This video brings back memories…I was in my senior year of college in Montgomery (WV Tech, before the campus was moved to Beckley), and things were frozen SOLID all that month. Twenty inches of snow fell around new years day, and stayed thick on the ground all month. The 614 made several water stops in Montgomery that month, coming through usually in the early afternoon. Late in the month, I heard her whistle and ran hard to my apartment to get my dad’s camera outfit. Fortunately she stopped for water, and I was able to set up atop the “Hi-Rise” dorm and wait. Managed to take a great series of photos as she got underway, belching a magnificent cloud of smoke and steam as she worked to get up to speed. Was cool to catch a little footage of my old college town as it was, nearly 40 years ago. Cool also to see a few glimpses of some pre-Chessie System C&O liveries in black & white in the video.
It would be nice if Ross Rowland (owner of the 614) would release the data acquired during these tests. He is quite elderly now, and it would be a shame if the data got lost when he passed.
The results of the tests were inconclusive (or so I understood them to be) because the recording equipment kept having issues due to the weather (making tests like this in the dead of winter is not ideal for electronic equipment of any sort), so they couldn't really make full use of the data in the ACE-3000 project anyway.
The total inspiration to build the most awesome train layout with the company of Blue ridge Virginians and Chesapeake and Ohio 2666s along with Yellowstone DMI&R and few Pocahontas and Cavaliers accompanied with the Virginia Creeper. That would be a theme and layout one could only imagine in dreams , justifying only in sheer size only.
1:14:40. Right after this shot, Streets Run Grade on the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Subdivision stalled 614 dead in its tracks. It was stuck on the grade for one hour until a helper arrived from Washington, PA. The helper stayed a distance in front of the 614 the rest of the trip into Wheeling. The 614 almost stalled again on the grade up to Brady Tunnel, just east of Washington, PA, but made it through the tunnel. On the return trip from Wheeling, helpers were attached at the bottom of the eastbound West Alexander grade, which runs for 11 miles upgrade from outside of Wheeling to the tunnel at West Alexander, PA. The helpers stayed attached to the front of 614 all they way into Pittsburgh as Chessie officials did not want a repeat of what happened earlier. The Wheeling-Pittsburgh Sub was considered the single most difficult stretch of track on the entire B&O and Chessie System, and Ross Rowland learned why that is so the hard way on this trip.
Very interesting documentary, I wonder where in the USA was this filmed. And the locomotive looks impressive, the size of it and how fast it can go. The concept of reusing steam locomotives is quite interesting, and where I’m from, Germany, the Deutsche Bahn has been modernising and repurposing old steam locomotives too. It’s good to keep history alive.
Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better see 👀 the trains 🚂 traveling thru the towns & country sides.. Remember the " Singing Break Men " jimmie Rogers whom was a genuine break men. Till changing careers to a singing entertainer 🎸🎶. ( 1926 thru 1933 ) most memorable song " Break Man's Blues 😭 ". Had the good fortune to visit the Casey Jones museum ( I-40 ) Jackson Tenn. Viewing this presentation from the comfort zone of my computer room. Along the "Space Coast "🚀 of Florida 🐊🐊. No steam locomotives here 😭-!!!. More good fortunes 2 steam locomotives 🚂 scenic tour rides. Bryson City N.C./Durango/Silverton Colorado. Very relaxing way to spend nostalgic time -!!!😉.
What would the data do anyway? Probably just verify inherent flaws in the reciprocating steam locomotive with a fire tube boiler. I read that a reporter referred to this shenigan as "snake oil".
Nothing like Bill Howes Jr custom stainless steel flat top Nathan chime from Bob Swanson. Great whistle I heard he sold it to a crewman at Dollywood and can be heard there if they put it on. I know C&O F19 pacific 490 has shown up there that’s another beautiful whistle. Ross is or will be 84 he was born in 1940 this year 2024. Been awhile since I’ve spoken to him great guy and lots of fun to talk steam with.
I truly wish this dream was materialized and big steam was brought back on our nations railroads, even if they were more for public relations purposes. To see steam engines running the rails on daily trips would be something else, there is nothing like a living breathing machine like this. This country was built by the railroads and its a shame that the country has turned away from them, where other countries strive to embrace their railroads and the transportation needs that they bring both freight and passenger
Mountains, more mountains valleys rivers, bridges, tunnels, snow steam and steam locomotives belching pillars of smoke.passenger trains depot’s , people coal and freight trains coal trains, all with rural and small towns and cities painted in back drops and airbrush painted skylines . Snow, signal lights semifores, bells, old cars church steeples and sidings trees, pines rocks boulders and cliffs and high sturdy bridges and some cantilevered and a few made of stone with arches and tracks running underneath them . Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia , Kentucky Ohio New York and Also All of New England and all of the old buildings , homes and the styles of the this period in the Gilded era of railroad travels and lifestyles and dining by rail . The Broadway Ltd and 20th century Ltd. What a layout! Now I can do it and it not be destroyed by my dad and brother
Watching 👀 these steam locomotives 🚂. Brings back to mind the ( 1890 thru 1900 ) fabled train robbers Butch Cassidy and associates. I respected him for just taking the money 💰 from the express car. Not robbing passengers/rail road employees -!!!😉
To @asdfjklol, grab a copy of the book entitled "The Red Devil, and other tales from the age of steam", by David Wardale. It will tell you most of what you wish to know concerning these test runs.
I wonder what the railroads are paying for diesel these days? I have diesel trucks and here in Ontario I am paying $1.60/litre on average. The experimental segment seems to me to be a bit redundant...I'm sure every railroad had all that detailed information on every class of locomotive they were running back in the day. Just pull out the file and look it up without needing to reinvent the wheel. The argument about how to coal and water the locomotives is bogus as every railroad had all that in place up until the end of steam, it is not very complicated to figure out. I think the biggest hurdle facing steam is not coal, but steam itself. Boiler maintenance, downtime, endless inspections. At least if a diesel dies you just call for a tow and carry on. When a steamer dies it can be a big bang. In otherwords it demands a railroad be totally committed to safety, regular maintenance, and be prepared to invest in the professional workforce to carry out the work. This is why you will never see steam replace diesel. If you could find another way to burn coal and generate power without steam I'm sure railroad people would be interested in having a look. For my money if I were running a railroad I would be looking at electrifying the locomotives and generating the electricity in-house using coal fed into stationary boilers in the conventional powerplant. You control the power supply and the cost using an economical fuel, and you have the ease of operations and efficiencies of electric locomotives. No issues about coaling and water, no smoke inspectors, no trackside fires, but the trains run on coal and steam. No diesel in sight.
It's a shame that the photographer never captured the entire train consist, just focusing on the locomotive, that was a big waste of effort. And seeing a C&O Engine pulling UP Super Dome Coaches, well that's just a cardinal Sin. No Offence to you Western folks. Also a point in fact is that Saluda Grade on the Southern Railroad was the steepest mainline grade east of the Mississippi and not what is claimed in this video.
WOW awesome video👍. In my humble opinion I don’t think steam will make a comeback until they can find a cleaner way to make this much heat. Way to much un-burned coal goes right out of the stack, some due to efficiency and some due to the fireman over stoking the fire!
This video brings back memories…I was in my senior year of college in Montgomery (WV Tech, before the campus was moved to Beckley), and things were frozen SOLID all that month. Twenty inches of snow fell around new years day, and stayed thick on the ground all month. The 614 made several water stops in Montgomery that month, coming through usually in the early afternoon. Late in the month, I heard her whistle and ran hard to my apartment to get my dad’s camera outfit. Fortunately she stopped for water, and I was able to set up atop the “Hi-Rise” dorm and wait. Managed to take a great series of photos as she got underway, belching a magnificent cloud of smoke and steam as she worked to get up to speed.
Was cool to catch a little footage of my old college town as it was, nearly 40 years ago.
Cool also to see a few glimpses of some pre-Chessie System C&O liveries in black & white in the video.
70 cents a gallon, watching this in 2024 as a 20 year old thats pretty funny to hear.
Adjusted for inflation, that would be $2.04 a gallon. Cheaper compared to 3.50 a gallon paid today but still more expensive.
I love plunkin' on me guitar whilst watching this sort of thing...
Thanx
It would be nice if Ross Rowland (owner of the 614) would release the data acquired during these tests. He is quite elderly now, and it would be a shame if the data got lost when he passed.
Ross has said he will be releasing an autobiography which intends to answer these questions.
The results of the tests were inconclusive (or so I understood them to be) because the recording equipment kept having issues due to the weather (making tests like this in the dead of winter is not ideal for electronic equipment of any sort), so they couldn't really make full use of the data in the ACE-3000 project anyway.
Never would have guessed in the 51+ years of Amtrak history that a revenue passenger train would have been led by a steam locomotive! 28:49
Wasnt the first.
@@bobbybrisk643 what other occasions?
@@Horzpwr 844 has done acouple of runs on the zephyr in The 70/80s
@@bobbybrisk643611 has also
Same for 4449
Just saw her sitting at the C&O Railway Heritage Center yesterday... Would LOVE to see her on the rails one more time, but it would take big bucks.
You know it, Brother.
According to one source, it would have taken a million dollars to restore her, and that was almost 30 years ago.
The Greenbriar's with a Water Bottle bring back many good memories. That version was a top performer in the 4-8-4 class of steam locomotives
Wow, what a power house intro ! 😊😊
The total inspiration to build the most awesome train layout with the company of Blue ridge Virginians and Chesapeake and Ohio 2666s along with Yellowstone DMI&R and few Pocahontas and Cavaliers accompanied with the Virginia Creeper. That would be a theme and layout one could only imagine in dreams , justifying only in sheer size only.
1:14:40. Right after this shot, Streets Run Grade on the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Subdivision stalled 614 dead in its tracks. It was stuck on the grade for one hour until a helper arrived from Washington, PA. The helper stayed a distance in front of the 614 the rest of the trip into Wheeling. The 614 almost stalled again on the grade up to Brady Tunnel, just east of Washington, PA, but made it through the tunnel. On the return trip from Wheeling, helpers were attached at the bottom of the eastbound West Alexander grade, which runs for 11 miles upgrade from outside of Wheeling to the tunnel at West Alexander, PA. The helpers stayed attached to the front of 614 all they way into Pittsburgh as Chessie officials did not want a repeat of what happened earlier. The Wheeling-Pittsburgh Sub was considered the single most difficult stretch of track on the entire B&O and Chessie System, and Ross Rowland learned why that is so the hard way on this trip.
Very interesting documentary, I wonder where in the USA was this filmed. And the locomotive looks impressive, the size of it and how fast it can go. The concept of reusing steam locomotives is quite interesting, and where I’m from, Germany, the Deutsche Bahn has been modernising and repurposing old steam locomotives too. It’s good to keep history alive.
It tells you in the captioning in the video -Huntington, Charleston, and Hinton. (West Virginia) January, 1985.
Pittsburgh is spelled with an "h" at the end.
Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better see 👀 the trains 🚂 traveling thru the towns & country sides.. Remember the " Singing Break Men " jimmie Rogers whom was a genuine break men. Till changing careers to a singing entertainer 🎸🎶. ( 1926 thru 1933 ) most memorable song " Break Man's Blues 😭 ". Had the good fortune to visit the Casey Jones museum ( I-40 ) Jackson Tenn. Viewing this presentation from the comfort zone of my computer room. Along the "Space Coast "🚀 of Florida 🐊🐊. No steam locomotives here 😭-!!!. More good fortunes 2 steam locomotives 🚂 scenic tour rides. Bryson City N.C./Durango/Silverton Colorado. Very relaxing way to spend nostalgic time -!!!😉.
What would the data do anyway? Probably just verify inherent flaws in the reciprocating steam locomotive with a fire tube boiler. I read that a reporter referred to this shenigan as "snake oil".
Nothing like Bill Howes Jr custom stainless steel flat top Nathan chime from Bob Swanson. Great whistle I heard he sold it to a crewman at Dollywood and can be heard there if they put it on. I know C&O F19 pacific 490 has shown up there that’s another beautiful whistle. Ross is or will be 84 he was born in 1940 this year 2024. Been awhile since I’ve spoken to him great guy and lots of fun to talk steam with.
I truly wish this dream was materialized and big steam was brought back on our nations railroads, even if they were more for public relations purposes. To see steam engines running the rails on daily trips would be something else, there is nothing like a living breathing machine like this. This country was built by the railroads and its a shame that the country has turned away from them, where other countries strive to embrace their railroads and the transportation needs that they bring both freight and passenger
Mountains, more mountains valleys rivers, bridges, tunnels, snow steam and steam locomotives belching pillars of smoke.passenger trains depot’s , people coal and freight trains coal trains, all with rural and small towns and cities painted in back drops and airbrush painted skylines . Snow, signal lights semifores, bells, old cars church steeples and sidings trees, pines rocks boulders and cliffs and high sturdy bridges and some cantilevered and a few made of stone with arches and tracks running underneath them . Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia , Kentucky Ohio New York and Also All of New England and all of the old buildings , homes and the styles of the this period in the Gilded era of railroad travels and lifestyles and dining by rail . The Broadway Ltd and 20th century Ltd. What a layout! Now I can do it and it not be destroyed by my dad and brother
Loved it
Shame there's no more track in Wheeling
Watching 👀 these steam locomotives 🚂. Brings back to mind the ( 1890 thru 1900 ) fabled train robbers Butch Cassidy and associates. I respected him for just taking the money 💰 from the express car. Not robbing passengers/rail road employees -!!!😉
You know that if maybe someday I drive that Chesapeake and Ohio 2-10-4 t1 steam locomotive number 3014 with Santa Fe 2-10-4 5018
You wish
Is this video available on DVD?
Yes
To @asdfjklol, grab a copy of the book entitled "The Red Devil, and other tales from the age of steam", by David Wardale. It will tell you most of what you wish to know concerning these test runs.
I wonder what the railroads are paying for diesel these days? I have diesel trucks and here in Ontario I am paying $1.60/litre on average. The experimental segment seems to me to be a bit redundant...I'm sure every railroad had all that detailed information on every class of locomotive they were running back in the day. Just pull out the file and look it up without needing to reinvent the wheel. The argument about how to coal and water the locomotives is bogus as every railroad had all that in place up until the end of steam, it is not very complicated to figure out. I think the biggest hurdle facing steam is not coal, but steam itself. Boiler maintenance, downtime, endless inspections. At least if a diesel dies you just call for a tow and carry on. When a steamer dies it can be a big bang. In otherwords it demands a railroad be totally committed to safety, regular maintenance, and be prepared to invest in the professional workforce to carry out the work. This is why you will never see steam replace diesel. If you could find another way to burn coal and generate power without steam I'm sure railroad people would be interested in having a look. For my money if I were running a railroad I would be looking at electrifying the locomotives and generating the electricity in-house using coal fed into stationary boilers in the conventional powerplant. You control the power supply and the cost using an economical fuel, and you have the ease of operations and efficiencies of electric locomotives. No issues about coaling and water, no smoke inspectors, no trackside fires, but the trains run on coal and steam. No diesel in sight.
EPA
Strange that this video doesn't have the correct sound???
Curb your expectations, its VHS, and not good VHS at that.
1:18 1:55 4:32 5:27 8:26 9:52 12:37 13:48 16:30 24:48 40:05
It's a shame that the photographer never captured the entire train consist, just focusing on the locomotive, that was a big waste of effort.
And seeing a C&O Engine pulling UP Super Dome Coaches, well that's just a cardinal Sin.
No Offence to you Western folks.
Also a point in fact is that Saluda Grade on the Southern Railroad was the steepest mainline grade east of the Mississippi and not what is claimed in this video.
Milwaukee Super Dome lounge, not UP. MILW repainted their psgr equipment in UP colors when they began operating UP Streamliners Omaha-Chicago in 1955.
Main reason is film was very expensive then and limited
WOW awesome video👍. In my humble opinion I don’t think steam will make a comeback until they can find a cleaner way to make this much heat. Way to much un-burned coal goes right out of the stack, some due to efficiency and some due to the fireman over stoking the fire!
Well I read on the internet that a team of scientists in Australia found a way to convert carbon dioxide back into coal