I am pleased to announce the creation of a new webpage regarding the former Chesapeake and Ohio #614. According to emails that I have been receiving the owner of the #614 wants to bring the big C&O Northern back up to running standards. However that is going to be a fairly large undertaking.
I believe that the #614 was one of the last Northerns built. So it is pretty much state of the art for steam. I recall seeing a video of #614 actually pulling coal trains in an experiment to possibly bring back mainline working steam. However that failed to pan out.
There are some nice shots of the Northern running in the mid-1990’s. Also some shots of the #614 in its current condition. It would be great to see this awesome steam engine run again.
That would be nice to see it running again…I never got a chance to ride behind it, or watch from trackside on its Hoboken-Port Jervis runs, but after all the time, money, and effort put into 614 thus far, it would be a collosal waste to just let it sit and rust, Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown
That would be GREAT! to see her running again.
I have never had the privilege of riding behind her,
but have been blessed with being able to take pictures
of her at Huntington,Charleston,and Thurmond.
Just an update to the original posting. According to sources I have, the C&O classified the #614 as a “Greenbrier” not as a “Northern”. I guess one of the things particular to the C&O.
Just thought I would pass along that bit of information and restate - “It would be great to see that big “Greenbrier” run again”. Actually that has a nice ring to it.
The C & O Greenbrier is the same as a Northern. When the C & O first bought them, they didn’t want to call it a Northern when it was running on a southern RR so they changed its name.
I have a video call “C & O: return of a Thoroughbred” its 150 minutes long in color. Produced by Marc S. Balkin, Narrated by Richard Melvin (of OGR fame)
Try Mark I Video, P.O. Box 404 New Milford, New Jersey 07646,
1-800-66MARK 1
…614 was instrumented to run and monotor tests to find feasiblilty of using a modern steam engine against it’s competition the diesel engine…Testing was done a decade or so ago hauling real freight on real railroads…Conclusion must have been no it is not feasible to do so…Project was called the ACE3000 I believe.
Gabe: Go to Google and enter in ACE3000 and find a great drawing rendition of proposed engine…
Look for videos about the New River runs in the mid-80’s. Trains shouls have a shot of 614 pulling the Cardinal from Huntington to Hinton at the same time. I’d sure like to see that happen again!
I was fortunate to have ridden behind her in a 1981 excursion in Florida. I was also even allowed inside the cab while she was steamed up! During the trip I tape recorded her sounds and snapped plenty of photos.