During one Friday Summer day in 1984 at the TVRM museum, I was firing and also did some running with 722. We had known the 611 was coming to town with Robert Claytor at the throttle. On one of our last trips short of the East Chattanooga Depot, the radio crackled and the operator's voice ordered us to stop near a small bridge to pick two VIP persons. The visitors were none other than Robert Claytor and his college age son, Preston. Mr. Claytor wanted some throttle time on 722, and also for his son to hand fire our engine. I climbed up on the tender boards in front of the coal pile. Billy Byrd, my engineer, showed him the more basic brakestand than the one on 611, and stepped out of the way. There was Mr. Claytor in his work clothes running our little 2-8-0 after just bringing in the magnificant 611 with all of its modern appliances and enjoying himself! Preston did a decent job of firing, and they were both very gracious and unassuming. I had great respect for both Robert Claytor and his famous brother, Graham, and what they accomplished in returning 4501, 611, and later, 1218 to operation on both Southern and NS rails! I had previously met Graham while visiting the Chattanooga Choo Choo meeting building where he gave an address while serving as Secretary of the Navy under President Carter. He had commanded a destroyer during WW II. I like to refer to these two great gentlemen railroaders as the "Steam Brothers"!
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