Yes Virginia, CSX was once a Santa Claus

Anyone spot the front engine breaking into a spin about 20 seconds into the video?

---PCJ

Still ticks me off that the loud vehicle came along behind me and drowned out the sound.

Articulated steam locomotives have been known to do that. Not uncommon. 

A fried of mine was telling me they couldn't turn the Challenger at the end and had to run in reverse for about 60 miles. Was this unplanned or they knew they couldn't do it? heard the wye was not large enough when they go to it??What was the deal?

jamie

They tried to turn the engine in Kingsport, TN the first morning after she arrived. The tender derailed while backing through the wye.

After that they just towed everything northbound by diesel to position it for the remaining trips. They split the train from the 3985, her auxiliary water tanks and the tool car and made two separate moves. You can see 3985 and her support cars being towed in the last shot at Frisco, TN, exiting from the tunnel.

That wasn't the only mishap. On the inbound ferry move, the running board on the front fireman's side struck some hopper cars on the adjacent siding track while negotiating a 10 degree right hand curve at a place called Boody, just north of St. Paul, VA. 

The ELESCO exhaust steam injector is mounted just below that section of the running board. Fortunately, it was not damaged.

I don't know about this so bear with me...is one tender an oil tender and one for H20?  This is obviously not a woodburner, thought I'd ask

Both of the yellow auxiliary tenders are for water ONLY. The main tender holds about 25,000 gallons of water and around 6000 gallons of recycled waste oil. Since the consumption ratio of water to fuel is in excess of ten to one, i.e. 100 gallons of water per every 10 gallons of fuel. Thus at about 20 gallons of oil burned PER MILE, not on heavy grades I might add, the 3985 used 200 gallons of water. The auxiliary tenders insure that no stops for water are necessary throughout the days operation. Upon arrival at each day's destination, the fuel is replenished from a tank truck, and water from a nearby hydrant is used to refill all the tenders. 

We have a kids' train video showing a diesel powered CSX Santa train in action. Every time my grandson sees a CSX engine, he always says "look grampa, a Santa train!!"

Jack, were you firing on that trip at all? If so, were you firing when the engine struck the hoppers?

I'm sure there were a few tense moments while the crew determined how much damage the 3985 had sustained. 

Yes, I was down there to "chase & photograph" with 3 of my buddies. However, when we showed up in Huntington, WVa, the crew spotted me, and inquired if I had any work cloths with me. Since I never go "steam chasing" dressed-up" anyway, they promptly recruited me. I did tell them that I would still like to "chase & photograph" the deadhead move southbound to Johnson City. Thus, I was not firing when they clipped the hopper in that siding. Upon stopping, they quickly discovered that the Elesco Exhaust Steam Injector was undamaged.

I must admit though, with that clipping the car on an adjacent track sure stays in ones mind, and every time we went into a tunnel, on a right hand curve, the front of that big boiler looked as if it was going to smash into the tunnel portal, the instant before it followed the front engine into the actual tunnel. Talk about "boiler overhang" on curves!