Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6 by railroadinginamerica

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Edition 6 Was Made Possible By... Executive Board:

Evan Cihlar: President and CEO Garrett Monnin: Vice President and COO Jonah Collins: Editor-in-Chief Max Harris: Assistant Editor, Advertising Manager Tim Lewis: Social Media Manager, Human Resources

Authors and Photographers: Walker Wood: Author Clayton Cook: Author Carlos Llamas: Author Adam Zappacosta: Author Matthew Malkiewicz: Author and Photographer

A Special Thank You To: Max Railroad for Sponsoring Edition 6 Adam Matthews for Providing Photos Riley Ginger for Providing Photos Larry Amaloo for Providing Photos Rail Archives for Providing Photos Lost Tracks of Time for Providing Cover Photo and Other Photos Dillon Goble for Providing Photos Tyler Nolan for Providing Photos and an Article Stockyard Express LLC for Providing Support and Selling Magazines Esther's Hobby Shop for Providing Support and Selling Magazines Our Readers for Providing Support, Dedication, and Helping us Grow as a Family

Le er from the President

Railroading in America Magazine would like to thank everyone who helped make this edition possible. Edition 6 has been filled with action-packed content and photos provided by these generous railroad enthusiasts: Adam Matthews, Riley Ginger, Rail Archives, Larry Amaloo, Lost Tracks of Time, Dillon Goble, and Tyler Nolan. Our crew has worked countless hours to make Edition 6 a success, and I will promise you this: you will not be disappointed with what articles are included in this edition. A special thank you goes out to Maxrailroad for sponsoring this edition of Railroading in America Magazine, your support means a lot to everyone on crew with us. Our design crew has been working extremely hard to re-design our website, www.railroadinginamerica.com, and our magazines. Last edition we experimented with articles being formatted in all one column, and per reader feedback we have reverted back to the classic two column design. Pictures that strech across the page in a panoramic-like manner will make you feel like you are one with the moment that was captured not only in the photo, but in the article as well. Railroading in America Magazine has welcomed a newcomer to our magazine, Matthew Malkiewicz. Matthew is an avid railroad enthusiast, photographer, and author. Many of you have seen his work on his Instagram profile, @losttrackso time, or from our Edition 5 cover. Matthew has submitted an article that fits under the "experience" category on page 9. You can visit Matthew Malkiewicz's full portfolio at www.losttrackso time.com. Thank you Matthew for your extended support and upli t of the magazine!

Le er from the Design Chief

Railroading isn’t a hobby to me, it’s a lifestyle. Without my trains, I probably wouldn’t have the motivation to get out of bed in the morning, so i try to incorporate trains into my everyday life. As a full time student, this can be challenging, but I make do. When I get bored in school I’ll o ten sketch a part of my layout on graph paper. For projects, I always ﬁnd a way to make it about trains, like when used my knowledge of insulation board construction to build an Aquaduct for Latin class. These little things help get me through the days when i can’t be working on my layout. I need trains to get through the days, because they make me feel like nothing else can. Trains are much more than a hobby, it’s a stress reliever, it’s a happy place, and it’s my way of life. Railroading in America Magazine has given me an opportunity to make trains even more a part of my life. With RIAM, I know that I am going to go places in the railroad industry eventually.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Table of Contents Page 1................................................................................ Oddball Diesels Page 3................ Steam Locomotives with Short-Lived Service Careers Page 5....................................... Amtrak's New Private Car Abolishment Page 9...................................... TVRM Lerro Productions Photo Charter Page 10............................................ The Steam to Diesel Era Transition Page 13..............................................................Rebirth of the Wiscassett, Waterville, and Farmington Railway Page 15............................................ How I Met Norfolk and Western 611 Page 19....... Restoration Projects on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad Page 21.................................. Adventures on the Christiansburg Distric Page 25............................ The Future of Steam Locomotive Excursions Page 27.... Product Spotlight: MTH's Reading & Northern PaciďŹ c #425 Page 29............. Southern PaciďŹ c Daylight #4449's History and Future Page 33..................................................... Our Sponsors and Advertisers

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

About Us Railroading in America Magazine was founded by two high school students, Evan Cihlar (President) and Garrett Monnin (Vice President) in January, 2017. Since the formation of the magazine, Railroading in America has had numerous guest authors such as Carlos Llamas, an engineer and avid railroad enthusiast from the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. Carlos has been a locomotive engineer and fireman on the Cumbres and Toltec for 28 years, and has worked with other steam locomotives around the Western United States for many years before the Cumbres and Toltec. All of Railroading in America Magazine’s articles are written by railroad enthusiasts. The majority of the group are high school students. The first edition of Railroading in America Magazine was published to Evan Cihlar’s model railroad website for a free PDF download, and got over 10,000 downloads within the first month of publication. For the second edition, downloads spiked with 20,000 downloads within the first 24 hours, and 35,000 downloads in a month’s time. The third edition got 40,000 downloads within the first month. Edition four was the magazine’s first attempt at professional design, and downloads soured through the roof at 45,000 downloads.

UP X-18 Is Pictured at it's Final Resting Place

Adventures on the Christiansburg District

The Future of Steam Excursions

Restoration Projects on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Oddball Diesels

Walker Wood

Since the late 1950s and early 1960s, the diesel locomotive has been the main power on freight and passenger trains for all railroads. There have been several models, such as EMD’s SD40-2 or GE’s ES44AC, which have been extremely popular and good performers since their inception. Other models, such as EMD’s SD24, GP20 or GE’s U30B, may have only been moderately successful and were not widely used on railroads. Let’s take a look at some of these so-called “oddballs” of a given railroad’s leet. For the purposes of this article, we will only focus on engines that had low sales, were not reliable, and/or were generally not common power on any railroad.

EMD's GP39 and SD39

Both the GP and SD variants of this model were not too popular on railroads. Built between 1968 and 1970, the SD39 and GP39 saw a combined 77 engines built total. They were both 2,300 horsepower, but were largely in the shadows compared to sales of engines like the GP38, SD40, and GP40, all of which saw more than 500 of each kind built, with the later two having over 1,200 built in a similar timeframe. Later sales of the GP39-2 were moderately successful, however there were no new SD39-2s built at EMD’s locomotive shop in LaGrange, Illinois. Some GP39s can still be found in revenue service, but they are few and far between.

Union Paciﬁc's Gas Turbines

The Union Pacific Railroad operated a leet of gas turbine-electric locomotives (GTELs) for roughly 25-30 years. At one time, they had as many as 56 operating on their system. These engines were more powerful than any diesel at the time, but it came at the expense of high fuel consumption, and higher maintenance than a conventional diesel engine. The fuel they burned, Bunker C fuel oil, had a consistency similar to molasses at room temperature, which meant that the fuel had to be heated up before it was used in the locomotive. Turbines 51-75 were all built and delivered between 1953 and 1954. The first nine are considered to be “first-generation” GTELs and the final fourteen are considered to be “second-generation.” However, both first and second generation models produced 4,800 horsepower, of which 4,500 was available for traction. Eight of the second generation units were equipped to run with other locomotives, while the others could only run alone. These engines were primarily assigned to trains between Ogden, Utah and Laramie, Wyoming. The third-generation of GTELs was ordered in 1955. These became the world’s most powerful locomotives, producing a whopping 8,500 horsepower! These turbines were set up with three parts: the A-Unit, which had the cab, auxiliary generators, and a fuel tank; the B-Unit, which housed the main turbine and generators; and the fuel tender, which could hold an impressive 24,000 gallons of fuel. Instead of using steam generators to heat the Bunker C fuel, the tenders came insulated. Thirty of these beasts roamed the Union Pacific between 1958 and 1969. They only ran while their fuel was inexpensive, but as Bunker C became more expensive, UP started phasing out the turbines. Today, only two GTELs were saved from scrap. Turbine 18 is on static display at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, and number 26 is on display at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah. 1

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

EMD's SD50

In the 1980s, EMD was still seeing massive success from the SD40-2. In an attempt to make a high-horsepower engine available, they created the SD50, a 3,500 horsepower unit. It used the same 16-645 prime mover that the SD40-2 did, but this proved to be a big mistake by EMD, as the SD50 became a mechanically troubled engine. This would hurt EMDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales and reputation as a builder. Today, SD50s can be found on both CSX (as SD50-2 or SD50-3 rebuilds) and Norfolk Southern (as SD40Es). They are the only two Class 1 railroads to still own any variant of SD50. Some short lines, like the Utah Railway, and leasing companies, such as National Railway Equipment own the rest. However, CSX owns the most by far, since theirs were inherited from the now-defunct Seaboard System and Chessie System (the two railroads that merged to form CSX), as well as 25 from Conrail.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Steam Locomotives with Short-Lived Service Careers

Garrett Monnin

In steam’s twilight, a handful of railroads were striving to construct more modern and e ficient steam locomotives in order to ward o f dieselization. The railroads that participated in advanced steam locomotive development included the Norfolk & Western, Pennsylvania, New York Central, and the Chesapeake & Ohio. However, as we all know, the conveniency and low costs of the diesel locomotive caught up with the steam locomotive. The ever-dwindling number of parts suppliers made the switch to diesel much easier, and despite this reality, one’s mind may wander to the thought of “what if.” Many of those modern designs had a developmental life that was cut short by the diesels that were showing up in the terminals and on the mainline in an increasingly frequent manner. Many of the advanced steam locomotives did not end up being used to their peak e ficiency, and their full potential was never unlocked. If the railroads had decided to pursue their steam locomotive research, who knows what could have happened. Out of the vast amount of modern steam locomotives, five designs stand out from the rest; they were stronger, faster, more e ficient, and cheaper to maintain than ever before. Many rail historians and steam enthusiasts are sure to take note of the following three steam locomotives.

Pennsylvania Railroad Q2

The Pennsylvania Railroad, o ten referred to as the “Pennsy” put a lot of faith in their steam locomotive leet. The majority of their steam engines were constructed in the railroad’s own shop complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Altoona was also home to a massive testing facility where

researchers could analyze and study every minutedetail and tailor a given locomotive class to the terrain in which it was to operate in. During the early 1940s, the Pennsy was experimenting with a new type of freight locomotive. This new concept was known as a “Duplex” steam locomotive. The Baltimore & Ohio had also tinkered with the idea of a "Duplex" steam engine. A "Duplex" design had slight advantages over a conventional design because it reduced the length of a rigid, non articulated wheelbase while adding more power due to a second set of cylinders. The Q2 was direct successor to the Q1 class, which was deemed a failure. The Q1 was a duplex-driven steam locomotive, and was considered a 4-6-4-4. This unique wheel arrangement wasn’t the only thing unusual about the Q1. It also su fered from several mechanical problems. The rear set of cylinders faced backwards, and were located just under the ﬁrebox. This unconventional location was very hot and dirty, which hastened cylinder wear. The cylinder size was also hindered due to the limited space available on the rear of the engine. The ﬁrebox had to be smaller, which led to a smaller grate area. Steam lines were large, and by the time the steam had arrived from the dry pipe, there was a massive loss of power which grew more evident as speed was increased. Riding under the locomotive was a set of 77” drivers, which is tall for a passenger locomotive, and was unheard of and impractical on a freight-hauling locomotive. These large drivers greatly reduced the tractive e fort, which is needed to start a heavy train and invaluable when climbing steep grades. The Q1 also had a bad habit of heavy wheel slippage, due to the increased power being delivered to each set of drivers and the high driver

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

diameter. When designing the Q2 in 1944, the mechanical engineers in Altoona kept the Q1 in mind. While keeping the “Duplex” concept, the issues that the Q1 had were addressed. The cylinders were both facing forward, and the drivers were shortened to 69,” a common diameter for a freight engine. These engines had a 4-4-6-4 wheel arrangement, which was only slightly different from the Q1. Just like the Q1 class, these engines had a rigid frame, and were arguably the most powerful non-articulated engines built and the most powerful engines tested on the stationary test bed in Altoona. Producing 7,987 horsepower, the Q2s had no problem keeping a 125 car train at track speed. At 57.4 MPH, the Q2 could consume 16,600 gallons of water and 12.5 tons of coal per hour. In order to satisfy this insatiable appetite for fuel, the Q2s carried nearly 40 tons of coal and 19,020 gallons of water. The boiler pressure of both the Q1 and Q2 was 300 psi, which is quite impressive, and was a key factor to the development of a high tractive effort. The Q2 was also 78% more powerful than any other engine on the system, even more powerful than the J1 2-10-4s or the I1 2-10-0s. To combat the problem of frequent wheelslip, the Q2 was outfitted with an automatic wheelslip control mechanism which reduced the steam flow to the slipping cylinder without response from the engineer. The Q2 weighed in at a whopping 1,049,100 pounds. The adhesive weight of the locomotive was 393,000 lbs,

which is quite an impressive number. These massive machines boasted an overall tractive effort of 115,800 pounds. One prototype was made, number 6131. Due to the success of the Q2, 26 duplicates were ordered and delivered between January and June of 1945. This batch of Q2s received the road numbers 6175-6199. The Q2s could be found hustling heavy freight trains out of Crestline, Ohio and Fort Wayne, Indiana while enroute to the northwestern terminus of the railroad in Chicago, Illinois. On occasion, a Q2 would venture out east to Pittsburgh or Altoona. They were often seen with J1 locomotives, and even ran on the line from Columbus, Ohio to Sandusky, Ohio. Even though the Q2s were much more successful than their predecessor, their maintenance costs were higher than the more cost-effective diesels, and their heavy weight and large wheelbase was hard on track. As a result, time did catch up with the Q2s, and all were retired by 1951. Unfortunately, none of the Q1 or Q2 classes survived the scrapper’s torch. If the PRR Motive Power Department hadn’t given into the diesel craze, the Q2 could have been further improved on and made more cost-effective and efficient. The continued improvements could have continued to laugh diesels off the property, and steam could have lengthened its reign. Train lengths of 150 or 175 cars could have been whisked over the Fort Wayne Division at unprecedented speeds. However, this was not the case. We can continue to ponder potential possibilities in our minds, where steam will always be king.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Pittsburgh & Lake Erie/New York Central A-2a

After WWII, America was transitioning from a wartime economy to a more typical peacetime economy. As a result of the shortages of many consumer goods during the war years, there was an unimaginable demand for new products. The economy was booming, and every aspect of American life was changing. The railroads were worn out from hauling soldiers, artillery, and other supplies for the war effort. As the railroad industry across the U.S. was rehabilitating its infrastructure, the industry was once again slammed with traffic. The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie (P&LE), an affiliate to the famous New York Central, was in urgent need

for new power. By the year 1947, dieselization was already underway on the Central. Since the Central was the corporate parent of the P&LE, the Motive Power Department was required to send a proposal to the Central before placing an order for some EMD F units to replace its aging fleet of 2-8-0’s and 4-6-2’s. However, the New York Central had rejected the railroad’s proposal, suggesting they should order some new steam power. Therefore, the railroad was forced to purchase locomotives that it did not want to own. Paul Kiefer of the New York Central, who had designed the famous Hudsons and Niagaras, was put in charge of spearheading the project of designing a new 2-8-4 “Berkshire” for the P&LE. Kiefer used the Boston & Albany’s A-1 series of 2-8-4s as a template for the P&LE design. These berkshires had the distinction of being the last steam locomotive to leave the erecting halls of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). The 7 engines, numbered 9400-9406, were delivered in 1948, with 9406 being delivered in June of 1948. ALCO’s former tender shop was already converted to the construction of diesels, as a result, the tenders were built in Lima, and carried the iconic diamond builders plate that Lima is known for. Due to their late construction, they

were equipped with many modern features, such as an all-welded boiler, overfire jets, and a vestibule cab. The 63” spoked drivers were powered by two 26” x 32” cylinders that delivered a maximum steam pressure of 230 psi. This small driver size was suitable to the type of freight the locomotives were to haul. The P&LE primarily served the coal and steel markets of western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Baker valve gear was chosen as the ideal type of running gear. This version of the Baker valve gear featured a multiple-bearing crosshead. An impressive tractive effort of 67,300 pounds of tractive effort was exerted on the rail. However, boosters were not found on the A2a class. These modern machines hit the scales with 426,000 pounds, or 213 tons. The four wheel trailing truck supported a firebox that had a grate area of 95 square feet. The boiler was capable of boiling 4,275 square feet of water, with a superheating surface area of 1,880 square feet. The aforementioned overfire jets were applied to both exterior sides of the firebox. These jets helped improve airflow and overall combustion, which reduced smoke and led to a hotter-burning fire. Under the running board on the left side of the engine, one can notice a large, abnormal tank. This strange apparatus is an exhaust steam injector, which performed the same function as a feedwater heater. The operational history of the unwanted berkshires was unfortunately quite brief. The deep olive green paint scheme that these engines were delivered with soon was overshadowed by the grimy black that reflected the hard, dirty work that these engines performed. The 7 A2as could be seen romping on the lines of the P&LE until their temporary retirement in 1951. This early retirement was due to the fact that dieselization was already in full swing when the berkshire first crossed onto P&LE trackage. This wave of dieselization subsequently started in the east, and worked its way west. The call of duty would soon call the berkshires back to the rails for an encore

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

performance, but this time on the high iron of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis railroad. Otherwise known as the “Big Four Route”, the Big Four was under the corporate umbrella of the New York Central. This encore would not last long, as the spectacular seven were ultimately deemed ready for scrapping in 1956. If fate had taken a different course, perhaps the brief stint of the A2as could have been not so brief. The modern design proved to be the most efficient steam locomotive that ever operated on the Central. All positive aspects from each class of engines was blended into the berkshires. As a model railroader says a layout is never done, the same is true with steam locomotive development. There is always one more thing to improve, and those little “one more” improvements ultimately may lead into something revolutionary. If this was the course of action for the New York Central, dieselization could have been held off for much longer. While having a short career, the often-overlooked unwanted berkshires of the New York Central were the pinnacle of the modern berkshire design.

A map depicting the P&LE Line (red) and the NYC (yellow).

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Amtrak's New Private Car Abolishment

Evan Cihlar

As many of us know, Amtrak has a reputation for being hours late to stations. Amtrak is saying that the reason for their latency is due to private cars and other excursions blocking their right of way, even though they only own roughly 5% of the track they operate on. Before we get into the new abolishment of private cars, let’s review about Amtrak’s history and how they came to be. In 1916, 98% of all commercial intercity travelers in the United States moved by rail, and the remaining 2% moved by inland waterways. Nearly 42 million passengers used railways such as the Pennsylvania and Rio Grande as their primary transportation. Tra ﬁc surged during World War II, which was aided by troop movement and civilian gasoline rationing. A ter the war, railroads rejuvenated their neglected passenger leets with fast, luxurious streamliners such as the Burlington Northern’s Zephyr. These new trains only brought but temporary relief to rapid decline of passenger service in the United States. Even as postwar travel exploded, passenger travel percentages of the overall market share fell to 46% by 1950, and by 1957, the numbers dropped to 32%. The causes of this drastic decline for the railroads were heavily debated among railroad o ﬁcials and federal railway organizations. The National Highway System, inspired by the German Autobahn highway system and airports, were both funded by the government and directly competed with the railroads who paid for their own infrastructure. Railroads also faced antiquated regulations and in lexible relationships with trade unions (i.e. workers continued to receive a day’s pay for 100-to-150 mile work days, while streamilers covered that in two hours). Problems came to a head in the 1960s. Passenger service route-miles fell from 107,000 miles in 1958 to 49,000 miles in 1970, the last full year of passenger service being provided by private operation. As passenger service declined various proposals were brought forward to rescue it, as many Americans still relied on passenger service to take them to and from work. The 1961 Doyle Report proposed that the private railroads pool their services into a single body. Similar proposals were made in 1965 and 1968, but failed to attract support due to a monopoly being formed. In October 1970, Congress passed, and President Richard Nixon signed into law, the Railroad Passenger Service Act. Components of the bill, led by the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), sought government funding to ensure the continuation of passenger trains. They conceived the idea to create the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (NRPC), a private entity that would receive taxpayer funding and assume operation of intercity passenger trains.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: News-Opinion

Ridership increased during the first decade of the 21st century after implementation of capital improvements in the NEC and rises in automobile fuel costs. THe inauguration of the high-speed Acela Express in late 2000 generated considerable publicity and led to major ridership gains. By 2002, it was clear that Amtrak could not achieve self-sufficiency, but Congress continued to authorize funding and released Amtrak from the requirement. Outside the Northeast Corridor and stretches of track in Southern California and Michigan, most Amtrak trains run on tracks owned and operated by privately owned freight railroads. Freight rail operators are required under federal law to give dispatching preference to Amtrak trains. Some freight railroads have been accused of violating or skirting these regulations, allegedly resulting in passenger trains waiting in sidings for an hour or longer while waiting for freight traffic to clear the track. Due to these accusations, railroads were investigated for their dispatching practices in 2008, resulting in stricter laws about train priority. Now that the history of Amtrak has been stated, the question still begs to be answered: if Amtrak gets so much government support and requires Class 1 railroads to yield their traffic, why would they specifically state, “[it was about] profitability and time keeping and customer service.” The change hits the 150 or so private cars (some place the figure closer to 250) that are still fit for the mainline, and big steam locomotives that venture out once or twice a year on the main, and a handful of nonprofits that utilize charter trains or take private cars on Amtrak trains as part of their revenue mix. Many railfans and enthusiasts have started posting online petitions, calling congressmen and congresswomen, and issuing policy statements about the economic impact of the change on their own organizations. This new abolishment has left lots of people either hanging off a cliff economically, or those who are deeply committed to railroading pretty mad. Many hope that Amtrak President Richard Anderson listens and responds to the community’s message. Private cars are not only fun for railfans to see on the mainlines, but are also as Jim Wrinn states a “great tradition and magnificent showpieces of American industrial and entrepreneurial history.” Not only does this abolishment affect future endeavors of private cars, but also many private excursions such as Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s Joliet Rocket excursions, Milwaukee Road 261’s excursions, and Southern Pacific Daylight #4449’s excursions this 2018 season. Thankfully, at least one mainline steam locomotive will ride the rails this year as the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society was able to work out details with railroad officials to allow the Joliet Rocket to operate. As many railfans and train enthusiasts are saying, Mr. Anderson, abolish this private car abolishment! Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: News-Opinion

TVRM Lerro Productions Photo Charter

Matthew Malkiewicz

The night before the charter started I was out past midnight for dinner and drinks with Pete Lerro and Mitch Goldman, we had a most interesting and stimulating conversation about reality based photography verses digital manipulation and compositing via Photoshop. I am one who always tries to capture the picture as perfectly as possible with the camera, but a terwards use a RAW editor and Photoshop to its fullest for finalizing the image files as my mind's eye wants them to appear. In talking with Pete and Mitch I secretly decided to challenge myself on this charter - to shoot in JPEG only, relying heavily on my camera platform's potential to process internally with the Acros monochrome film simulation mode. It would be a risky move, not having the lexible RAW files to fall back on if I did not ace the exposure settings. In some of these photos I purposely shot at a higher then normal ISO to accentuate the conversion of noise to an important texture, with others I underexposed the shadow areas to add contrast. A 50mm prime lens was used as much as possible to yield the field of view similar to the human eye, and as a throwback to my roots of analog photography. In conducting this experiment of shooting JPEGs-only I really liked the results, to my tastes this gallery looks less sterile and digital while having a lot more soul. In Photoshop I severely limited myself to the amount of post-processing, doing only minimal tweaking; mainly dodging and burning. All of this has made me think seriously about steering clear of working with RAW for the near future. Less time sitting in front of a computer means more opportunity to be in the field with a camera. 9

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Experiences-News

The Steam to Diesel Era Transition Steam locomotives have long been a staple of American life, and their awe-inspiring mechanics inspiring generations of children. The antiquated thoroughbreds are still in operation today continue their spectacular legacy for more modern generations to experience their sights and sounds. Here in the 21st century, about sixty years past when the steam to diesel transition took place, steam locomotives attract a massive crowd of not only railfans and enthusiasts, but also those who just simply wish to witness an operating time machine. Many folks in these newfound crowds know the basic aspects of what took place during the steam to diesel transition, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know why railroads pushed to diesel so quickly when the diesel engine was brand new. Dieselisation took place largely because of the tremendous reduction in operating costs, especially when compared to the quirky behemoths known as the steam locomotive. Steam locomotives generally require large pools of labor to clean, load, maintain, and run. They also require extensive service, coaling and watering facilities, all of which need to be manned and have many workers available to run them. This was the largest drawback, especially when compared to the diesel locomotive. Diesels had a significantly higher price when they came out of the shop; however, their greater range between fueling stops, the absence of water stops, and the higher unit availability between inspection repair and maintenance stops, were all highly important advantages over steam. Diesels simply required significantly less time and labor to operate and maintain. Though diesel locomotives were initially less powerful than the largest steam locomotives, limiting train sizes or speeds, although the gap was closed somewhat by the introduction of

The small initial market for diesels was created by New York City's Kaufman Act of 1923, which prohibited operating steam locomotives in New York City and adjacent towns. Mainline passenger railroads had already been electrified, or had electrification planned ahead of the Kaufman Act.. Electrification of the numerous freight yards was uneconomical, so railroads turned to a new technology: diesels. The first ALCO boxcab diesel was put in operation in 1925 by the Central Railroad of New Jersey at its 138th Street waterfront terminal in The Bronx. The second was delivered in the same year to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who worked it in its yards in Manhattan. Both worked into the late 1950s and survive in museums. In North America, railroads looked to cut costs in the face of stiff competition from trucks, planes and automobiles. Workers demanded pay raises to combat rampant inflation caused by the Second World War, and there was a massive railroad strike nationwide in 1948. Railroads in America at this time also had an image problem: they were viewed as archaic, a fact that was reinforced during the war, when retired equipment was pressed into service to meet demand. This left a lasting impression on millions of servicemen who were often delayed for days in obsolete, uncomfortable cars in obscure locations. Locomotive size also became an issue, as steam engines became so big in the 1940s that the cylinder and boiler dimensions were pushing the limits that the loading gauge would allow. Fireboxes became so big that firing a steam locomotive became an Herculean task without the aid of mechanical stokers, which were first introduced in larger locomotives during the 1920s.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

Evan Cihlar

Diesels rapidly gained momentum after the war. Diesels use much less fuel and no manpower when idling - something steam locomotives cannot do, as they need to be watched over carefully so the boiler doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t explode. Diesels can be parked running for days unattended, whereas steam engines must be constantly tended to, if not completely shut down. Bringing a steam engine boiler up to operating temperature is an art, requiring lots of training and first-hand experience. A diesel starts and shuts down just like an automobile; anyone who can start a car can start a diesel. Diesels selfregulate their fuel usage regarding the length of their trains, which is an important task a steam engine cannot do. General Motors signed contracts with the major railroads, who were replacing their worn out wartime equipment with diesels. With the GM contracts came the notion that GM would supply training, facilities, and maintenance for their diesels, while the railroads would scrap their steam engines and remove them from service. Due to the obvious advantages of the internal combustion engine, railroads in North America had retired 90% of their steam locomotives by the mid-1950s. Also during this time, major cities and their railyards became unhappy neighbors in post-war America. People were no longer content to endure the endless amounts of soot and smoke that the coal-burning 11

steam engines produced. Early diesels, while dirty by today's standards, were a in air pollution over steam. Some steam engines lasted well into the late-1950s on major American railroads, and in isolated cases, into the mid-1960s on smaller roads, primarily for yard duties such as switching. The last steam locomotive fleet in everyday use (i.e. not a restored fleet) was retired in the early 1960s, mainly by the Norfolk and Western. Now these onceubiquitous machines are only found in historical and sightseeing roles, where the past is once again the present. Retired steam engines, many of which were still quite new when made obsolete, often found a second life in developing nations due to their cheap initial cost, availability of cheap labor for maintenance and crewing, ready supplies of coal, and lack of environmental concern. Although steam locomotives were fased out eventually by all of the classic railroads, we can still enjoy their sites and sounds with the locomotives that were restored, and future magnificent machines that are being restored as you read. The legacy of steam will surely live on through the 21st century.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

Rebirth of the Wiscasse , Waterville, and Farmington Railway

Stephen Piwowarski

On June 15, 1933 the Southbound Train of the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway (WW&F) jumped the track in Whiteﬁeld, Maine. The locomotive nosed down an embankment towards the Sheepscot River, coming to rest just feet from the water's edge. Although the WW&F had been resurrected from near-closure on at least two other occasions, this time it was not to be. The WW&F was closed for good. Following closure, the railway's mainline was scrapped to satisfy the creditors, and equipment was either scrapped or sold. While the railway faded from the daily lives of residents in the Sheepscot Valley, it would live on in their memory. Well remembered especially by children, like Harry Percival, who grew up along the right-of-way. For them, the railway was a playground where their imagination could run wild. Percival's memory proved to be the ember that, when fanned, gave rise to today's WW&F Railway. Percival's lifelong interest in the WW&F led to a number of unique opportunities, each of which allowed a fragment of the broken WW&F to be put back into its rightful place. through his employer, Central Maine Power, Percival learned that the railway's right-of-way was being sold o f by Winter Scientiﬁc Institutes. Percival approached them with an o fer which they accepted, transferring the remaining WW&F right-of-way to him and, eventually, the WW&F Railway Museum. A ter acquiring the right-of-way, Percival applied to the state of Maine to establish a new company called the Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad COmpany (W&Q) - the name of the original railway which became the WW&F in 1901. THe state refused the application on the grounds that the original W&Q had never been formally dissolved. They instructed Percival to hold a stockholders meeting and elect 13

new o ﬁcers to revive the dormant company. He did and the W&Q was back in business! Despite encouraging progress, there was a problem - the reborn railway had no equipment to run and no rail to lay upon their right-of-way. Percival had been working on this piece of the puzzle since the 1970's. A ter the railway closed, a locomotive, boxcar, and latcar along with some rail from the defunct Kennebec Central Railway was moved to Frank Ramsdell's farm in Conneticut. A ter Frank's death, his daughter Alice continued to maintain the equipment and the family farm. Percival reached out to Alice Ramsdell in an e fort to help maintain the equipment and ensure its long term preservation. Today museum members joke that he spent most of his time at the Ramsdell Farm doing farm chores, but his tenacity helped gain Alice's trust and return items from the original WW&F to Maine. First to arrive was the latcar, followed by the boxcar, and later, Number 9 - the last extant locomotive from the origianl WW&F. While working to return original WW&F equipment to the railway, the museum also acquired two internal combustion locomotives, including WW&F locomotive No. 52, a Plymouth diesel locomotive manufactured in 1961, that have proved invaluable in the museum's e forts to rebuild the railway. The museum returned steam power to the railway in 1999 and has continued to restore and build new rolling stock. In addition, the museum has ensured that all existing WW&F locomotives and equipment have been preserved in a museum setting, and they have reconstructed or restored many buildings from the original railway. What really sets the museum apart is the pervasive ethos that today's railway is a continuation of the original railway, rather than a recreation or demonstration. Museum volunteers

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

have adopted a work ethic and ideals similar to those of the original railways employees. No task is impossible or too large to be undertaken. Given time, ingenuity, and enthusiasm, anything is possible. They have taken up the work that was le t in 1933 and continued it with contagious fervor. Visitiors to the WW&F who are unfamiliar with the Railway's history are o ten surprised to learn that nearly everything they see has been built or restored since 1989. Such is the authenticity of the WW&F. Although today's railway is of new construction, the museum has been sensitive to preserving historic construction and maintenance techniques. With few exceptions, tasks are carried out today in a similar fashion to those that would have been employed over one hundred years ago. Members and volunteers have continued to bring together elements of the WW&F which were believed to be lost to time. Most importantly, they continue to share their enthusiasm for the WW&F, just as Harry Percival Did, and they continue to invite individuals to participate in the railways rebirth. Just a ter dawn the railway is at its pinnacle. Narrow gauge rails unfurl towards the horizon. Early morning dampness is draped across the forests and right-of-way, hingting at the railway's proximity to the shore, and its reason for being. Ensconced in such sylvan environs, the woods and ďŹ elds drown out the modern intrusions which have penetrated so much of the wolrd we inhabit. Veiled in the early morning light the only interruption of the serene stillness comes from the sounds of nature: a wild turkeys strident gobble; the whistle of a red-tailed hawk; the cruch of leaves under hooves of nearby white-tailed deer. The placid sounds of nature are even more timeless than the railway itself, and thus the railway becomes the only intrustion - the singular mark humanity has le t upon the land. If we wait long enough we may hear the distant, throaty moan of the steam whistle, followed by the paced exhaust of the

locomotive and the wail of steel wheel against steel rail. The golden glow of the locomotive's headlight will punch through the horizon and make its way toward us until it is lapping at our toes, connecting us with the rest of humanity in a way that is ephemeral in its occurrence, yet lasting in our minds eye. Soon we will be alone again as the train slips over the distant horizon, and the rails return to their slumber. The original railway, in its various forms served the Sheepscot Valley well. The rise and fall of the railway closely patterned the valley's own success in agriculture and rural industry. Although the railway was gone for a time, it was not forgotten. What was preserved in the minds of some was returned to reality by others: it only ceased for a time awaiting the perfect moment to return to its place among the hills and dales. There, it has a sense of place almost as strong as the land itself.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

How I Met Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 Jonah Collins I was introduced to the 611 on Christmas 2006. I was five years old, and had just received a book from my parents: Those Magnificent Trains. Inside it, there were two photographs in particular that caught my eye; both involving what is now a fectionately called The Queen of Steam. Those photographs led to a love of anything to do with the 611 and the Norfolk and Western Railway, which has led to many hundreds, if not thousands, of miles being logged on our family car to see the 611. The first of these trips was in September 2011. It had taken me five years of begging to finally be taken down to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. I instantly fell in love with the place. From the moment I stepped foot inside the building, I was starstruck. Everything I had ever dreamed of was inside those walls and just outside the door under the train shed. Outside, there were the three steam locomotives I had spent hours upon hours of my life drooling over-N&W Class A #1218, N&W G1 #6, and most importantly, N&W Class J #611. I was very slightly disappointed, however, as the 611 was not running and my dad had said that it was unlikely it would ever run again in my lifetime. Little did I know that three and a half short years later, the 611 would be once again polishing the high iron. In late May 2014, nearly three years a ter seeing the 611 sitting lifeless on a slightly drizzly day in Roanoke, I was reunited with her at the North Carolina Transportation Museum at an event called Streamliners at Spencer. The restoration had technically already begun, as the former Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman had already turned the first bolt, but I was nonetheless excited at the prospect see my favorite locomotive once more. She sat without part of her running 15

gear, but with a full Tuscan Red train behind her. It was just as I had always dreamed it would be! It would be another full year before seeing the 611 again, this time, under steam. Throughout May 2015, I was closely monitoring the 611’s progress. During school, I would watch the livestreams put out by Trains Magazine, which would sometimes draw a crowd of my friends. There was just something about seeing the magnificent plume of smoke and steam that kept me coming back, even if it was 12:30 PM on a Thursday. All of this excitement would eventually come to be my favorite part of the year-the two weeks between the Homecoming event and the first trip into Petersburg in which I saw the 611 run for the first few times. On May 30th, 2015, my family and I went down to Roanoke for the triumphant return of the 611. We quickly visited the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and then set out for the O. Winston Link Museum, where the festivities were well underway. There was a lot of speculation as to when the 611 would finally arrive. First it was 12:30, then it was 1:30, then 2:30, and then finally, at 4:48 PM, the 611 stormed right into downtown. My dad and I were up on the Williamson Road bridge, directly over the tracks. It is safe to say that you have not truly witnessed the 611 until you have stood directly over her. As she marched closer and closer, the bridge shook a little more and more, certainly not helped by the deep, melodic threechime steamboat whistle that was celebrating a triumphant run from Spencer. Once under the bridge, it was as if an earthquake had hit. This did not stop the wave of people, who, although it was hard to stand there, still ran across two lanes of tra fic to watch on the other side. My dad and I then walked back down to the O.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Experience

Norfolk and Western J-Class Northern #611 Steams Past Collin's Camera on a Crisp, Summer Evening.

Winston Link Museum to reunite with the rest of

our family and leave. The next day, May 31st, my family went again to the Virginia Museum of Transportation to see the “Big Three” of steam (N&W Class A 1218, Class J 611, and Class Y-6a 2156) reunited for the ﬁrst time in sixty years. It was initially looking to be a very pleasant day with only a few clouds in the sky, but by the time the 2156 rolled into the museum, it was cloudy and drizzly: a suiting tribute to the emotional reunion that occurred. There was a long line to get inside the cab of the 611. It was there where I met some people whom I would be seeing again for the same reason: a friend of my family, Nathaniel, and someone who is now a personal friend of mine, Garrett. wo weeks later, the 611 ran an excursion to Petersburg, VA, which is about 45 minutes from my house. I had ﬁnished middle school the day before, so as a reward, we went to Petersburg to watch the 611 pull in. The 611 is a noisy, massive piece of machinery, even if she is only coasting downhill. Although I was disappointed I couldn’t see the 611’s trips out of Roanoke on the 4th of July weekend in 2015, I sure was able to make up for it the next year. On May 7th, 2016, my dad and I

woke up at 3 AM to get into Roanoke on time to

chase the Lynchburg and Radford trips out of town that day. We arrived in Roanoke shortly before 8 AM, and as we pulled in, we saw smoke billowing over the buildings. This could only mean one thing: the 611 was coming. We raced down the road, parked directly across from the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The light was perfect: golden yellow, which glinted o f the boiler jacket and complemented the gold stripes that highlighted the Tuscan red stripe. My dad and I then drove up and down the road looking for the best spot. This was on a hill that was right beside the East End Shops. The lighting was still a beautiful yellow, and it made the 611 even more elegant than usual. The sequence of the 611 blowing o f steam and waiting for the passengers would be the last I took of the 611 in Roanoke that morning. My dad and I then raced to the next spot: the crest of the Blue Ridge grade. There were a set of old Norfolk and Western signals there that dated from the 1940s that would act as frames for the 611’s march over the hill. By this time, the light was a little bit less yellow and the sky was blue, but it was still prime light for photos.First, you could hear way o f in the distance the roar of the

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Experience

Then came a mu led chu f, and it crescendoed into a full on roar as it split the signals and crested the hill. The pressure building up as it blew closer and closer suddenly dropped as the cylinders passed us. Thinking this was enough excitement for a little while, my dad and I went back into town to do some antiquing and talk to my mom, who did not come with us. Once done antiquing, We decided to go into the town of Webster. This was downhill, but the mountains dwarfed the trains, making it a great spot. Thinking we would have an hour of waiting to do, it was a pleasant surprise when the 611 came barreling down the hill with the whistle blaring. There was a strong wind concussion here, which knocked me back a little bit. Montgomery Tunnel, a 663 foot long twin bore tunnel near Christiansburg, was our next target. But first, my dad and I wanted to go into Roanoke. When we got there, she was backing up and ready to o load. Immediately a terwards, we raced o f to Montgomery Tunnel. We were among the first people there, being among the first half-dozen people to show up. This number would swell as the hours ticked by. Two NS freight trains squealed their way up the mountain before the 611 came, which only added to the growing number of excited railfans. Shortly a ter the second train came through, it began raining. Hard. The photo line proved ill-prepared for the rain, so everybody huddled under a handful of umbrellas that only a few people had. The rails, hot from being exposed to the sun all day, began to create steam. This opened the show what was to come very soon a terwards. First, it was a distant whistle. Then, a loud roar. Next, the roar became even louder as the 611 entered the tunnel and the sounds echoed o f the walls. Soon enough, there was smoke pouring out of the roof of the tunnel. A headlight then pierced through the smoke, followed soon a ter by the rest of the locomotive. The smoke plume exploded into the sky, reaching heights that would rival that of an 17

eight story building. The rest of the train soon

followed, and by the time the end of the car was out of the tunnel and had disappeared beyond the curve, the smoke had still not cleared. It was not cleared until sometime a ter my dad and I had le t to go home. Now, I would have been perfectly content with just these experiences for the year. However, on my birthday, my grandparents and parents surprised me with the chance to ride behind the 611 out of Manassas on June 4th! I rode in Car 9, NS 29, a former Norfolk & Western Powhatan Arrow car. This was a dream come true! Not only was I experiencing the 611 in steam, which ten year old me thought was never going to happen, but ﬁ teen year old me had not only seen the 611 in operation on numerous occasions, but I was also riding behind it-in a former Powhatan Arrow car, no less! I boarded the train around 7:30, as the train was a little late coming into the station. My parents took photos as I boarded my car, and soon enough, the rest of the train was loaded and I was on my way. Thankfully, I got a window seat near the front of the car. I could see the 611 at every curve we made!

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Experience

Sometimes, if you listened really closely, you could hear her. The bucolic scenery rolled on by, with photographers lining both sides of the road at every crossing from Manassas to Front Royal. The trip back into Manassas was smooth. I even heard that at one point, we were hitting well over 60 miles per hour someplace near Manassas! Once back in the yard in Manassas, we were stopped. There was an Amtrak train due in, and because we were so late leaving in the morning, we were also late coming back into town. This interfered with the Amtrak schedule, so we sat and waited on the wye waiting for the train for a very long time. We started moving again once the Amtrak train was in view, and waited for it to go by at the station. We backed down to the platform, and were o loaded. My parents were waiting there for me, so it was time to take a few pictures. We were done soon enough, and decided to ďŹ nd a place to eat. We chose a Mexican place just outside the station. Funnily enough, right a ter we got seated, who else walked in but the engineer and his party! They got seated directly behind us, and at the suggestion of my parents, I took a photo with Mr. J. O. Alexander.

My story of the 611 is not over yet; I like to think it is just the beginning. I will continue to seek out the 611 for as long as I live, stopping for nothing. I cherish these memeories deep within my heart, and I will continue to make new ones.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Experience

Restoration Projects on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad Carlos Llamas

Welcome back to Antonito, Colorado on the Cumbres & Toltec RR and to a very historic and joyful moment for the train crews who run the Colorado based shops. Historic Denver & Rio Grande passenger coach 292 built in the 1880’s has been returned to service and as I was onboard for the run, I can say it ran beautifully and made a truly great day. I have been involved in restorations numerous of times and they have in fact become the norm for me, but it is always a gi t to see such a historic treasure roll out of the shop for the first time. It is fun to see the car come back together for the restoration and to see the paint applied and lettering finished, but the true gi t is to roll the car out into the sun for the first time. Two master carpenters led the restoration and crew members from the MOW, train service

and locomotive service were assigned to work on Coach 292 and provided much needed assistance to our Carpenters. We can honestly say that almost every employee based in Antonito, Colorado had a just little bit to do in Coach 292’s restoration and that led to an enormous amount of pride when 292 rolled out of the shop for the first time. Although we intend to replace the trucks someday, Coach 292 received a tremendous amount of work including a rebuilt braking system and a complete historically accurate tin roof with soldered seams. The interior had a huge amount of new wood applied according to historical standards and with two historic D&RGW coal stoves and two replica oil lamps with modern lights designed to look like a lame, the interior of the car is just beautiful and accurate. We may have to be extra diligent with this car as although it has a completely accurate bathroom and toilet it does not have a sewage reservoir and therefore cannot be used. With a Tuscan red body color, brown trucks and gold lettering coach 292 is stunning in person and will now be carefully stored in preparation for the completion of four more restorations. The end result will be a five car train of historically accurate cars to be hauled over the Cumbres & Toltec RR by D&RG steam locomotive 168. In the near future a five car train will once a week make a two day round trip over the railroad hauled by 168 and 463. That my friends will be as close to the good ole’ days as we can get.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Restorations

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Adventures on the Christiansburg District I’ve been fascinated with photography and trains since I was a child, so when I came to Virginia Tech in 2015, I was incredibly excited to start exploring. As an underclassman living on campus with no car, this proved to be di ficult between balancing engineering coursework and my then girlfriend. Sometimes on campus in the still of night, I could hear train horns in the distance and grew curious. Come last year with the help of having my truck at school, and new free time from being single, I was able to finally explore, and I had struck gold! The Christiansburg District has always been of vital importance to the Norfolk and Western and Norfolk Southern, linking the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia to the latter lands east of Roanoke. From its earliest days, coal was the driving force behind the line’s very inception and eventual widespread double-tracking, and it was the biggest part of N&W’s success. Today, coal still plays a big part, as loads and empties both frequent the line, but much of it has been replaced by pervasive intermodal tra fic, along with other bulk commodities, such as grain and ethanol. The eastern end of the district from Walton to Roanoke can trace its lineage back to one of the N&W’s earliest predecessors, the Virginia and Tennessee. Running from Lynchburg, VA to Bristol, TN, the line was seen as a way to connect the two states in the mid-1800s. Mineral deposits were discovered all along the line, from multiple sulphur finds around Christiansburg, to salt deposits in the area of what is now the aptly-named Saltville, VA. This gave the line solid sources of much-needed income. Eventually a ter the Civil War, it became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio which in turn became the Norfolk and Western in February of 1881.years. This 21

Tyler Nolan

In May of that same year, N&W executives took a trip to the hamlet of Hutton’s to inspect a vein of coal, which they found to be very satisfactory. Hutton’s soon became Pocahontas, VA, the source of high-quality coal later specified to be used by both the US Navy and Cunard Steamship lines for many years. This coal vein precipitated N&W’s expansion west from Central (now Radford) to Glen Lyn, and then along the East River to Higginbotham’s Summit, now known as Bluefield, WV. With the completion of the line in 1883, the New River division was born. Along with the heavy freight tra fic, the division also hosted many of Norfolk and Western’s best-known passenger trains, such as the Cavalier, the Powhatan Arrow, and the Pocahontas to name a few. Streamlined K1s and K2s were o ten seen along the line alongside the better-known J-class engines before such power was replaced by diesels in the mid to late 1950s. In more recent history, the district became part of the Heartland Corridor between Norfolk and Chicago, resulting in an increase of intermodal tra fic in both directions from previous years. Roanoke was the headquarters of the N&W railway. Its importance to NS is still evident by the massive rail yard, locomotive servicing terminal, and car maintenance shops in the center of downtown. Following the line west out of Roanoke, the Christiansburg district heads through the busy suburbs of Salem, which just like Roanoke, is a quiet zone for all railroad crossings. In Salem, the former Virginian Railway’s Whitethorne district splits away from the Christiansburg. Continuing west into the community of Wabun, the Blue Ridge mountains begin to make their presence known. Here the line crosses over the Roanoke River then under a bridge carrying the Whitethorne district

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History and Experience

away from the Christiansburg until they reconnect in Narrows. Just a bit farther west in Riverside is CP-Singer. This double crossover also plays host to a large sweeping curve made famous by N&W sta f photographers when shooting the line’s named trains. Today, many railfans make use of it to catch an eastbound with the Spring Hollow dam and the ever-present mountains in the background. From Singer, the line is relatively lat to Elliston, where the district begins its steep climb up the Christiansburg mountain. The grade reaches as much as 1.3 percent, which sometimes results in a train stalling out in Shawsville, where the grade is the steepest. Tra ﬁc on the mountain is heavy and consistent enough that there will o ten be another train not far behind should a stalled westbound need a push. For trains that don’t stall out, it is a sight and sound show. Trains claw for every bit of traction through the sweeping curve as they climb, while the eastbounds are usually whining in full dynamic braking. The climb continues until they reach the summit in Cambria, the small suburb of Christiansburg. There are two depots here; one the former N&W 1900’s passenger depot, now a Maintenance-of-Way o ﬁce for NS. The other, more well-known depot is former V&T, built in the late 1800s, it was used for freight by the N&W until it was retired, and the siding ripped up.

This is a local hotspot for railfans around the area with plenty of parking, and signals in both directions visible. Charleston grade brings the line downhill from Cambria to the wye at Walton. The line sees roughly 30-40 trains per day, with roughly 8-10 of those trains taking the southern leg of the wye at Walton down the Pulaski district, through Radford, to Bristol and into Tennessee. However, tra fic on this line can be extremely slow at times, so one would benefit to stick to the Christiansburg district if they wanted a higher volume of tra fic. The Christiansburg line takes the northern leg of the wye and follows the New River from Walton all the way out to Glen Lyn, VA where it enters West Virginia. Just before Glen Lyn is the town of Narrows, where the Whitethorne district reconnects from across the river to the Christiansburg main. O ten the heavier eastbounds will split o f of the main and take the Whitethorne, which essentially parallels the Christiansburg mainline all the way to Roanoke, with connections to cross back over at P-V junction near Pembroke and in Salem at VN junction. The section between Narrows and Bluefield is my favorite section of the district, as the line begins climbing again a ter it crosses into West Virginia between Glen Lyn and Willowton. Burnt brakes and lange squeal are true staples of this line

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History and Experience

as trains snake their way up mountain through numerous rock cuts and s-curves, with a constant grade up all the way to the yard in Bluefield. Most of the line west of Narrows is paralleled closely by backroads and highways, so if you’ve never chased a train, this line is perfect for doing so! So, for a bored college kid, what better to do a ter a long week of classes and studying than go for a drive to find a train? Of the many weekends I’ve gone trackside on the Christiansburg, few have been normal. Snow began to fall on December 9th, 2017 as intermodal 233 cleared Christiansburg. The train is now heading down Charleston grade when the dispatcher radios the train. They would have to go around a locomotive that was on fire at Walton, which would slow them up greatly. This allowed a trailing daily power move, NS 961, to catch up to just a few blocks behind the 233. I was waiting for both trains just east of Glen Lyn and having heard both trains made it around the fire safely, all seemed well for the time being… Soon a ter the train cleared Willowton, the lead engine had developed an electrical problem in the main on-board computer, bringing the train to a halt. A ter a few good attempts by the crew to reboot, there come the words, “We’re gonna need a push.” Dispatch then paged the trailing 961 and asked if they would come to the rescue of the stalled intermodal. Just coming through Narrows, they agreed to help the eight-engine power move 23

tied on and a ter a successful brake test, they were back on their way up the grade. The twists and turns combined with the grade allowed for me to play hopscotch with the now 11 engine intermodal almost the whole way to Blueﬁeld. Having chased them to the quiet rural town of Ada, I bid farewell to the 233 but as the pushing 961 passed by me, an eastbound coal drag came into view already in full dynamics as gravity carried them downhill. It was yet another busy day on the Christiansburg district. Business as usual, but I had to get back home and do homework. Such is life for a college railfan.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History and Experience

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

The Future of Steam Locomotive Excursions

Walker Wood

With the Federal Railroad Administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Positive Train Control installation deadline approaching at the end of 2018, railfans across the country are worried about the future of mainline steam excursions in the United States. These excursions, o ten powered by engines like Norfolk & Western 611, Southern PaciďŹ c 4449, and Santa Fe 3751, are in jeopardy of not running a ter this year due to complications PTC would create during installation. However, tourist railroads and short lines are not required to have PTC installed at all. This does help the situation somewhat, as some steam engines could continue to operate on smaller lines occasionally, like the engines of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad or the Cass Scenic Railroad. With the future of mainline steam excursions in jeopardy, many rail-fans are doing everything they can to catch what could be the last time these iron horses race along the main.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Product Spotlight: MTH Reading and Northern Pacific #425 MTH Trains’ new Reading and Northern 425 Heavy Pacific pushes the boundaries on the status quo for O Scale Steam. The detail and sounds on this engine sets the bar higher than ever before for any O Scale engine. Heavy Pacifics are locomotives that took the stage during World War One. These locomotives were known for their power and speed, which was well ahead of the time. MTH o fered these locomotives in several paint variants in their 2017 Volume 2 catalog, and then o fered the locomotive we see here as an uncataloged version. This paint scheme is the more modern one, while the cataloged RBMN 425 is an older scheme. No matter which paint you buy, the engines are all the same, except for some sounds. These engines come standard with a fan driven smoke unit, MTH’s Protosound 3.0, LED lights, and die cast construction. The minimum curve needed to run one is 0-42. Before we get into the specifics here, it is important to note that the real RBMN 425 is a light pacific, so there are a few areas of this model that are not 100% correct, like the width of the boiler. Regardless, this locomotive is very well built and does perfectly capture the sound, look, and feel of the real 425. The detail on this engine is o f the charts. The front features several separately applied handrails, a coupler cut bar, and a dummy scale coupler. The boiler features LED marker lights and a LED headlight, along with rivet details surrounding. The bell is also located on the smokebox, and has a pull cord going back to the cab. On the sides of the engine, there is safety tread on the walkways and lots of handrail details, and even builders plates. The drive gear is 27

Max Harris

beautiful, and even better when the engine is in motion, especially with the white-walled wheels! Inside the cab, there are two hand painted crew figures, and a lighted firebox, and hand painted valves. The tender features a real coal load, operating LED backup and marker lights, and lots of rivets! As you can see in the pictures, the paint is crisp and clean, and will grab the eyes of anyone who sees the engine. When it comes to sounds, MTH knocked this engine out of the park. The locomotive thunders down the rails, and the whistle is a perfect representation of a Reading 6 Chime, and it quills! The bell is firm and consistent, and gives a sound no one can ignore. The star of the sounds however, is the crew talk. MTH went above and beyond by having Russ Scianna Jr. do the crew talk. Scianna works on the Reading and Northern, and o fered to do the crew talk for this engine. You can also find his voice in the Norfolk Southern AC44C6M’s and the Reading Bee-Line heritage unit from the same catalog! MTH went ahead of their game here to make a realistic model of a modern day legend. This locomotive runs at a retail price of $1,099.99, and will always bring a smile to your face, guaranteed!

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: Product Spotlight

Southern Paciﬁc Daylight #4449's History and Future Clayton Cook

In 1938, Southern Pacific Railroad President, Angus D. McDonald commissioned the design and manufacturing of what would later be known as “The Most Beautiful Train in the World.” All GS-4 class locomotives were built at the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio from 1941 to 1942. The GS-4 locomotive and tender weighed in at over 870,000 pounds fully loaded, were over 110 feet long, 10 feet wide, 15 feet tall, put out 78,000 pounds of tractive e fort to the drive wheels, and was manufactured at a cost of $175,000. By 1948, all the GS-4 locomotives were painted into the Daylight colors of orange and red and were assigned to regular passenger service. By 1950, most of the GS class locomotives were repainted into black and had their side skirting removed, and by 1958, all GS-4 locomotives were retired and unfortunately scrapped. Except for one... SP 4449 is the last GS-4 class locomotive built for the Southern Pacific’s first order of GS-4 locomotives and the last GS-4 Class locomotive in existence. When it was first delivered, 4449 was assigned to pull the Coast Daylight between San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. When the arrival of the newer GS-4’s and GS-5’s, 4449 was reassigned to SP’s Golden State Route and Sunset Route. On September 24, 1956, 4449 was semiretired from service and was kept as an emergency backup locomotive, until October 2, 1957 when it was o ficially retired. In 1958, the locomotive was donated to the city of Portland, Oregon by Southern Pacific and put on public display at Oaks Park. The 4449 was chosen for display because it was first in line on the storage track and could easily be moved. Over the years the 4449 was vandalized, and some of its parts were stolen including the builder's plate and whistle. 29

On December 14, 1974, the 4449 was moved to Burlington Northern’s Hoyt Street Roundhouse in Portland, Oregon to be restored to pull the American Freedom Train for the 1976 Bicentennial. On April 21, 1975, the restoration was complete and the 4449 was wearing the infamous red, white, and blue paint scheme. Since the original whistle was stolen, a Hancock 3 chime and a Southern Pacific 6 chime were fitted to the locomotive. The locomotive pulled the freedom train for two years taking turns with a Reading T1 #2101, and Texas & Pacific #610. A ter the last run of the freedom train was completed, the 4449 was put back into storage, this time under a protective so it is not exposed to the elements.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

In 1981 the 4449 was returned into the Daylight colors of red and orange for Railfair 1981 and the opening of the California State Railroad Museum. In 1984 the 4449 pulled a Daylight-painted train from Portland, Oregon to New Orleans, Louisiana to promote the World’s Fair. The 7,477 mile round trip made it the longest steam train excursion in U.S. history. During this time, 4449 starred in two Hollywood ﬁlms, “Tough Guys” produced in 1986, and “Come See the Paradise” produced in 1990. 4449 returned to Railfair in 1991 there to be greeted by the newly restored SP #2472. 4449 will double head with 2472 in 1992. The 4449 would return to Railfair in 1999 and co-star along with ATSF #3751, UP #844, and UP #3985. In 2000, the 4449 was repainted into black and silver for a BNSF employee excursion. In early 2002, the 4449 was returned into the red white and blue scheme a ter the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, then in 2004, it was returned into the classic Daylight colors, this time in its “as delivered” appearance where the tender says

“Southern Paciﬁc Lines” instead of “Southern

Pacific,” which she still wears to this day. In 2007 this historic locomotive would once again meet up with UP #844, this time for a double header from Tacoma, Washington to Everett, Washington, including a return trip. On July 2, 2009, the 4449 le t the Brooklyn Roundhouse and the following day le t Portland and embarked on a 2,500 mile run to Owosso, MI. The excursion took just under three weeks to reach the final destination in Owosso, but when she finally arrived 4449 pulled excursion trains on July 23 and 24 and was on display for the remaining 2 days of the event. A ter the event was over, the 4449 embarked on the 2,500 mile trip back home. The trip home took a little over two months as she stopped in all the larger cities along the way for people to take pictures and admire the 4449 in all her glory. In 2012, the 4449 was given a permanent home at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center a ter it opened in 2012. By this time, a 15 year inspection would be required for the locomotive. The rebuild

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6: History

took a little over two years and she was ďŹ nished on November 25, 2015, just in time to pull the holiday express. The last excursion the 4449 pulled was in June 2017. The most recent movement of 4449 was up to Washington for an IMAX movie shoot. This run was not announced to the public to keep the amount of people chasing the train down for a clearer shot for the movie. The 4449 relied on Amtrak for excursion trains and in previous years, Amtrak always supported the excursions. The 4449 had planned excursion trips for the 2018 season, but due to Amtrakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new policy all the planned 2018 excursions have been canceled. However, word has been going around that BNSF is going to pick up on the excursions so there is a slight chance that 4449 will run in the 2018 season.

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

Photo Corner: Cass Scenic Railorad Shay #4 by Adam C. Ma hews

Railroading in America Magazine Edition 6:

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