Regarding N&W 1218, one Duncan Herring from NC is nearing completion on a very nice live steam version in 1.6" scale. I am hearing it may make its debut at the Buckingham Central RR's annual Unmeet in February.

Rob Gardner

That I'd love to see. Any construction photos or info on line?

Had to have been a runby done by C&O 614 at Port Jervis in 1998. Bleachers were set up trackside and Ross did 3 consecutive runbys, each a little faster and working harder than the last. The final runby was so loud that you can hear people in the crowd going "Oh my God!" after the engine goes by. Anyone who witnessed that runby was completely awestruck. I believe she had about 22 cars on behind the tender.

"The final runby was so loud that you can hear people in the crowd going "Oh my God!" after the engine goes by."

I love loud, impressive steam as much as anyone, but let's admit it, all that noise does represent high back pressure and relative inefficiency. Now, I haven't had the chance to see this big Alco in action personally, but I have to say I am impressed with how it races along at 75 mph or more, working so easily and with relatively little noise or smoke. We are speaking about UP 844, of course:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=542dJPNNSE0

I understand that in better times, when she was a bit younger and the UP still had automatic train stop, that the big girl could take an excursion UP Sherman Hill at 90. . .would have liked to have seen that. . .

About the 3985 on freight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgHrDbN4EU

It is impossible to pin down a specific locomotive, but there was nothing like growing up listening to working steam engines. Yep, Northwestern Steel & Wire - Sterling, Il. and they were hot until I was almost out of college. We lived about 2 miles from the mill & on a cold, clear winters' night you could hear every move made.

For a specific event, I'll have to say helping move the C&NW 1385 from the Reedsburg, WI. sesquicentennial back to North Freedom. It was my first experience on a standard gauge engine at night & one I'll never forget....mld

Two or three things stick in my mind -- and they do not necessarily relate to "performance."

1. The 4449 when it was hauling the Freedom Train. It had left Pomona, California, with the train and had stopped at Colton Yard for servicing before heading east on the SP. I was on a road overpass bridge as the locomotive drifted back into the yard. About all that could be heard was the whine of the turbine generator. Kind of spooky -- such a large machine and so quite.

2. This one is not as vivid, but it sticks in my mind in one of those mystic ways. When I was three or four years old (c.1954) we lived in Ventura, California. My father had managed to talk my mother into taking me to the depot for the night-time arrival/departure of one of the passenger trains. It was one of the SP's "Daylight" locomotives and this nighttime at the depot was the first time I was up close to one these machines.

3. Dan Markoff's 4-4-0 Eureka on a visit to the Henderson, Nevada, regional museum where it was steamed up on a stretch of temporary track. The sun was low in the western sky and beginning to get red. This light reflected off all the brass and gold-leaf of the locomotive. The locomotive was ablaze in this red light.

Yes, the Port Jervis excursions in toto were IMHO the most impressive steam locomotive performances in the last 20 years or so in that they were operated on a scheduled mainline, run at track speed and were allowed to operate WITHOUT a diesel in the consist.

For pure steam lovers this was the first time since the early 80's that one could ride in an open windowed coach behind big steam at 80 mph with no diesels in sight. It was a product that has not since ( sadly) been repeated as we enter the second decade of the new century.

Yes, the loud exhaust on the high speed runbys was indicative of high back pressure but those runbys were of course for "show" not operating efficiency.

Let's hope that someone, somehow can duplicate this product for us steam purists in the near future??

Merry Christmas, Ross Rowland

Hugh, you can pics of the 1.6" scale 1218 at www.railfan.net. Go into the forums/model railroading/live steam and you should quickly find the thread about Duncan's project. He has already completed a similar 1.6" scale model of 611.

Rob Gardner

Good stories and a fun thread, guys......

P51 mentions being on the train behind the 1218 at night. It remined me of a trip behind the 614 on the Chessie Safety Express when we were coming back into Richmond on that long trestle that runs through town and we stopped. You could see the shadows on the ground from the cab lights being on and the occasional burst of light when someone would open the firedoors. Even at 7, I remembered thinking 'I want to be up there someday!'.

Riding up Saluda for the last time in 611 was quite an experience. There were a few of us up there and I quickly took my seat on the cooler on the water leg of the tender on the fireman's side. The Division super stood there, hands folded behind him, in the the middle of the cab, just listening. I could lean out and look right down the drip rail above the cab window and stake it all in. I still say I had the best seat in the house.

Others were leaving Greensboro, going south after dropping passengers, and feeling her lunge and dig in as we left town. I couldn't see the speedometer, but I would bet Jack had us close to 40 by the time we hit the switches at Pomona. In the spirit of the season, another is going through Rural Retreat and past the staion at night in a J......it was in October but still very cool!

We run Santa trains during the first two weekends in Decemeber at the New Hope Valley. A couple of years ago, we were lucky to do it while it was snowing, which isn't common in NC. We have a nice 1.6% climb for the last mile or so of our short trip and by the time we got there, the rails were slick. Our tank engine is a lot stronger than many give her credit for, but it was work to get up the hill and to the end of the run. Kept me on my toes with a lot of slipping and losing speed, but we made it. Add in all the steam exhaust in the cool air and it was a neat experience.

Hi all

I would have to go with Milwaukee Road # 261 running the New River Train , in the New River Gorge , with 30 coaches behind her , and struggling to keep her footling, in Oct 1994.

I don't post often, but this thread is too good to pass up.

The Saturday runs by Canadian National 6060 in the 70's between Toronto and Niagara Falls were epic. The returns from the 'Falls were always late departing, and the dispatcher usually gave 6060 the road. With the "restriction" to 70MPH across the Jordan Harbor bridge, and the stop in Hamilton, they flew back to Toronto. I remember watching from the back seat of a car on the QEW highway doing over 75 MPH as 6060 caught up, passed us, and disappeared into the distance. I could clearly hear the exhaust with the windows up!

The best I ever rode, was a fantrip with 6060 that started in Niagara Falls and went up the escarpment somewhere to a wye where the train was turned. (Sorry, I forget the places and date) Leaving Hamilton on the way back to the 'Falls in the dark, we went up to the baggage/recording car. We tried to time her, and figured she hit 90 at times. Certainly in the 80's for all of the run except Jordan Harbor. The noise was incredible, like riding behind a jet aircraft. The exhaust was just a continuous roar.

The best runby was a charter with 6325 on the Ohio Central. We were at Conesville, OH. The engineer backed up and soon we were asking where did he go. Then we heard it. She was rolling! Whistle screaming for the crossing, 6325 woke Conesville up. Once was good, twice more was even better. I have the recordings of those three runs. There is video from others as well.

Overseas, the South African 25 class 4-8-4's on the Kimberly-DeAar mainline. Doubleheaded and singly were incredible to see and hear. My favorite in South Africa, however, were the Uitenhege commuter trains. Ten car sets of side door stock powered by 15AR class 4-8-2's. Eight stops in about 20 miles. Up to 50-60 MPH between stops. The 15's had 57" drivers. The acceleration was incredible.

I've spent pretty much time in the cab firing and working on Reading and Northern 425. I've been very impressed over the past few years with what this light pacific can do. Its given us three years of trouble free running. We've had her in the shop since the beginning of this year, working every day on various items. Some of the big ticket items include new trailing truck tires with roller bearing conversion, completely NEW pony truck with new wheels and roller bearings, new piston rings, rebuilt air compressor, plus many other things. I've been in the cab while we walked 12+ coaches up the hill out of Pittston unassisted or up the Hometown hill. Look for the 425 to have a busy schedule in 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhmMT7I9wog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTmx22L-6sE

I believe that was the Winter 2004 trip, and those Conesville runbys were something to behold. Crossing gates go down, and then that thunderous exhaust and screaming whistle. If memory serves, Ross Rowland was at the throttle, and putting on one heck of a show. Simply unforgettable and one incredible end to a photo charter.

As far as a couple of others....I wasn't there, but the video and audio from the 2716's visit to Appalachia and Norton, VA in May 1982 has to rank up there with the best. Heavy train, wet rail, 2% grades.....and such poor coal that they couldn't even keep the trainline pressure up to keep the brakes disengaged. Throttle on the roof, booster talking to the world, and one heck of a show not to be forgotten. Work hard, pressure drops, brakes engage, engine stalls, build up pressure, start up again, repeat.

Next on the list would be GSMR 1702 on the west side of Red Marble Grade from Andrews to Topton in November 1999. 2 day trip from Dillsboro to Andrews and overnight for the return the following morning. Slick rail, lots of leaves down, and 1702 in reverse, diesels and train. The top of the tender was packed, and we must have slipped 50 times. Just amazing sound.

Then, R&N 425 blasting uphill through the tight rock cut at Solomon's Gap. Between the loud engine and the funneling of sound through that cut, it's the only time I've ever had physical pain from steam exhaust. Even the audio on the video camera was clipping because of the tremendous volume.

There are plenty of others....like the aforementioned Saluda assualt with 611, and a pesky set of switches and short, steep hill in Winston-Salem, NC that was almost the J's undoing, or WM 734 from the inside of Brush Tunnel. These are the moments that stay with you a lifetime.
Kevin

So far for me it would be riding in the tool car behind 1218 on a round trip from Salisbury NC to Asheville NC with no diesel the whole way. After going thru Swannannoa Tunnel every one was coal black. Most recently 630 put on a good show when she was in my neck of the woods for two weekends of short trips out of Spencer NC

Michael

One of the interesting things about this thread is the wide spread of what a "performance" means. Most are of big engines on big jobs, both running fast and on hard drags, and a few are small engines on jobs that are big for them. On some, though, the performance is something that is revealing about the subject, such as how quiet drifting steam can be (4449), or about how common certain jobs are for steam (Cass Scenic's Shays on that up-and-down road), how nicely some locomotives run (UP 844 running so easily to have a reserve even at 75 mph), and even a performance that is a performance, as in a stage show, complete with grandstand (614 in New Jersey--perhaps the closest we've come to "Locomotives on Parade" and the 999 record run reenactment across the stage during that show?). Most common have been the observations of how steam draws the crowd, including at night when our glorious machines seem to come out of the past, as if from a dream. . .