Hello from Trainfestival 2009

[nkp_174]

GREAT SHOTS SO FAR! , i hope MORE are added to this :mrgreen: .

I think I'm more interested in the Hiawatha passenger cars then i am the steam though ...please, no hate mail on that one .

Deano, you're a good man for caring about the passenger cars...I have no comment of not seeing the beauty of steam

The cracked flue rumor made its way around, but I'm under the impression, having better sources than the rumor mill, that it was something quite different and there's a good chance that she won't be under steam until after her big overhaul. Besides, a leaky flue doesn't sideline a locomotive.

The photo Wayne posted is of an F-unit that came all the way from the Spencer shops in North Carolina. NS was excellent in helping her make the trip.

The 261 train was picked up by the Daylight at the Twin Cities. The 261's tool car, a sleeper, and a KATY private car were parked in the festival. The 1225's crew car was used on each trip. There was a beautiful NYC private car that was at the end of the train in front of the full dome and the skytop lounge. A couple of the cars had an interesting story...they were owned by the 765 crew 20 years ago...and are currently own by Jerry Jacobson (the Ohio Central's former owner). A couple weeks ago, the F-40 and the former VIA cars returned from Ft. Wayne to eastern Ohio but he left these with the 765 for Railfestival. Keep in mind, just because a car is wearing a particular paint scheme doesn't mean that it is from that railroad. The 765 and OC cars have long been painted N&W maroon...regardless as to their history...and this is the case with most of the 261 and the 4449's cars. The only cars that I'm 100% certain were originally from the Milwaukee Road are the full length dome and the skytop. I know with 100% certainty that some of the others were not.

The 765 will be staying there for some photo charters. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the 1225. Odds are fairly good that they won't disclose the full nature of their troubles due to the sensitivity of such things...but I hope that it can be mended.

Here's the 765 covering for the 1225 on Saturday morning...


Rich ran most of the trip...

But Doyle and a couple other distinguished guests pulled the throttle on the photo runby. Ross Rowland was also on board...nearly a who's who of celebrity engineers. On Sunday, a younger member who is also an NS engineer was at the throttle for the trip...he is being trained and previously ran a couple excursions a month ago. Steve Winicker was in the fireman's seat on Sunday while Mark St. Aubin was in the seat on Saturday.

This shot is as much for kf4jqd as for everyone else:

She truly is a NG locomotive with sg axles!

The family


The brand new Leviathan.

The owner acquired the patterns used to build the Jupiter replica (Promontory Point, Utah)...and so she's a sister. He's also, or so I hear, acquired the partially completed replica of V&T #1...the Lyon.

1225

Twice she has been involved in similar events. Both times the 765 had to cover for her. Hopefully she'll get a good overhaul in and they'll have her back in just a few years. She was cold by the time I got there to see her, but I've seen her before.

This 1 1/2" scale Southern PS-4 was amazing.

Unlike other 1/8th scale locomotives, her whistle sounded as good as she looks

At the end of the day on Saturday, the 3 saddletankers teamed up to move the cold 1225:


They accomplished it with lots of slipping. You ought to be able to find a video somewhere on the net.

After chasing the 765 on Sunday morning, we headed over to the Huckleberry Railroad

Of course, it was an excellent ride. I greatly enjoyed talking with their crew and the supervisor, Paul. I was very impressed with how well run their operation is. Our train was powered by one of the two remaining D&RGW K-27 mudhens (the same engines Blackstone and B-man offer). The first car on the train was an 1882 Jackson & Sharp coach which was used on the Chili Line.

My little boy loves trains...and he loved his ride...