Southern Steam returns to the 2nd District of the CNO&TP....I never thought I would have a chance to write those words...but 20+ years after the last steam powered trip South of Danville, Ky, we once again had the chance to see the smoke and cinder show thanks to NS and TVRM.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared with you my take on Southern 630's trips out of Cincinnati, down to Danville KY. In that piece I expressed my feelings at the return of mainline steam to our area, and while the trips on the North end were awesome, the trips on May 31st and June 1st from Lexington, Ky to Oneida TN and return is what I had really been waiting for. Now, technically speaking, NS and TVRM have ran over the South End of the 2nd District for the past couple of years (Chattanooga to Oneida) but the North end is were the (really) good scenery is and the area I have spent so much time enjoying over the past 30+ years.
Carmon and myself spent both days with the train, joined by T.J. who came up from Florida for the big show plus a lot of other Jreb members and other friends. The weather treated us good (having the Jreb Weather Man along probably didn't hurt on that front!) and the trips ran pretty much on time except for a late return on Sunday. I had expected to see a LOT more folks out shooting that we did, but I guess the Streamliner shindig over in Spencer had a lot of them otherwise occupied. The turnout of local folks was outstanding. It seemed like every place you looked, they where standing at crossings, back yards, alongside the road and any other place you can think of watching the 630 roll by with smiles and waves...it had been a LONG time since such a sight had been seen.
It was great to be able to stand at places like Kings Mountain and Parkers Lake once again and listen to the sounds of a steam whistle again echo through the cuts and valleys. I have spent a lot of time in that area shooting the likes of 611 & 1218, but it was great to be able to shoot Southern Steam on home rails. Nothing against the big engines, but the 630 looked right at home under those classic model SC searchlight signals and crossing the Cumberland River bridge at Burnside!
Here are a few small samples from the weekend. You can find the entire set (42 new images) at this link, be sure to check them all out! >>>>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/ns_steam_2014_eb (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/ns_steam_2014_eb)
Friday, May 30th
"Little Engine - Big Show" Southern 630 accelerates away from CP Fayette on the North side of Lexington, after shoving out to the mainline and then crossing over 1 to 2 track. You would almost think this was "The Ponce" roaring into town, and not a ferry move that was only going about 2 miles to the NS yard......If you ask me, I think she was glad to have escaped the Borg (RJC) yard were the train was stored in Lexington, and be back on home rails without getting any RED paint applied
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Saturday May 31st
"Oooooh That Smell" The wonderful aroma of coal smoke fills the valley North of Oneida Saturday afternoon as the 630 eases down the storage track to clear the mainline. I may be a bit odd (probably no objections to that) but that is One of the best smells in the world...They should make perfume and air freshener out of it.
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"Northbound with a Vengeance" The heat was oppressive and the air so heavy you could almost drink it as we stood at the KY / TN state line Saturday afternoon and waited. A whistle in the distance down around Ratliff was soon heard, followed by the rapid, sharp beat of 630's stack long before the headlight popped over the hill almost a mile a way at Silersville. Quick enough, the train was on us, Northbound with a vengeance laying down a trail of smoke and cinders across Two states. A moment in time that was long in coming, short in duration and worth every drop of sweat to witness.
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" Walkers" Get to a pre-planned location well ahead of the train, enjoy a few minutes of solitude and you never have to worry about missing the target. ....when you see this coming at you, the train is near.. Now I know how it might feel to be in the zombie Apocalypse.. Parkers Lake, KY
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"Noisy Neighbors" Most folks would want a final resting place to be peaceful and quiet, but that has not been the case for the long interred residents of the Tateville, Ky Cemetery. While the cemetery was there a LONG time before the Cincinnati Southern built through the valley (I found stones from the early 1800's in there) I would like to think that it has been a peaceful coexistence. I have little doubt that the cinders falling from 630's stack landed on the final resting place of more than One railroader as she passed by, a fitting tribute from the modern world to those that labored to create it.
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You never know who you might run into standing in a old grave yard by the tracks. Once again you think your alone....but you are not. Looks like the gang is all here...how many Jreb Members can you name :)
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TJ and the Southern 829 at Lexington, Ky....I think they were both glad to be back home again..
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Sunday June 1st
"Survivors" SR 630 was shaking the ground as she climbed out of the cut at Kings Mountain Sunday morning. The 109 year old survivor is passing under the GRS Model SC searchlight signals, unique to the CNO&TP and survivors on their own right, having stood for over 6 decades. Sadly, the 630 will be round to celebrate her next birthday...those iconic signals wont. I was elated to be able to shoot steam under that signal bridge once again, and humbled to know it would be the last time I would ever have the chance.
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"Breathing Room" In the era of regular steam service on the CNO&TP, the crew (and passengers) would have probably been taking in a mass amount of coal smoke and heat into their lungs as the train plodded along through the tight confines of the 27 tunnels that made this line famous....now the wide cuts and realignments have eliminated that hellish ride. SR 630 made a fine sight as she pounded up the hill at Wiborg, Ky Sunday morning laying down a perfect smoke trail through the cut, instead of choking through One of several tunnels that could once be found in the area
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If you look close you can see the TVRM and NS crew on 630 as the train arrives in Oneida (they may be hard to spot in that dark cab. Look real close and you might even find a fellow Jreb member in the tender cutting coal.
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"Memories" Good PR, NS and TVRM are doing it right.. A young lady intently watches the 630 depart from Oneida, safely tucked into her Grandfathers arms. For every railfan with a camera, there was 3 or 4 "common folk" out to watch the train, all with big smiles and waving hands. This is the reason to run a steam program....good memories and happy people.
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After a quick crew change at Burnside, Northbound SR 630 comes across the Cumberland River Bridge in almost perfect light Sunday afternoon. With all of the train traffic in the area, we all breathed a sigh of relief to find the train to be on #2 track and not blocked from view thanks to some thoughtful dispatching and maybe a little luck!
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My last sight of 630 that weekend, as she raced North out of Danville,Ky running well over an hour late. I hope we have the chance to do it again with the 4501 or 611, but if not I will be happy knowing it DID happen again, 20 years later!
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Excellent coverage there Emmett and outstanding images.
Thanks, Mr. Bell and others, for sharing the pics of the excursion over the 2nd District.
It may have been fun to watch track-side, but it was a real thrill to ride the CNO&TP (talk about a smooth ride, over the ribbon rails!). It was amazing to see close-up the region of the country that I model in HO scale.
As per photography from inside the passenger cars, it was tricky. The windows weren't all that clean, and the deflection from the thick panes of plastic caused problems as you looked way forward or way backward (look at the inside rail in the first photo below). Plus sometimes our view was blocked by a train "in the hole" as we passed by, but that was sort of neat at times, too.
I did catch some "must have" pics. The south tunnel portal at Kings Mountain (tunnel #2) was one, but it's pretty wooded over right now. Some of the recent rock work in southern Kentucky was interesting as well, as viewed at car level. They sure have moved a lot of material to double- and triple-track the line.
Finally, a shout-out to all the photographers along the line who continue to post outstanding pics of the NS 21st Century Steam trips of 2014. ;D
Just about everyone knows that if you are around me during a trip, you will probably get your picture taken. As mush as I enjoy the trains, they are just an excuse to get out and have fun with friends...and I am sure enough lucky to have a large and crazy bunch of them! It seems that we hardly ever go anywhere alone, and it always more fun in a group!
With that said, here are a few of those candid moments from the past few months....If you go out with us I will never guarantee we will see a lot of trains or get that perfect shot, but we will sure have a good time trying., I feel very honored to have such a awesome group of folks to hang out with....you have nothing without friends!.
Tyler and Mr. Starnes, just hanging out in front of a shoe store in Spring City TN on a Sunday afternoon..03/30/14
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Shortbritches Odell using his favorite trick to gain a little elevation at Evansville, TN..the short wood truck in the background was a nice touch I thought! 05/14/15
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Tyler "The Beaver" Hardin, Mr. Owens and Mr. Odell at the Eagle Creek bridge near Sadieville, KY 05/15/14
All of those missing tree's are Tylers fault!
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Everybody wants to hug my wife...Tyler and Carmon at Cliffside, KY
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You never ever know what might transpire in the middle of a steam chase...Chad presents Gage with a 10 pound bundle of tasty frozen treats at Sherman, KY...yea, there is a inside joke. 05/17/14
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Carmon, Tyler, Joel, Erik, Gage and Alex high on a hillside on Ohio 05/17/14
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Carmon in her camo shirt, hat pulled down and hiding behind the camera...you would almost think maybe we might have been somewhere we shouldn't have been...almost. Deliplane, Kentucky 05/17/14
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Photo Line waiting at Bowen Saturday morning for the SR 630 ...1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5...Five goobers, yep..under the limit. Mark, Alex, Doyle, TJ and a few others at Bowen, Ky 05/31/14
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Alex and myself stood on the bridge at Parkers Lake silently wishing that dam train would show up quick, as the women talked, plotted, and compared notes....Carmon must have been telling a story about a fish......she does not even own a pole, but I am pretty sure it was about a fish...yep...
Parkers Lake, Ky 05/31/14
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Steam on the mainline makes folks go places they would not normally be found....case in point. We even had a rare Landrum sighting, lurking in a cemetery in Tateville, Ky. He was even spotted in...gasp...Tennessee! Tateville, Kentucky 06/01/14
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And the loyal subjects gathered around, heads bowed as he delivered a sermon on the mount. Let there be steam, searchlights and fellowship.. So sayeth he, so it shall be. John " The Deity" Owens delivers an inspiring message on the top of Kings mountain as we waited on 630, 06/01/14
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A whole bunch of happy and tired Jreb members at dinner in Lexington KY after a hard day of chasing steam in KY. We came, we ordered, we told stories and didn't get kicked out! 05/31/14
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