NS Press Release ‘21st Century Steam’ Launches trips Labor Day Weekend

[E.M. Bell]

Source: Norfolk Southern

NORFOLK, VA., and CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – September will mark the return
of steam to Norfolk Southern rails as Norfolk Southern Corporation
and Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum launch a limited schedule of
steam locomotive passenger excursions Labor Day weekend.

The excursion program, "21st Century Steam," will operate two trains
each day Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3 and 4, powered by recently
restored Southern Railway Locomotive 630. Launch of the excursion
program coincides with TVRM's Railfest commemorating the museum's 50th
anniversary.

"For everyone interested in the history and romance of the railroads,
the return of steam-powered excursions is like a dream come
true," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "People are fascinated
by Norfolk Southern's past and the infinite possibilities
for our future in supporting jobs, a clean environment, competition,
and the economy." Moorman will be the featured speaker during TVRM's
50th anniversary banquet to be held at the Chattanooga Choo Choo at 6
p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.

"TVRM is proud to bring steam back to Norfolk Southern. For 50 years,
we have provided our guests the opportunity to experience the golden
age of passenger travel behind steam. This new venture with Norfolk
Southern will extend that opportunity to people throughout their
system," said TVRM President Tim Andrews.

Tickets for the inaugural trains at Chattanooga are available through
TVRM's website at www.tvrail.com as part of the Railfest package.
Future steam excursions will be announced as they are scheduled.

Norfolk Southern has launched a new website at
www.21stcenturysteam.com, loaded with information about the excursion
program as well as the rich legacy and modern contributions of
today's railroads.

[E.M. Bell]

Tickets for the trips are on sale now at the TVRM website.  http://tvrail.com/pages/railfest

Looks like a pair of short mainline trips with the 630 Saturday and Sunday, from TVRM Grand Jct, across the NS main to the wye at CT Tower (downtown) and back. Not exactly high speed or anything, but its a start. That route should get riders a good view of Debutts yard and other goodies you can only see from the train. With the bearing issues they have been fighting with the 630, this makes pretty good sense to keep it short and close to home for now. 

[E.M. Bell]

Troy, you just might be right. I got half a mind to send ol Wick a strongly worded letter demanding they do away with the program, scrap the steamers, get all the money they gave TVRM back and air a TV commercial  begging for public forgiveness for the crimes against rail-fans they have committed by daring to run such piss poor little trips.

(yall caught the sarcastic tone, right???)

You my grumpy friend, take the cake. Let me know when you send TVRM a big wad of cash to run a nice long, high speed mainline trip. In the meantime, I (and probably a few more folks) will be glad for whatever we get for now, and look forward to more trips in the future.

Guess this just means there will be one less person to get in our way around Chattanooga Labor Day weekend...I am heartbroken!

[butch]

I'd love to head that way Labor Day, but my chauffeuring skills are going to be required in the Bluegrass state.  But I'm with Emmett, any steam is better than no steam.

[cmherndon]

What a joke... we have been waiting for months, and their big steam trip is a run from the TVRM to DeButts yard and back? Seriously?

We've only been waiting months?  How about seventeen years, my pessimistic friend. You seem to be the kind of man who I could give a big sack of money to and he'd complain that it's too heavy to carry home. Even a short trip like this is huge, and possibly the start of something grand. Would it not be prudent to see how a few initial short trips go before expanding the schedule?  I'm sure that NS and especially TVRM would not want one of their locomotives to suffer a major failure that results in a non-revenue train blocking the mainline (Yes, I'm well aware that it can be rescued with a diesel). It's been seventeen years since steam operated on NS tracks. Maybe you're just too young to realize how big this short trip is.  Either that or you're wearing angry foamer goggles.

If I can swing it, I'll be taking my son down there on that Sunday.  He loves watching trains, and will be turning two on Sept. 4.  It would be one hell of a birthday present for him.

This is almost insulting.

That's right, Wick Moorman, et al. sat around the table and said, "Let's insult this troy12n guy."  They certainly have it out for you, don't they?  Knowing that you're insulted and won't be attending the event just lets me know that my son and I will not have to encounter your pessimism.  Feel free to piss and moan about it all you want to, but it still doesn't take away the fact that steam is running over NS rails for the first time in seventeen years.

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

Yeah really, imagine the younger generation who has never seen a steam excursion on the NS, this will be a new experience for them. I think its definitely a awesome step forward, not to mention the thousands of hours and the small fortune spent on the restoration of the 630, if I had a hand in that process I'd find your statement kind of an insult. Dont give up eeyore, my sad, "I'm just a donkey" friend, you just keep looking, you'll find your tail.

[Thefireman]

What a joke... we have been waiting for months, and their big steam trip is a run from the TVRM to DeButts yard and back? Seriously? This is almost insulting..
.

.

No, what truly IS insulting is your attitude. I have worked my balls off at TVRM the past few years so steam will return to the NS. What do you expect???? We roll out 4501 tomorrow and go to Cincinnati??? The "joke" is you. Expecting us to start where I guess you think we left off. It wasn't a joke when NASA only sent one guy up at a time and not putting someone on the moon immediately. Give us time! This kind of program has to start small and work our way up to the big trips. 630 is a relative newborn and need to walk a little before she can run. And yes, SERIOUSLY! If you knew everything that was involved in this program, you might halfway see why we are starting with baby steps Rome wasn't built in a day! Geeze O' Pete, next thing you'll want is to get 611 running.

[kbarnett]

I'm glad you all know everything about me. I am not young, I saw the 4501, 611 and 1218 at least 1 time each, 611 several times and the AFT back in St Pete in 1976. Let me just say this. When NS brought out 611 the first time (publically), it wasnt from Irondale to downtown Birmingham and back. It was from Atlanta to Toccoa I believe, which was about 100 miles each way. This one in comparison is about 10, 15  miles tops.

NW 611 made a break-in run from Irondale to Chatt. with tool car and caboose, and returned to Irondale with approx. 2500 tons the next day. Following week ran from B'ham to Roanoke over 3 days @ track speed. It does not take as long to break in an all roller bearing locomotive as it does a "friction" bearing locomotive. And Southern Railway management was a little more tolerant/knowledgeable about steam

[Badhorse79]

ahh I cant believe Im posting this but this was my only trip behind 4501 went to muncie from cincy ( it had a diesel ) It was suppose to be 1218 .? well enjoy and for the love of steam long trips short trips just stand back and enjoy the veiws and sounds

[Badhorse79]

Iwas just trying to cut the tension in here but that pic aint gonna do it  

my first time ever seeing a steam engine I brought a friend to protect me
Cincy to Danville 1985

[E.M. Bell]

Mr. Fireman (name withheld to to protect his secret identity as a mild mannered RR'er during the day , you and your TVRM co-workers do an awesome job, and you should be proud of that. I don't  think most folks have any idea of just how much work goes into even the simplest things when it comes to restoring and operating historic equipment.

Mr. Car Nut, I cant really answer you question 100%, as its been years since I was back in there. I would have to say that for the most part, I would think that location would be on NS property, and the overhead bridges there at the East End and South of the Wye may be better choices. I seem to remember most of the way around the side of the National Cemetery, the brush and tree's are high enough to really preclude any decent photography.

The outburst made earlier is just not normally mine (or JREB's) style, but  personally knowing a couple of folks that have been involved in the restoration of the 630, that just really rubbed me the wrong way (and it appears, it rubbed them in a bad spot as well). Even with NS writing checks, it has taken a lot of hard work on a lot of peoples part (and the majority of that is UNPAID work) to get things to where they are right now. I am sure this is just a precursor to longer trips, and the way I look at it, its their engine & railroad, they can do as they please, and the ones of us who (for the most part) just show up to take pictures and enjoy the fruits of that labor dont have a right to say one dang word about it, how ever it happens.

You know what they say about looking down the stack of a gift iron horse and so on....

Looking forward to seeing some of yall in Chatt in Two weeks.....carry on....

[Ponce de Leon]

Guys,
Not piling on here----but Emmitt is dead on target. While I doubt I'll be there for these first "trips" over the Labor Day weekend, I enthusiastically applaud both NS and TVRM. This is nothing less than an epic event----pure and simple. Over at CSX, what are they doing along this same theme? Nothing.

If it had been my decision, I would have started small as well. TVRM is still breaking the 630 in, so it wouldn't be too prudent to take on a longer distance trip in any direction out of Chattanooga. Every main line is "busy." You would have had to been around in the heyday of the SR steam program to know just how much many line-of-road transportation officers hated the likes of 4501, 630, 722, et al. Consider, then, the pure folly of sending the 630 (even with a diesel escort) on a r/t to Knoxville with a string of coaches behind. Let's say we have some axles on the steamer running a little too hot (got to stop and check things out). Delays, delays, delays (to priority freight traffic). Little things add up, and before long, this wonderful "return to steam" might become an operational debacle---and an embarrassment for the company right from the beginning.

No sir.....the smart thing is to start with baby steps first. Given the priorities and politics of the railroad business in the 21st century, it's a thousand wonders that this is happening at all. Let's give it some time to mature and be understanding and supportive.

Also, it wouldn't be very smart to resteam the 611----at least right now. First things first.

Ron

[steveiez]

Back in 1977, Conrail let two steam engines and about 20 very old passenger cars run form Pitt to Altoona and back. I was on the train, however some details are foggy. The trip to Altoona went smooth, the trip back did not. We couldn't even get out of Altoona due to a broken eccentric rod. Conrail went ballistic, saying, no more old steam engines will ever run anywhere on the Conrail! He was right...it never did.

The point...a steam engine is always a welcomed sight. Maybe this is a starting point of bigger and better things; maybe not, but around Pittsburgh, we have no steam excursions close by. Consider yourself lucky.

[Badhorse79]

  Ns is being smart by this maybe it's a way to see how much attention shows up labor day weekend ( ya don't wanna spend alot of money on future plans if the menu don't sell )  I enjoy the chats about pics and old memories not complaining about the trackage miles I would go but I have a bucket of junk that I hate driving to the local grocery let alone to Chattanooga  lol so go and enjoy and please take alot a pics and YouTube the hell outta it for me

[Badhorse79]

Yeah that tree fell on the milwaukee super dome me and my pops was babysittin for( cough cough ) railway expo then after that the Amtrak gator express happens and the insurance raises to a hefty million dollars a car so that in itself killed the whole rail trips  For a while they mothball 765 retired 611 and the whole bunch man damn Amtrak !

[Ponce de Leon]

Mostly, it was the weekend duty that local officials hated. On the one or two days they had a breather to be with their families or do other things, here came this fire-breathing machine onto their division hauling hundreds of idiot railfans, their families and bringing along untold numbers of "chasers" to climb on signals and equipment for better vantage points, trespassing all over the property, and generally causing total and complete havoc.

Of course not everyone felt that way, but in the extreme, many of those things happened. As long as the Claytor brothers were in control, however, there was no danger the steam program would die. As soon as both of them had passed on, however, you could sense top management trying to find a clean way to pull the pin for good.

The old steam program was one of expectations of an aggressive excursion schedule all over the system. The huge growth of the NRHS throughout the South in the '70s, for example, could be directly attributed to the steam program, since the local chapters sponsored those excursions, sold tickets, stocked and staffed the commissary car, etc. Having done a few of those myself, I can relate.

Now----we're dealing with a new generation that has no recollection of steam of any kind. Those of us who are old enough to recall steam in ACTUAL day to day service are dying off---and even those whose memories of "Southern steam" are confined to the earlier days of 4501 are AARP members.

Wick Moorman has always been a "fan"----but he's a brilliant corporate leader. The "new" steam program is a smart business move rather than a wasteful stroll down memory lane. That's why the UP still rolls the 3985 and 844.

If CSX were smart, they would take a page from this NS experience. Think what they could do with the likes of L&N 152, A&WP 290, C&O 614 or 2716----all engines that have been steamed (or are still in steam) from CSX predecessor lines that could be operated again without starting totally from scratch. That won't happen though.

RF

[lwjabo]

When they ran steam on the Atlanta north it was on the weekend. We ran at least 15% higher traffic on the weekend and were at the limits of how much we could get over the road. In one case I was on a north bound. They head me in at Sugar Valley and ran the steam train around us. Then the steam goes to Phelps where it does a run by for those on the train. I'm still at Davis till the steam leaves Phelps and then we go to Phelps for at least 5 south bounds. This took over  4 hours and we pull into Cleveland and go dead at the Junk Yard. So what could have been a good trip goes sour. The only crews who like the steam trains were the ones on them. The Dispatcher told us if they had ran my train we would have given them a approach signal. That was a no no. Slowing us down to head in at Sugar Valley I guess did not count?