Steam in 2016

IMO, Wrinn tends to be too optimistic, with no regard for political or economic realities.

I look for steam operations to be more regionalized next year, i.e. the 611 may not venture far from Roanoke, the 765 may stay in the Midwest,etc. I think the 765 people felt lucky to get out of PA and NY state unscathed, the rail-greasing incident in Scranton particularly seemed to leave a bitter aftertaste in members of its crew.
That said, WMSR 1309 should be a reality, Everett 11 should be more active, may be a good year to support whatever local operations are available.

 

Kelly I was just quoting his question. I know several other railroads rack up more than 10,000 miles every year. No need to get nasty about it.

Sure didn't sound "nasty" to me.

Jack nasty was probably too strong a word. I just didn't mean to offend or upset anyone. Kelly's operation is one of the best steam operations in the country and I didn't want to upset him. Hope to see you with 4449 next year.

I understand. All steam locomotives count no matter the wheel arrangement.

If your 10,000 mile number pertains only to big main line steam locomotives, we did our part. NKP 765 ran 4,125 miles in 2015. We won't run that many miles in 2016.

Rich,

 

765 had a great season this year. I didn't expect next year to be anything close in terms of mileage. If you don't mind me asking have you heard anything about a steam

event in Spencer, NC next year? Have heard a few people talking about it and wondered if there was anything to it or if it was just BS.

Unfortunately, it probably wont be until 2017 before she is back in service, but I am REALLY looking forward to the possibility of the Deep River Logging 2-4-4-2  being brought back to life.

 

 I spent a lot of time at the Oregon Coast July-September, and rode the Oregon Coast Scenic RR, behind their 2-6-2, and when we stopped in Garibaldi, I took a peak in the enginehouse, and was Pleasantly surprised to see the "Skookum" inside. I had some how missed hearing about the Skookum moving to the OCSRR.

 

 I am Hoping to join the OCSRR as a volunteer. I have been considering a career and residential move to the coast, and this definitely added a lot of additional motivation.

We have already found the WHERE we would like to move to, now I need to find the time to go talk to the Tillamook County Creamery Assoc. about the possibility of joining their driving crew.

 

 It's been Exciting thinking about the possibilities for this spring, Fishing off my own dock, and the trip to the OCSRR would reduce from over 1.5 hours to about 20 minutes each way, a lot of things have to come together, but it would do Wonders for my Mental Health

 

 

Doug

I am not aware of any plans for a steam-related event in Spencer in 2016.

Now THAT would be something to see.

 

Rusty

2015 was one of our busiest seasons ever. 4,125 miles run and long distances from home (Fort Wayne to Scranton, PA is an 11-hour drive!) placed a lot of demands on our crew this year. Rugged mountain railroading also placed some tough demands on the 765! The R&N was very impressed with her handling 19 cars unassisted out of Pittston and up the mountain at 25 mph.

 

We keep a log of our trips and mileage for maintenance purposes, but it's not something that is available on the web anywhere.

Thanks Rich. I had a feeling it was BS. Look forward to hearing about 2016 in the months ahead.

Not all of the crew was unhappy with Scranton, several members expressed an eagerness to return and complete the Nicholson viaduct trip that was cancelled due to the CP/NS transfer.  There was also some debate as to what was or wasn't on the track in the Nay Aug tunnel.  Maybe we will see 611 at Railfest instead?

 will we be seeing NS steam trips next year, also what is the new management stance on steam.

I take that means that 765 had it's time in the Keystone State and it will be a long while before it returns. Too bad you were unable to do the Nicholson trips. That leaves Reading and Northern as the only "big" steam operation in PA next year, most of their 425 trips run in the fall so this year's 765 trip in August was a rare thing. 425 is currently the only steam locomotive in PA that pulls trips more than 10 miles. The only other steam operations are Strasburg, New Hope (when #40 runs), and soon to be Everett RR. DE has Wilmington and Western and NJ Bel-Del and Black River, and MD WMSR. So, for us eastern PA folks, next year's NS trips will most likely be 400 miles away minimum like 2014. Meaning at least 400 miles to the boarding point in another state. Such as Roanoke, Fort Wayne, etc. Well, the Fort Wayne crew needs a break from all those trips this year. Steam did get to most of the NS terminals so far, except maybe northern NJ, Philadelphia, and Reading, PA, Hagerstown, MD. I was hoping that 611 would head north of the Mason-Dixon line next year, oh well. NS does have a line from Roanoke to Harrisburg via Hagerstown. It's too bad that nobody in PA has a large operable mainline certified steam locomotive to pull NS trips so that you guys don't have to break your backs to come out to PA. All 3 of the NS steam locomotives are a few hundred miles from the PA state line, south and west. It's a rare treat to have any big steam in PA. In the 1980's you had 2102 running mainline trips, between 1985-1988 and as well as a couple of Strasburg mainline trips with 7002 and 1223 in 1985-1986, and of course the 765 trips from NJ to Reading in July, 1988 with that horrible Tri-State convention. And the CP 972 on mainline trips out of Reading in fall 1983. There was so much more variety of trips in the 1980's in PA, today it's the same runs over and over such as the tourist lines. R&N, etc. R&N just started doing other trips besides their normal trips to or from Jim Thorpe such as the photo freights, Schuylkill Haven, Minersville, and Pottsville trips, and 425 charters. Well, there have been rare mileage trips in PA in recent years with the PRR E8's in Philly and the Amtrak Autumn Express trips. This year Amtrak ran its trip out of Albany, NY, not Philly like last year. Maybe they'll do a rare mileage trip from Philly again in the future, or the PRR E8's.

It's too bad that NS had to cancel the Nicholson trips due to the delayed transaction with CP. Another thing, though, I understand why it did not happen, I wish that NS had been able to route 765 on its dead head move to CVSR via the Pittsburgh Line and Horseshoe Curve. Hopefully the new management at NS is interested in steam excursions. I doubt 765 will go that far from home next year and I have a hunch that we won't see 611 north of the Mason Dixon or the Ohio River.

Yeah, it's real inconvenient right now for a large steam locomotive to visit PA. We have 2 Reading T-1's, 2 NKP Berks, and a whole bunch of PRR locomotives, and more at Steamtown, and guess what, NONE of them run right now or are capable of being fired up without major work like 611 or Reading 2100. Having 765 in our state was a special treat. There is no running steam locomotive in PA capable of running on NS. That means that steam excursions in PA are limited to tourist lines, Reading and Northern right now. Of course, Amtrak and the PRR E8's can run public trips on mainlines in PA, and can run on more lines than NS excursions can such as on Amtrak electrified lines as well as NS freight lines. That's the best hope to have regular mainline trips in PA rather than once every several years. Maybe Amtrak will run its Autumn Express in PA again next year. Last year they ran a rare trip over NS ex-Reading lines.