C&O 1309 just moved under her own power!

Very cool!

https://wmsr.com/1309-restoration/

Just watched the video, now that is impressive. Very Nice.

Lots of steam coming out the front end.  Bad leaks?  And there seems to be steam coming out of a small exhaust before the smokestack?  What is it?

@Dominic Mazoch posted:

Lots of steam coming out the front end.  Bad leaks?  And there seems to be steam coming out of a small exhaust before the smokestack?  What is it?

It's coming from the condensation drain cocks on the air compressors.  The exhaust from the pipe in front of the stack is exhaust from the air compressors.

Steam near the cab is from the turbo generator exhaust.

And it's like cold out there, which magnifies the steam.

Rusty

About the only good news all year........ on the last day. ( not my video)

@Dominic Mazoch posted:

Lots of steam coming out the front end.  Bad leaks?  And there seems to be steam coming out of a small exhaust before the smokestack?  What is it?

Special effects smoke pots, being pushed by diesel?  😂🤣😂🤣

@LLKJR posted:

Special effects smoke pots, being pushed by diesel?  😂🤣😂🤣

Oh ye of little faith.  If you watched the video carefully, the rear driver set slipped while in motion.

Rusty

I'm with Rusty. Besides , modern diesels and special effects are too costly for smaller steam programs

Great to see the engine is nearing the end of it's restoration. A huge undertaking! And a great effort. Sounds like she has a "hooter" too. Plenty of steam yes...cylinder cocks on four cylinders worth; steam dynamo; air pump exhaust; and cold weather!

Very cool!

Worth a bike ride come spring.  Spring in the Maryland mountains can be a bit later than you think.  This was from a May 5th bike ride. 

@Rusty Traque posted:

Oh ye of little faith.  If you watched the video carefully, the rear driver set slipped while in motion.

Rusty

Not a lack of faith, just being funny, well to me it’s funny.  When 1309 was first being restored, there were so many “doom-sayers” that it would never be finished.  I know it takes hard work, dedication and $$$$ to restore a steam locomotive and believe me, I appreciate the effort to keep history alive.

Great news. Look forward to rail trip with 1309...

I've been a fan of this engine since I saw it 20 years ago at the B&O museum in Baltimore.   Super excited that I may be able to see it run and take a ride behind this year.   Too bad MTH going out of business, would have preordered a 1309 if they made one.   MTH never made a 2-6-6-2 that I know of so hopefully Lionel will.

As others said very cool

Some of that steam at the front end shouldn't be there, but it would be quite normal to find a few steam leaks on a first move after a major restoration like this.

Congratulations to all the guys and gals involved in this, most of whom I know!

@Obsidian posted:

I've been a fan of this engine since I saw it 20 years ago at the B&O museum in Baltimore.   Super excited that I may be able to see it run and take a ride behind this year.   Too bad MTH going out of business, would have preordered a 1309 if they made one.   MTH never made a 2-6-6-2 that I know of so hopefully Lionel will.

Lionel already has made the USRA/C&O, as well as many other railroads, 2-6-6-2 and they were quite well done.

Awesome, dark days at the western Maryland are almost over

Very cool! Looking forward to making a trip to see her one day!!!

I think part of the problems were these:

1.  Overpromised, underdelivered.  With a project like this, it is best not to give firm dates on anything.  Hydro testing, et. al.

2.  TRAINS jinx. In the history of TRAINS, when the magazine mentions something, then that something goes south.

3.  Were sometimes stolen off the engine early on, and/or misplaced?  Some mismanagement early on?  Was 1309 in worse shape than some thought?

Now will she be able to do the job?  Or rather, will the track?  Is there not a curve next to a turntable which could be an upcoming issue.

But she has fire in her....!

@Dominic Mazoch posted:

I think part of the problems were these:

1.  Overpromised, underdelivered.  With a project like this, it is best not to give firm dates on anything.  Hydro testing, et. al.

2.  TRAINS jinx. In the history of TRAINS, when the magazine mentions something, then that something goes south.

3.  Were sometimes stolen off the engine early on, and/or misplaced?  Some mismanagement early on?  Was 1309 in worse shape than some thought?

Now will she be able to do the job?  Or rather, will the track?  Is there not a curve next to a turntable which could be an upcoming issue.

But she has fire in her....!

Having run fundraisers in the past, one does want to have firm goals and deadlines, otherwise it will succumb to its own inertia. That said, as you pointed out, there were reports of issues with the restoration process; the project ran out of money at one point, a former employee stole copper fittings off the engine during the stoppage.

That said, I do think that TRAINS has for some reason made this project their pet promotion, which led them to jump the gun and overpromise/over-promote. Back in 2018 or so, they were already selling photo charter tickets, and in 2019, they rebranded their coverage by hyping the fact that 1309 is the last Baldwin steam loco produced for a domestic customer (which, while noteworthy and "sticky," seems like a weird thing to emphasize).

All that said, if we kick the virus by the spring, I hope to make the trip up from VA to see it.

very exciting to see!  This would be worth a trip back to Maryland after the travel restrictions are eased. (I can't afford to take two weeks off unpaid for an 1 day trip!)

@Obsidian posted:

I've been a fan of this engine since I saw it 20 years ago at the B&O museum in Baltimore.   Super excited that I may be able to see it run and take a ride behind this year.   Too bad MTH going out of business, would have preordered a 1309 if they made one.   MTH never made a 2-6-6-2 that I know of so hopefully Lionel will.

Third Rail has put out feelers for this locomotive. I think they're waiting for the unit to return to service before soliciting interest again.

---PCJ

@RailRide posted:

Third Rail has put out feelers for this locomotive. I think they're waiting for the unit

"unit"????????       You must be kidding.

to return to service before soliciting interest again.

---PCJ

Great to see another old timer back in service again!

TRAINS was pushing this AND another steam unit, err, big engine in the Western US at about the same time.....

Some goals are good to set.  But again make them so you can reach them.

@Rich Melvin posted:

Some of that steam at the front end shouldn't be there, but it would be quite normal to find a few steam leaks on a first move after a major restoration like this.

Congratulations to all the guys and gals involved in this, most of whom I know!

Correct. There are always little leaks here and there when you first steam up. Adjustments are made, and then she’s fine.

It is wonderful to see that they have succeeded after the setbacks they had. What a worthy event!!! Congratulations to the 1309 crew!

Awesome news!

I was hoping 1309 would be painted in Western Maryland livery, hopefully that will happen in the future.

Excellent news.  Thank you eeryone who posted video and information about the steam leaks.

@Craignor posted:

Awesome news!

I was hoping 1309 would be painted in Western Maryland livery, hopefully that will happen in the future.

It looks like they currently have C&O vinyl overlays on 1309.  My guess is it will normally be WM, with the overlays used for special occasions.

YouTube Screen Capture:

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

It looks like they currently have C&O vinyl overlays on 1309.  My guess is it will normally be WM, with the overlays used for special occasions.

YouTube Screen Capture:

Rusty

Thanks Rusty.

I thought I saw cover ups on the tender, but wasn’t sure what I was looking at..

Yes, they are magnetic strips with the road name.

I saw the videos yesterday after dinner. Always like how YouTube just says to me, "Hey, did you see this, it's new?" Part of the time the video is not new but years old. Glad to see the Tube actually got one right. I think in the one video it states that the diesel is there to help if needed.

Also, the Durango and Silverton posted a few New Year's videos. I was watching one while cooking breakfast. Was over 30 minutes long so it got about halfway through before I took my eggs off. That's worth checking off, the steam engines, not my eggs, lol.

Here’s a slightly longer video.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I saw the videos yesterday after dinner. Always like how YouTube just says to me, "Hey, did you see this, it's new?" Part of the time the video is not new but years old. Glad to see the Tube actually got one right. I think in the one video it states that the diesel is there to help if needed.

Also, the Durango and Silverton posted a few New Year's videos. I was watching one while cooking breakfast. Was over 30 minutes long so it got about halfway through before I took my eggs off. That's worth checking off, the steam engines, not my eggs, lol.

Hey!!....I do the same thing!...today’s my last day of freedom before going back to the grind, .....watched some train videos while making eggs!.....and sausage, and yeast rolls, and and and ,....oh my god it was good,.....😁😁😁

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Hey!!....I do the same thing!...today’s my last day of freedom before going back to the grind, .....watched some train videos while making eggs!.....and sausage, and yeast rolls, and and and ,....oh my god it was good,.....😁😁😁

Pat

It is a good thing to listen to and watch great stuff that satisfies the soul. For a while last year I would be watching other stuff, mostly humorous, some news type stuff. Having the sounds of steam chugging and whistles was much needed. Sort of reminded me of the mid 1970's when in town steam was the main runner of the BR&W regularly. The chugging and whistles could be heard much more than the sounds of automobiles and trucks. I'll never forget one winter the whistle blowing through the winter wonderland. Rare now in the last few years as they would shutdown just after Christmas for passenger service, diesels would take over operations.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

It is a good thing to listen to and watch great stuff that satisfies the soul. For a while last year I would be watching other stuff, mostly humorous, some news type stuff. Having the sounds of steam chugging and whistles was much needed. Sort of reminded me of the mid 1970's when in town steam was the main runner of the BR&W regularly. The chugging and whistles could be heard much more than the sounds of automobiles and trucks. I'll never forget one winter the whistle blowing through the winter wonderland. Rare now in the last few years as they would shutdown just after Christmas for passenger service, diesels would take over operations.

Again!!....similarities!..the local short line has aged GP9’s working the cut by my house, .....love those crisp frosty mornings, and the half dozen grade crossings they have to pass to get to the silos,.....it’s about a mile from my house, anytime you can hear the horns, but on those cold clear mornings, we can hear the prime movers, the squeaks, the wheels, everything,.....nowhere’s as good as steam, for sure, but I’ll take it, and run like .......😁

Pat