Southern 630 Today

Thanks for that great shot.  I'd love to see her in the flesh.

I wouldn't believe everything you read concerning the diesel helpers. Depending on the size of the passenger train, there is no way poor #630 would be able to ascend those grades without SOME help from the diesels.

Wait a minute, you can't publish something on the net unless it is true.  Says so right on the net.

ChipR

Last weekend trips from Spencer to Barber Jct where totally unassisted by diesels.

Even on the rolling terrain of the S line 630 was really working up some of those grades. Even in the days of 611 there where diesel helper in the consist running in the I/O position to help 611 up the grades after Old Fort.

Great photo.

Chris

I rode behing 630 on Norfolk to Petersbury trip; we were told that the tunnel motor was used to get the train up to speed and then it went to all steam.  630 was pulling 10 coaches, TVRM commissary car, a baggage car, two diesel engines and a spare water tender.  The diesel was also used for additional braking.

I had planned to chase 630 through the loops this weekend but MR. MURPHY had other plans! 

Here are some photo's I captured yesterday, I edited them tell me if I did too much! 

Interesting "artsy craftsy" views. Just my opinion but, yes I would say you edited them too much.

Also, did you happen to get any nice action photos of #630 on the grades? 

Hot Water-

Thanks for the feedback, I will not edit the shot's as much next time I have the originals and I might post those later. No I didn't get any great shot's on the grades. I can find some for you. 

More Pictures not edited! 

Thanks for your contributions, Josh.  Love that engine.  

A video I made of Southern 630

Nice work Josh!

Very Nice.  Enjoyed watching. 

Ken

Great photo's Josh.

I'm not trying to high jack your thread but I added some of my photo from the ferry move on Thursday to make this a 630 photo forum.

Thanks for the photos guys. Love those 2-8-0s.

In Josh Scott's photo of the 630 cab side, it looks exactly like NKP numerals.  Did the Southern use the same style as the NKP?

I honestly would not know that one NKP779 I would ask the forum webmaster he is very involved in the NKP 765, he just might be able to answer that one for you! 

Josh 

I am about to post a link to a video that is the hardest I have ever seen 630 working! I did not shoot this video my friend Jacob Riley shot this video, all rights go to him! It proves 630 was not cheating she was really doing her part! 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=532501460134183

Josh 

Boy, was THAT difficult to watch!

A few suggestions to your friend Jacob Riley:

1) Please get a tripod!

2) Please don't set up at grade crossing signals with BELLS, and talking spectators.

3) Please do NOT talk into your own video.

4) Please try to keep your fingers/hand out of the viewing field.

and lastly, did I mention to please get a tripod?

The sound of 630 was very good on the grade, even if the diesels were working very hard also. Thanks for posting.

Hot Water- 

Jacob & I where talking about this earlier and he is looking into a tripod. I will mention the other items to him

Josh 

Josh, excellent video, enjoy what you are doing and the way you are doing it. Disregard the expert's so called suggestions. Remember this is a fun hobby and nobody is perfect.   

quote:

Josh, excellent video, enjoy what you are doing and the way you are doing it. Disregard the expert's so called suggestions. Remember this is a fun hobby and nobody is perfect.

I was going to add;

5) Keep people with fat heads out of the view finder, unless you think that is a fun part of the hobby.

Paul,

I don't see where offering constructive criticism is anything to be disregarded. And, no, it wasn't an excellent video. It wasn't even mediocre. When Jacob learns a few things, he will look back and agree.

Funny! I seem to remember YOU claimed to be "an expert of sorts on SP steam locomotives", back last year.

I'll stand by my suggestions!!!

I'm sorry, but I'm with Jack on this one. The video Josh linked to above is NOT an "excellent" video. It is a badly shot, shaky video that would have been much better if the photographer used a tripod and was a bit more selective about choosing his shooting location. I got about 10 seconds into it and had seen enough.

These kinds of "shaky-cam" videos are very hard to watch. If we call them "excellent" then where is the incentive to improve? If it's already "excellent" than it can't get much better, right? WRONG.

I don't subscribe to the school of "feel-good psycho babble." I call a spade a spade and if something is not good I'm going to say so. I'm not going to say something is "excellent" when it clearly isn't, just so I don't hurt someone's feelings. No one learns anything from that kind of experience.

Departing Asheville on a cold morning

Part of the Loops

630 waiting to be turned on the wye

Front end view of the 630

Heading upgrade through the Loops

One of the tunnels along the route

Returning to Asheville

Rich, I really don't want to debate this issue any further, but opinions are like you know what and everybody has one. I don't think Josh and Jacob should be lambasted for a video that in my opinion was excellent for their skill level at this time.

We learn by doing. This is fun hobby but not when a novice videographer is chided for a shaky camera, etc., etc. They will get better with time and learn by mistakes they make. Nobody is perfect.  

I'm sorry Paul, but there is no incentive to learn and improve when sub-standard work is called "excellent."

Your statement is a bit confusing, since I don't remember YOU taking & posting a video. You DID post a video taken by your friend, jacob, and THAT VIDEO is what I thought the discussion was about.

Josh,

You look like you are still in school. Is that correct?

If so, when your teacher hands back your project with a grade lower than you expected, do you ask if he/she is "bashing" your work? I certainly hope not.

Rich is right, there is no incentive to learn and improve when sub-standard work is called "excellent."

Learn from the mistakes your teachers point out to you and improve on them.

Here is my video I hope you enjoy it! I also have a video of the locomotive arriving, the grease gun, ect! This is my first video so please be kind. 

Cool video!

Mike Maurice