Made the trip to the TVMR in April for my Birthday gift to myself!!! My 1st ride behind the Original Queen of Southern Steam!
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My favorite of whats still running!
Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a great trip, Sean! This is Art, who, like you, spent many an hour in Rich's shop on Albemarle Road!
Great photos!
TRRR
YES, THANK YOU for those great photos! ☺
Did anyone notice the passenger car overhang of the rails as it rounds the curve following the engine? May not look as bad as some of our models, but as has been said before, there is probably a prototype somewhere for any modeling we do!
Chuck
KEEN observation!
TVRM has a decades-long record of operating excellent steam excursions!
Tinplate Art posted:Sounds like a great trip, Sean! This is Art, who, like you, spent many an hour in Rich's shop on Albemarle Road!
Hey Art!! How you been doing my friend!
I've been off the forum for a while been really busy with work and school. Figured now I had time to catch up since I'm no longer working for Duke Energy any more.
kjstrains posted:Great photos, Sean! I also rode behind 4501 for first time at the beginning of May. It was a great day which I did not want to end. TVRM puts on a first class excursion! Some of my photos...
Yes the TVRM does a great job for running both 630 ,4501 and a host of other diesel motive power. I'm already planning a trip back to ride behind 630 and 4501 again.
The 2-8-2 was the "GP" of the steam era. And 4501 has a long excursion history behind it.
Wow..just 25 less than my dad's last engine, #4526! Is this the same series Southern Mikado? I did not know any Southern Mikados were available to see, much less ride behind! (but don't model the Southern, and haven't researched it in years). TVRM is offering rides, or has?
SEAN: Hope you are doing well and it is nice to hear from you! I fired and ran EX SR 722 at TVRM for 11 weeks during the summer of 1984. We still own the Bear Creek Junction Depot on the former Graham County Railroad near Robbinsville, NC. Do you ever see Rich Peabody? I remember meeting your dad on one occasion at rich's store, and I trust he is well!
colorado hirailer posted:Wow..just 25 less than my dad's last engine, #4526! Is this the same series Southern Mikado? I did not know any Southern Mikados were available to see, much less ride behind! (but don't model the Southern, and haven't researched it in years). TVRM is offering rides, or has?
Yes, same class of engine. It's the only Southern mikado that survives today, because it was sold into the secondhand market and survived long enough to be saved. Tennessee Valley typically reserves the use of the 4501 for the offline excursions to Summerville, GA. The website at TVRM Excursions has specific dates for the Summerville Steam Special, but generally it's once a month, and basically every weekend in October. Southern Ks-1 2-8-0 #630 is the normal power on the museum local in Chattanooga, TN. 4501's really too big for the museum's operation, so they try and save boiler time for the longer trips.
The 4501 is definitely the Grande Dame of steam excursion locos since 1966, though her last rebuild saw many upgrades like a stoker and a feedwater heater to name just a couple.
Hey Sean - You really know how to "do it up" for your birthday!! Great way to celebrate your special day! 
Thanks for all the great photos!
TVRM looks like a first class operation. Too bad NS ended the excursions in partnership with TVRM and others but I guess NS has more important things to worry about like PSR and stuff. They have to cut costs to be profitable and look good for Wall Street. At least TVRM has the Summerville line to run longer excursions on. Who pays for liability insurance for TVRM excursions? The railroad into Georgia is owned by Genesee & Wyoming. I thought they wanted nothing to do with excursions because of the liability? Unless they made an exception for TVRM.
If any US museum operation has the restoration expertise, excellent safety record and dare I say, track record since 1966, first running splendid steam excursions in partnership with Southern, and later, Norfolk Southern, it IS TVRM! For more detailed info on the success of TVRM expertly operating excursions, check out Steam's Camelot by Jim Wrinn (currently editor-in-chief of Trains). Make no mistake, TVRM is the Gold standard in both restoring engines and operating steam excursions as a not for profit entity!
Robert K posted:The railroad into Georgia is owned by Genesee & Wyoming. I thought they wanted nothing to do with excursions because of the liability? Unless they made an exception for TVRM.
The railroad is owned by the state. G&W is just the designated operator.
Exception obviously made by the owner! ☺
