Chesapeake and Ohio 614

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Chesapeake and Ohio 614
C&O Railway Heritage Center - C&O 614 Locomotive - 1.JPG
C&O No. 614 on display in 2012
Note: The locomotive is currently wearing a paint scheme for the cancelled Greenbrier Presidential Express
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Lima Locomotive Works
Serial number9306
Build dateJune 1948
Rebuild date1979–1980
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-8-4
   UIC 2′D2′ h2
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia. 38 in (965 mm)
Driver dia.74 in (1,880 mm)
Trailing dia. 42 in (1,067 mm)
44 in (1,118 mm) on last axle
Tender wheels36 in (914 mm)
Minimum curve 20°
Length112 ft 2+34 in (34.21 m)
Height15 ft 8+12 in (4.79 m)
Axle load 71,700 lb (32,500 kilograms; 32.5 metric tons)
Adhesive weight 285,200 lb (129,400 kilograms; 129.4 metric tons)
Loco weight482,200 lb (218,700 kilograms; 218.7 metric tons)
Tender weight386,130 lb (175,150 kilograms; 175.15 metric tons)
Total weight868,330 lb (393,870 kilograms; 393.87 metric tons)
Fuel type Coal
Tender cap.As built: 21,500 US gal (81,000 L; 17,900 imp gal) water; 50,000 lb (23,000 kilograms; 23 metric tons) coal
Current tender: 18,200 US gal (69,000 L; 15,200 imp gal) water; 100,000 lb (45,000 kilograms; 45 metric tons) coal,
Auxiliary tender: 31,800 US gal (120,000 L; 26,500 imp gal) water [1] [2]
Firebox:
  Grate area100.3 sq ft (9.32 m2)
Boiler100 in (2,540 mm)
Boiler pressure255 lbf/in2 (1.76 MPa)
Superheater:
  TypeType E
  Heating area2,058 sq ft (191.2 m2)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 27.5 in × 30 in (698 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gear Baker
Performance figures
Maximum speed125 mph (201 km/h)
Power output5,000 hp (3,700 kW)
Tractive effort 66,453 lbf (295.60 kN)
w/Booster: 78,853 lbf (350.76 kN)
Factor of adh. 4.29
Career
Operators Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Steam Locomotive Corporation of America
American Coal Enterprises
Iron Horse Enterprises
Class J-3-A
Number in class5
Numbers
  • C&O 614
  • C&O 611
  • C&O 614-T
Retired1955 (revenue service)
1999 (1st excursion service)
Restored1980 (1st excursion service)
Current ownerRJD America, LLC
DispositionOn static display, waiting to be restored to operating condition

Chesapeake and Ohio 614 is a class "J-3-A" 4-8-4 "Greenbrier" (Northern) type steam locomotive built in June 1948 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) as a member of the J-3-A class. As one of the last commercially built steam locomotives in the United States, the locomotive was built with the primary purpose of hauling long, heavy, high speed express passenger trains for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway such as the George Washington and the Fast Flying Virginian .

Contents

Retired from active service in the mid 1950s, No. 614 was preserved and placed on display at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Between 1979 and 1980, restoration work on the locomotive to operating condition took place and it was used for extensive mainline excursion service from the early 1980s until the late 1990s. Since 2011, No. 614 has been on display at the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia. In November of 2024, the locomotive was sold to RJD America, who will be restoring it to operating condition. [3]

History

Revenue service

A view of the backhead inside the cab of C&O No. 614 C&O Railway Heritage Center - C&O 614 Locomotive - 9.JPG
A view of the backhead inside the cab of C&O No. 614

Most railroads called their 4-8-4s "Northerns", which is short for the railroad first using the 4-8-4 type, Northern Pacific Railroad. The workers of the C&O could not see naming these locomotives "Northerns" as the railroad was based in the southeast. The famous Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, a major resort on the C&O mainline, was the inspiration for the name "Greenbrier" applied to these 4-8-4s.[ citation needed ]

The C&O had a total of 12 4-8-4s, with the first five numbered 600-604 built in 1935, with the designation J-3. In 1942, two more were ordered from Lima numbered 605–606. In 1948, the design changed slightly and the 610-614 were produced, with the J-3-A designation. No. 614 was originally retired in 1952, but three years later, it, as well as No. 610 were brought back into revenue service to pull heavy freight trains in favor of the upcoming freight traffic on most American railroads. While being brought back into service, however, No. 614 was renumbered to 611, since there was a power shortage on the C&O as to alleviate any confusion with some leased 4-8-4s from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, one of which was also numbered 614. The original C&O 611 remained out of service.

After just one year of revenue freight service, No. 614 was retired again and it was placed in storage with a group of other C&O steam locomotives in the form of a ‘scrap line’ in front of the C&O diesel shops in Russell, Kentucky where it remained for almost two decades.

Excursion service

In 1975, No. 614, as well as 2-8-4 Kanawha No. 2705 and 2-6-6-2 No. 1309, were sent to the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland and were cosmetically restored for static display.

C&O No. 614 crosses over the ex-B&O Potomac River bridge in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in September 1980 Harpers ferry (3280540944).jpg
C&O No. 614 crosses over the ex-B&O Potomac River bridge in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in September 1980

During 1979, Ross Rowland traded Reading T1 No. 2101, which was previously damaged in a roundhouse fire, to the museum in exchange for the 614. She was restored over the next 18 months with a cost of $1.5 million. During the restoration, 614 was given an auxiliary tender, doubling her water capacity to 50,000 gallons. This allowed the 614 to run for longer times without having to refuel as much. The Chessie Safety Express was 614's first major run, bringing her a bit of spotlight in the process. After the successful system tour, 614 was kept in Hagerstown, Maryland until 1985. American Coal Enterprises was developing a modern steam locomotive to be used as an alternative to rising oil costs by burning coal, known as the ACE 3000 Project. [4] The 614 was modified for better performance under the guidance of David Wardale, and fitted with testing equipment to measure the performance of the engine.[ citation needed ] For several weeks in January and February 1985, 614 (now 614-T, symbolizing it as testing) hauled coal trains between Huntington and Hinton, West Virginia. [4] The 614's fuel consumption costs were actually lower than most diesel locomotives operating at that time.[ citation needed ]

In 1992, Rowland's vision of the 21st Century Limited was taking shape. To give the public an idea of the train, one side of 614 was decorated in a futuristic way with a blue streamlined shrouding and centered headlight. The 614 also came back to its former home at the B&O Railroad Museum for temporary display. In 1995, 614 was moved to the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad in New Hope, Pennsylvania for a complete overhaul. It was then used for a series of popular excursions between Hoboken, New Jersey and Port Jervis, New York in conjunction with New Jersey Transit (NJT) and co-sponsored by the Volunteer Railroaders Association between 1996 and 1998. [5]

21st century disposition

The 614 was required to pull 26 cars at 79 MPH on some sections, and maintain speed up several hills. During this time, the 614 was equipped with cab signals, 26L brakes, speed control and an MU stand. In 2000, Rowland put the 614 up for auction at the NJT maintenance facility, but no buyers were interested. [6] In 2002, the 614 was moved to storage on the Reading and Northern Railroad in Port Clinton, Pennsylvania. The locomotive was maintained by Iron Horse Enterprises, the most recent servicing of the locomotive being in 2006.

In 2010, discussions began between Rowland and Jim Justice, owner of the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, and current governor of West Virginia. The resort owner had been interested in running steam-powered excursion trains from Greenbrier to Washington DC. To be known as the "Greenbrier Express", Justice planned to use steam and diesel power in the project, but would have needed cooperation from CSX Transportation, the Buckingham Branch Railroad and Amtrak. In January 2011, the 614 was moved to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia for its Thoroughbreds of Steam exhibit. [7] In May 2011, the 614 was again moved to the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia. [7] From there, it was repainted in preparation for display for the Greenbrier Presidential Express.

However, the Greenbrier Express project was cancelled in May 2012 due to lack of funding and capacity problems on the CSX portion of the route, where a lack of passing sidings makes it difficult for Eastbound trains to gain headway against the flow of Westbound empty coal trains. The diesels and passenger cars were auctioned off and the 614 continues to sit on display at Clifton Forge. On November 8, 2024, It was announced that C&O 614 was sold to RJD America of Denville, New Jersey, who will be restoring it to operating condition. [3] [8] The locomotive will be moved to the Strasburg Railroad in early 2025, who has been contracted to complete the restoration. [3] [8]

Related Research Articles

Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Western Maryland Railway (WM), and Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT). Trains operated under the Chessie name from 1973 to 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lima Locomotive Works</span> Defunct locomotive manufacturer

Lima Locomotive Works (LLW) was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company's name is derived from the location of its main manufacturing plant in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Erie Railroad main line, the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line and the Nickel Plate Road main line and shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strasburg Rail Road</span> Heritage railroad in Pennsylvania

The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge railroad in the western hemisphere, as well as the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road Company is today a heritage railroad offering excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives on 4.02 mi (6.47 km) of track in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, as well as providing contract railroad mechanical services, and freight service to area shippers. The railroad's headquarters are outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio classes L-2 and L-2-A</span> American steam locomotive class

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives numbered 300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1941. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, No. 300, also had roller bearings on its side and main rods. No. 300 bore "Elephant ear" smoke deflectors from 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading 2101</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 locomotive (RDG class T-1)

Reading 2101 is a preserved American class "T-1" 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive constructed in September 1945 for use by the Reading Company. Constructed from an earlier "I10SA" 2-8-0 "Consolidation"-type locomotive built in March 1923, the 2101 handled heavy coal train traffic for the Reading until being retired from revenue service in 1959. Withheld from scrapping, the 2101 served as emergency backup power for the three other T1 locomotives serving the Reading's "Iron Horse Rambles" excursions until being sold for scrap in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickel Plate Road 765</span> Preserved NKP S-2 class 2-8-4 locomotive

Nickel Plate Road 765 is a class "S-2" 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, commonly referred to as the "Nickel Plate Road". In 1963, No. 765, renumbered as 767, was donated to the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, where it sat on display at the Lawton Park, while the real No. 767 was scrapped at Chicago in 1964.

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<i>Greenbrier Presidential Express</i>

The Greenbrier Presidential Express was a proposed luxury passenger train that was planned to operate between Union Station in Washington, D.C., United States, and the train station at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The project was initiated in June 2011 but canceled in May 2012 due to numerous issues, among which were capacity constraints on the Buckingham Branch Railroad and Federal approval of the train's engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio 2716</span> Preserved American 2-8-4 locomotive (C&O K-4 class)

Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2716 is a class "K-4" 2-8-4 "Kanawha" (Berkshire) type steam locomotive built in 1943 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). While most railroads referred to these 2-8-4 type locomotives as Berkshires, the C&O referred to them as Kanawhas after the Kanawha River, which flows through West Virginia. Used as a dual service locomotive, No. 2716 and its classmates served the C&O in a variety of duties until being retired from revenue service in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading T-1 Class</span>

The Reading T-1 was a class of 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives owned by the Reading Company. They were rebuilt from thirty "I-10sa" class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotives between 1945 and 1947. Out of the thirty rebuilt, four survive in preservation today, those being numbers 2100, 2101, 2102, and 2124.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio class H-8</span> Class of 60 American 2-6-6-6 locomotives

The Chesapeake and Ohio class H-8 was a class of 60 simple articulated 2-6-6-6 steam locomotives built by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio between 1941 and 1948, operating until the mid 1950s. The locomotives were among the most powerful steam locomotives ever built and hauled fast, heavy freight trains for the railroad. Only two units were preserved; Nos. 1601 and 1604.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 734</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive (LS&I class SC-1)

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 734, also known as Mountain Thunder, is an SC-1 class 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1916 for the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I) as No. 18. It was renumbered to 34 in 1925. No. 34 was used to pull heavy iron ore trains for the LS&I, until it was retired in 1961. The locomotive was subsequently sold to the Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad, where it was stored in a sideline alongside other LS&I steam locomotives. In 1971, No. 34 was sold to the Illinois Railway Museum for static display.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 2102</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 locomotive (RDG class T-1)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading 2100</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 locomotive (RDG class T-1)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio Greenbrier</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio 490</span> Preserved American 4-6-4 locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Pacific 1238</span> Preserved CP G5c class 4-6-2 locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Pacific 1286</span> Preserved CP G5d class 4-6-2 locomotive

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References

  1. quicktastic (July 3, 2008). Chessie 614 in Port Jervis. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  2. "The History of Chesapeake & Ohio 614". C&O 614. RJD America, LLC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Franz, Justin (November 8, 2024). "Chesapeake & Ohio 614 Sold, Restoration Effort Launched". Railfan & Railroad. White River Productions. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Ellers, Richard (January 3, 1985). "Old engine puffs out of retirement". The Plain Dealer. p. 23.
  5. Barker, Olivia (October 10, 1998). "Trained in Elegance". The Journal News . White Plains, NY. p. C1. (continued): "Trained in Elegance". p. C6 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. Parry, Wayne (July 16, 2000). "Steam locomotive is put on the block--auction block, that is". Courier-Post. p. 7.
  7. 1 2 "Thoroughbreds of Steam to Stand Side by Side". The Roanoke Star. January 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Cupper, Dan (November 8, 2024). "New group buys C&O 4-8-4 No. 614, eyes full restoration". Trains. Firecrown Media. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

Further reading