On the Southern Steam excursions how many cars could the 4501 "generally" handle without help(I realize the grade of the line used is a factor)? How fast did they let her run? I remember that the 610 was capped at 45 mph. I also recall that the 750 really flew on a few trips, although not when the 722 or 630 was along.

Thanks,

-Alan Levy

alanl759@aol.com

It has been a long time ago but if my remaining memory serves she pulled an excursion of 18 cars without diesel assistance (having been assisted with 20 or 21 the previous day) south from Charlotte on a traingular day trip to theoretically return by the "R" line having been through Greenville and Columbia en route.

Unfortunately she lost a retainer nut and a rod about removed itself from a crankpin at probably 60 MPH with a Claytor at the throttle. Emergency stop somewhere in a sweltering swamp and insufficient power in the old car batteries to keep the air conditioning active until the rescue power arrived.

They weren't all good old days.

Dave

> How fast did
> they let her run? I remember that the 610
> was capped at 45 mph. I also recall that the
> 750 really flew on a few trips, although not
> when the 722 or 630 was along.

Over the years Southern Railway timetables of various divisions had either 55, 50, or 45 mph as a speed limit for 4501. 750 had a 60mph limit. 630 and 722 had a 35mph speed limit.

That doesn't mean they were observed . . . ;-)

JAC

>

> That doesn't mean they were observed . . .
> ;-)

Especially not 750's 60 mph speed limit!

Southeastern Railway Museum

gapower97@yahoo.com

> On the Southern Steam excursions how many
> cars could the 4501 "generally"
> handle without help(I realize the grade of
> the line used is a factor)?

In the mid 1970s TVRM's Huntsville and Crossville trips carried 16 cars give or take a coach usually. While diesel assistance was used on the Emory Gap to Crossville segment of the Autumn Leaf Specials, the steamer had no help on the Rails to Rockets trips. Those runs used the L&N over a mountain grade up to the Marion/Hamilton County line. I don't know the percentage.

...How fast did
> they let her run? We used to pace the Old Girl, as Paul Merriman called her, at around 50 mph on the AGS between Chattanooga and Birmingham. I had one occasion to be in the cab on the Rockwood-Dayton leg of a Crossville trip. At one point the engineer poked me and pointed to the speedometer (I think he called it a speed recorder, it was incredibly loud in the cab and i may not have heard right) It was hovering between 53 and 54. We had 16 cars that day.

JWC


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