does anyone know the location the 614?
There’s alot still to be done, but try this:
Glad to see that there is still interest in this beautiful machine.
I got to ride behind er back in 1981 during the Operation Lifesaver excursions in Florida. I was a member of the NRHS and was in charge of Car #5. The ride was an incredible and enjoyable experience. I have photos that I plan on scanning and uploading to my PhotoBucket account soon. I also tape recorded the sounds. Sweet music it was to my ears [{(-_-)}]
What amazes me is that an HO version of this popular steamer has not been produced!
PFM did the excursion appearance of 614 back in the early 80s.
MTH did one in die cast O scale a few years back. I think there were a few in 2 rail also, but I havn’t found any yet. (yes, the crazy O scale speaks again[:-^]
Saw one at Gilbert’s in Gettysburg about a month ago…[:D]
Prepare to pay though. They are nice, but pricey!
I saw her pound up Sand Patch several times, as well as OWN 17mile!
Last I did anything with her, she was at Hagerstown in the early 90s. From there she was stored in Cumberland, then at the B&O museum. From there she went to the Morristown and Erie (IRRC) in NJ. May still be there.
I have one of the Gem J-3as (#613) that is my prized HO scale locomotive.
yes, do share. By the way, PPPHHHTTT!!!
Yeah, there’s been a disscussion about wanting a Bachmann DCC on board steamer of her. I really fell in love with her after seeing the RFDTV on her on yesterday. Not nearly as good as a real meeting, but it’s what I can get to for now. Love the kitty. Worship the kitty.
I’ll have to dig up my shots of her too.
BTW, if you can lay hands on the old Sunday River Films (video) of the coal tests in 1985 do so! Great action of her in the winter.
I have one, and it’s about wore out from being watched so much!
Stored dead at the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern in PA. I believe Ross Rowland still owes a ton of money to NJ Transit for the last trips runs with her from Hoboken to Port Jervis. That, and there’s also the issue of the 5 year rebuild that would need to be done. I don’t think we’ll ever ser running again.
One question I always had: which is bigger: 614 or Milwaukee Road 261? Have been on trips pulled by both engines (not at the same time - that would be great) and gotten their literature, but no comparable size specs were ever published for the two. You know, length over all, engine length, tender length, etc.
Yep I wonder that my self
I bet it would be a good seller
The vital statistics of both locos can be found in “Steam’s Finest Hour,” a Kalmbach publication of about 50 years ago. Although length and height figures are not given, tables do show weights, grate areas and heating surface measurements and other relevant numbers. With one exception, 261 is slightly larger. The exception is weight on drivers where 614 prevails by 80 pounds (282,400 vs 282,320). Total weights of the engines favor 261 (490,450 vs 479,400). You might say 614 was more efficiently designed, having a greater per centage of its weight available for traction. Still, 261 wins in tractive effort 70,800 to 68,300 lbs. At low speeds 614 can call on another 12,400 lbs of pull from its booster. 261 has no booster.
The 614 might be used for a grand tour of the USA much like the Freedom Train if the funding works out. Check out the web page below.
Could if it was still there!
It was taken out duing the 1985 coal tests, as it was also being “used” as dynamic braking![:O] Last I saw 614’s booster engine, it was laying in pieces in the Hagerstown Md. roundhouse! The crankshaft broke.
You hit the nail on the head… it was in pieces last I saw after the trips on NJT\Conrail which ended on a relatively sour note. Rowland went on to other ventures I heard but don’t know much more. Still it was a great engine to ride behind and watch come through my home area.
Thanks, but I knew about all that - I have the book. What I really wanted to know was what I asked about originally - lengths, heights, etc. Visually 261 looks bigger, but looks can be deceiving.
Just another Ross Rowland misadventure. He has such a bad reputation in the rail community that no one will let him run anywhere unless they either will donate the time, money and facilities or have him put all the money upfront. Once any source of funding gets wind of his history they’ll run like scared hens.
A shame. Oh well, looks lile a fun modelling project.
Amazing how things change as the years roll by.
Back in 1981 when I rode behind the 614 and got to meet Ross and his crew, his reputation was solid and so well respected. The newspapers here in Florida had glowing articles about him. [C):-)]
For those of you that know, can you elaborate more on what happened as far as his last excursions ending on a sour note as well as the issues of finances? [V]
For the past 27 years I’ve been very grateful to Ross and his crew for one of the most enjoyable and educational experiences that a “then” high school student could go through.
IMO it would be wonderful if private funding could be obtained to get 614 rolling again–I think it’s one of the handsomest 4-8-4’s ever built. And why this handsome, distinctive loco has not been offered in model form (except for hard-to-find brass) is kind of beyond me. Powerful, fast and beautiful to watch (I’ve got the video of her running the Chessie “Safety Specials” in the early 'eighties), she is simply one of the finest examples of the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement ever built.
She needs to run again. And we modelers need to have her on our pikes, by God!
Tom [soapbox]
He stiffed NJT for a bunch of money from the last Hoboken/Port Jervis excursion. That’s why for the longest time 614 was the ‘guest’ of NJT at the Meadowlands Maintenance Facility here in NJ. Oh he’s a nice enough guy who can schmooze with the best, but financially he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Size similarities aside, the C&O 614 has an overall much better design, especially concerning the boiler. The 261 was a “War Baby” and as such was in reality 3 different designs for 3 different railroads combined into one to meet the War Production Board restrictions. The 614, built in 1948, had no such restrictions, which allowed Lima to get creative. The 614 boiler, from a mechanical engineering prospective, is a hybrid design combining elements from the boilers of the C&O’s huge T1 2-10-4’s and the NYC Niagara’s. The 614’s boiler has an exceptional combustion chamber design along with an enormous gas volume area. This is evident in films showing the 614 easily pulling 25-26 car passenger trains at over 80MPH, and 5000-6000 ton coal trains in the ACE tests unassisted. The 261 is a nice locomotive; The 614 is a Thoroughbred.