessee Pine is now at SARM.

I noticed that the three cars at SARM, the car at TVRM, and the car at Bowling Green were all acquired in 1969 by the Wild Bird Society (Griggsville, IL). They also acquired L&N #3450 Alabama Pine (wreck damaged in 1969) and #3456 Light Pine. Are either of these two cars still extant??

Any other survivors?

Thanks in advance.

Sources:

1. "Streamliner Cars Volume One: Pullman Standard" by W. David Randall (RPC Publications, 1981)

2. Tom Madden's Pullman Project CCR database: http://pullmanproject.com/Database.htm

3. Pictures located via Jerry LaBoda's photo links website: http://passcarphotos.info/