The 2004 Steam Excursion Season is rapidly approaching. This weekend kicks off the first steam excursion. Steam locomotive 4-8-4 #6325 will gallop on May 22nd. This excursion starts in Orrville, Ohio and travels to Dresden, Ohio and return. The 6325 will be placed on the train in Sugarcreek and take the train to Dresden. Tickets are still available at www.orrvillerailroad.com

This year is looking to be a very exciting year for the Ohio Central. Many new trips are being offered. Take a trip down memory lane on Saturday June 12, by riding “The Fifties Flyer” steam train from Dennison, Ohio to Sugar Creek, Ohio. The train runs on the Ohio Central Railroad and will be pulled by two different steam locomotives. The OCRR’s big 4-8-4 No. 6325 will handle one section of the trip, and 4-6-2 No. 1293 will pull the train on another section of the trip.

This special train takes passengers on a round trip to the “Fabulous Fifties” car show in Sugar Creek. Hundreds of old cars will be on display all over the village in this wonderful car show. The train departs Dennison at 8:00am and arrives in Sugar Creek at noon. En-route there will be opportunities for “photo run-bys” with both steam locomotives, so bring your camera! Passengers will have 3 hours to enjoy lunch and the “Fabulous Fifties” car show in Sugar Creek before boarding the train for the run back to Dennison.

The trip is being sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Railroad Heritage Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the railroad heritage of the Mahoning Valley. Tickets are $79 each and can be order by calling 800-571-1199 or by mail to: MVRH, P.O. Box 3055, Youngstown, OH 44511. Tickets can also be ordered on the web at www.ticketweb.com.

This coming July 30th – August 1st the Ohio Central Railroad will be hosting TrainFestival 2004, the largest celebration of railroading in 2004. TrainFestival 2004 is a family inspired event with steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, miniature railroads, train rides, model trains and much more. To find out more visit www.TrainFestival2004.com . Order your tickets today! Train Ride tickets are going quickly.

August 14 the Ohio Central Railroad will host a Vintage Locomotive Trip from Orrville, OH to Bowerstown via GP-9 Diesel, then west to Trinway on C&OR expected to be steam, and return to Sugarcreek w F-9 diesels, then on to Orrville with our GP-9 diesel. We plan to have a steam engine and 2 F-9 diesels on C&OR! Box lunch included, with at least one photo runby planned. Lv Orrville 8AM, Ar Orrville 8:30PM Fares: Coach $99, First Class $198, Executive Class, $225

For more information visit www.orrvillerailroad.com

As you can see these are a few of the excursions we are working on this Summer. We are finalizing plans for the Fall and will post those excursions very soon. Make your plans today to visit the Ohio Central and take a ride you wonÂ’t soon forget.

Warm Regards,
Jason M. Johnson
Operation Manager
Ohio Central Steam


www.ocsteam.com

jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

Jason, Counting the days until July 30 (ok, also counting the days until Grand Excursion too)... how's the 33 looking for this one?

Jim

(still unable to fit 1925 in the trunk of the Saturn for the event!)

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

> Jason, Counting the days until July 30 (ok,
> also counting the days until Grand Excursion
> too)... how's the 33 looking for this one?

> Jim

> (still unable to fit 1925 in the trunk of
> the Saturn for the event!)

Jim,

The 33 is progressing good. We sent the wheels down to Chatanooga last week and expect them back this weekend. The driving boxes are finished and the spring rigging is nearing completion. She should go back on her wheels in the near future. The boiler is getting closer each day to getting water put into her. It will be down to the wire, but we will give her all we got to see her at TrainFestival 2004.

We have a volunteer session this Thursday - Saturday to work on the 33. Volunteer sessions are open to everyone, if you are interested in volunteering on steam, contact John Rimmasch at 740-622-8118 7am to 3:30pm Monday - Friday

Jim As always, I look forward to chatting with you this Summer.

Jason

www.ocsteam.com

Jason, is there a story on the auxillary tender shown behind 6325 in the picture?

> Jason, is there a story on the auxillary
> tender shown behind 6325 in the picture?

The tender is from an ex C&O 2-6-6-2. We hope to "square" it off in the near future and repaint her. We also have a spare "vandy" tender from the 6319, we hope to use it for an Aux for the 6325 in the near future.

Jason

Photo by Jeff Rayner

www.ocsteam.com

jmjohnson@ohiocentral.com

Jason,

What class of 2-6-6-2 is that off of? If it is an original H5 tender, it could be the last authentic USRA "large" tender left... ones that were delivered with a USRA engine, not a copy. I think DM&IR 2-10-2 #506 in Green Bay has her original large tender, but quite modified.

So far, I have come across a handful of surviving USRA medium tenders, and not a single as-built USRA small tender.

If it is from an H-5, you might want to treat it with extra care.

Rob



http://www.peachcreekshops.com/images/goh2specs.jp