I was watching another video of a preserved UK steam loco posing as a no longer existing member of the same class (Ten Wheeler Bahamas as Falkland Islands) and got to thinking; 2027 will be the 50th anniversary of the Chessie Steam Special. While 2101 will most probably never run again because of the fire it was in, 2102 was recently overhauled and should still be operable five years from now. I realize that would be a lot of paint, but it's pretty much identical to the '01, and it could be a possible attraction for fans who never got to see the original, or for those of us who have fond memories of those excursions. I know most of the cars used either no longer exist or are not operable, and I have no idea if the auxiliary tender is still around (an important part of the presentation of the train), but I believe tail car Brothers Two is around, and R&N has numerous similar heavyweight open-window cars like those used on the original train (many of which do need new paint). Maybe a smaller version of the train? Digging a foxhole for the incoming...

I think the fun won't be in getting and painting up the 'Steam Special' part as it will be to get running permission from the "Chessie" part.

Bonus points if they can find some of those old coaches which used to randomly uncouple along the mainline, with passengers onboard!

Put it this way:

I'd consider it a miracle at this point if someone could just come up with a means JUST to repaint 2101/AFT 1 in ANY paint scheme again.

Unfortunately, in the past few years, we've lost three of the people responsible for the CSS: Hays Watkins (Chessie president) Howard Skidmore (Chessie PR), and William F. Howes Jr. (VP-Casualty Prevention). Ross Rowland and C&O 614 (a better loco in many respects than 2101) are still around, but......

One other consideration: The B&O Railroad Museum was willing to try and put on a Fair of the Iron Horse redo back for the 175th anniversary, but in the opinions of many was spared what could have been a major "dud" by the collapse of the Museum's roundhouse roof under heavy snow in Feb. 2003 and the show/event's subsequent cancellation. There were almost no positive responses to a call for locos to appear in Baltimore. I would suggest that the prospects of pulling off any major steam gathering in CSX territory in 2027 are even dimmer, let alone a steam excursion series.

The Refair of the Iron Horse did get far enough that the Federal Railroad Administration was willing to consider a waiver from some regulations for a special train of visiting locomotives.

I guess I was not clear. I'm not proposing anything off of the R&N, just something run within that operation with 2102 playing 2101 for awhile. I think that might be doable. I never expected to see 2102 thunder up Sandpatch or roar through the flatlands west of Sterling, Ohio at 70 mph, although that would be something to see again, having experienced it firsthand, both line side and on-board. Just an echo of the original is all.

Here's something bigger to think about:
2027 is the 200th anniversary of the B&O, and the start of railroading in the western hemisphere. That was 2 years before the Rainhill trials, and 1 year after the deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, at the laying of the cornerstone (no ties and spikes back then) pondered publicly if building the B&O was more momentous than signing the Declaration of Independence.

They knew they were starting something big. Does the B&O's corporate descendant still know it? Will the industry take note of its bicentennial?

Aarne H. Frobom
The Michigan Territory

You realize Carroll died NOVEMBER 14 1832

How's that for ironic?

Sort of like Adams and Jefferson dying on July 4 or something.

Not just any July 4, but July 4, 1826, the 50th anneversary!

Phil Mulligan

Yes, a fact I overlooked. Thanks.

If you are not running over busy CSX lines with a 4-8-4 what would make this hypothetical excursion similar to the original Cheesie steam special? 2102 is getting some decent speeds on R&N with a mostly matching consist. What is missing?

If CSX was going to look for an excursion locomotive C&O 614 would be a better candidate, it was actually from a CSX predecessor railroad and it was built with roller bearings.