The Red Devil

For me there can be only 1 best looking....can we say...."J"?

CB&Q O5 class 4-8-4s and S4 class 4-6-4s, plus the DL&W 4-6-4s. No contest, the best looking "modern" steam locomotives in the world!

One of the most impressive runs of any steam locomotive I ever saw was 611 clawing up Saluda Grade with a full consist. The engineer had a sure handle on that situation with nary a wheel slip. One heck of a locomotive. I was surprised NS didnt revive her for the current tour. Seems counter-intutive..they have one of the top ten most ( probably higher) famous engines in the world and there she sits cold. Go figure. A missed opportunity in my book.

Reading T-1 in Iron Horse Rambles paint scheme

Electroliner and CWEX, I loved your videos.  I haven't seen the Red Devil for some time (I recall the news about her back in the 1980's.  The 611 (and her sisters) are my favorite 4-8-4.

Has anyone ever explained to the South Africans that they run their trains on 3'6" gauge track?  Their trains look almost standard gauge in size.

Stuart

Electroliner, NS has already stated it might be willing to run 611, BUT only if someone else pays for the restoration.  The Corporation simply can't see spending a $million-or-so to revive a 70 yr old steam engine.  If the current baby steps steam program continues to be successful, this attitude might change someday, but don't bet on it.  Any serious suggestions here on how to raise the loot to free the J?

NS has also been clear they need a 3rd party to own and operate the locomotive, just like the relationship they have with TVRM.  You not only need to raise the cash to do the restore, but need to find someone to do it, maintain, keep the shop, etc..  NS isn't going to run a steam shop.

Electroliner

Thanks for posting the video of the Red Devil.  I'll second Stuart's comment about the 3' 6" gauge.  Pound for pound the Class 25 South African Northers and the Red Devil have to be about the most locomotive ever.

It would be fascinating to see what might happen if the technology put into the Red Devil were applied to the legends of US steam.  Everyone has a high regard for N&Ws last designs.  What might have happened if Andre Chapelon or L.D. Porta had spent some quality time in Roanoke?

I would ask what would have happened if Roanoke kept going?  Where would they have taken steam on there own?  The "J"'s to me are the crowning jewel for them.

While 611 has it all, I'd say that "Tornado" is real purdy in a different lean & sleek way.  And for striking, well, the T1 looks like something out of the Space Age rather than the Depression.  All three beautiful, yet very different from each other.

The fact that the N&W did succumb to diesels should answer that question.

Rusty

One set of experiments that had a relatively successful run was a condensing steam locomotive that recycled the steam back into the boiler. One of the weak links was the fan blades of the condensing fans that were worn away by particulates from the coal, which brought to mind the N&W Jawn Henry, as well as the C&O experiments. In line with Rusty's comments, one has to wonder about the advances in synthetic metals and other materials, if this issue could be overcome..I thought about the T1 slipping problem, and then wondered is ..rather than manual control, like the diesel, would advances in programmable controls ( which did not exist then) have made a difference? I guess we will never know..

In this video you can hear the whirring sound of the condensing fans..sounds a bit like a jet..

I have a lot of favorites - I agree that the N&W J is among them.  Like a lot of folks, the J1e Hudson and PRR K4 are on my list.  I am nuts about the SP class 4-10-2, and the very early 2-6-6-2 Back-Up Mallets. But my list does not stop there.

On the restoration, if it is a million bucks (I bet it is three times that) a hundred thousand rail fans giving ten bucks each ought to do it.  Somebody could set up a Super Pac or something.  I volunteer ten bucks, once it is set up.  

Or if it gets really serious, I bet we could find ten thousand folks willing to chip in a hundred bucks each.  Isn't the circulation of OGR more than that?