This is on Trainorders from Ross Rowland. This is great news if it takes place. i wish him all the best for this project.
CZ
Date: 06/20/10 02:01
Greenbrier Express/614 is a GO!!!
Author: co614
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to report that the GBX is a “GO” project. Please see the thread below…Greenbrier Express-614 for my detailed posting.
Thanks, Ross Rowland, President & CEO
Greenbrier Express Company, Inc.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/10 02:03 by co614.
Congratulations to Ross Rowland, and company!
Was not making much progress with the above links, all seemed to terminate on the ‘Train Orders’ site.
While lookin around, I stumbled into this site when seems to explain much more, and have detailed information on this Project GBX;
Linked: http://steamcentral.com/2010/06/20/co-614-to-return-to-service-in-2012/
FTA: "…The Greenbrier Express project is real and the check has cleared the bank, therefore it is no longer a ” concept” but rather a solid project…"
Further:"…The GBX will be a 17 car long, ultra first class day train that will bring 210 guests from Washington DC to the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs,W.Va. It will operate the same route as the Cardinal, departing Wash.,DC on Tuesdays at 10:00 am arriving at WSS at 5pm. . . The GBX will return to Washington on Sundays, departing WSS at 10:00 am arriving DC at 5 pm.
. . .
Motive power will be a mix of modern diesels and classic mainline steam locomotives. On the steam powered portions of the journey there will be NO diesels in the train with HEP supplied by 2 baggage/generator cars. . . Service is scheduled to commence on July 2,2012. …"
Hope this will help explain, and provide some more info!
GO 614 GO, It will be GREAT to see Greenbrier 614 doing what it does best, running the rails and making that wonderful music of coal and steam together…
This is fantastic news. I wonder if there will be a discount for people riding the diesel-pulled trips. There’s nothing more expensive than a steam trip and I don’t want this to fail.
While on a tour of another nearby industrial plant yesterday afternoon (Friday, 18 March 2011), I saw and took these photos* of a string of passenger cars that are stored nearby at part of the former Bethlehem Steel Co. fabricating plant in the eastern part of Pottstown, PA:
Both the tour leader - the owner of the plant, who saw them arrive several months ago - and another local fellow who is tied in with the Chamber of Commerce - had essentially the same story: that theses cars are owned by a wealthy individual, and were going to be refurbished for the “government’s underground bunker” train - upon further questioning, it seems they meant the luxury train from Washington, D.C. to the Greenbrier Hotel at White Sulphur Springs.
*No one had any idea I was interested in them [:-^] ; and,
[:-,] The USAF and US gov’t. really thought those MX nuclear missile trains from the 1980’s could be sucessfully hidden from the railfan community ? [swg]
I saw no signs of any activity or work on these cars, other than 1 guy in 'business casual ’ - khaki pants and a polo shirt, white hard hat with a red stripe on it - walk alongside the train and board 1 of the cars. The track leading up to them recently had minimal new ties installed and a lot of gage rods applied so as to make it safer and more serviceable - it’s still not great, by any stretch.
It’s at these Lat./ Long coords. (per the ACME Mapper 2.0 application) for anyone who’s interested, though there are enough carved-up parcels and fences in there now that it might be hard to get near: N 40.23996 W 75.63720
Since this thread was started and seems to have some interest, and some pretty good resources availabe.
Paul North’s excelent pictures of the equipment at rest in Pottstown, Pa are a real bonus( [Y][Y] )
I started looking around for some information from Ross Rowland and the website that was to carry the information: www.greenbriarexprees-614.com seems to have gone to a stealth mode and submerged out of sight.
The CSX specifically has thrown a monkey wrench into the plan to run the 614 on their rails. Apparently, Corporate is making noises about a ‘no antiques’ ruling on their rails, as relates to steam power.
On this trainorders link there are some ascerbic references to the efforts to start a ’ hitorical Steam Locomotive Trust’ to pay for the 614’s refurbishment into an operational status:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2396354
There was some Q&A on a raidio talk show with Ross Rowland about his Operation and the GBX Train.
The link is here : http://letstalktrains.com/ (NOTE: seems to be informational, and be aware site has several pleas for donations) (possibly to be expected with a commercially oriented site(?), also, it seems to be tied into the Railroad Motel at LaPlata, Mo. A TRAINS advertiser (?) ( FYI !)
This linked site: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/36063-nice-surprise-last-night/
Is to a Forum on AMTRAK subjects and has some information relating to the equipment move from Denver, Co to Pottstown, Pa. There is also a detailed equipment list of the cars moved to Pottstown,Pa. (along with their AMTRAK ID Numbers).