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  • 614 to Port Jervis again?

  • Discussion of steam locomotives from all manufacturers and railroads
Discussion of steam locomotives from all manufacturers and railroads

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 #1072617  by Ken W2KB
 
rwk wrote:We NEED some long distance mainline steam excursions in the Northeast again. Who's going to do them? NS could, such as with the 765 or 4501 provided the logistics of getting the locomotives to PA or NJ. Reading and Northern won't run excursion trains on other railroad's tracks anymore, especially NS because most of their coach fleet is friction bearing, which are no-no's today on class 1 railroads. Steamtown sometimes runs a mainline excursion on CP up to the Nicholson Tunkhannock Viaduct, but only once in a blue moon with permission of CP and the round trip is only 40 miles. If Port Jervis can happen again, great, I never rode it the first time, but there are big hurdles to overcome with 614 down in WV and needing expensive work to run again, plus CSX is currently hostile to steam, even dead in tow moves. NS, Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, and Ross Rowland are the only big steam operators I know of that could pull off a mainline class 1 steam excursion in the northeast again. Another thing, would NJT permit older open window coaches with friction bearing trucks on a steam excursion train on it's tracks? I know most class 1 freight railroads won't anymore. They used to in the 70's and 80's.
My understanding is that NJT will not permit other than its own coaches to be used in excursion service absent insurance in the several 10's of millions making it economically unfeasible to use other than NJT equipment to carry passengers unless a major corporation such as NS were to be the sponsor given the insurance or self-insured retainer that an entity of NS's stature would possess. Steam would likely be OK, but only with a NJT passenger car consist.
 #1090363  by rwk
 
So, no open window coaches permitted on mainline class 1 excursions anymore anywhere in the US? Actually, the only one I know of is Steamtown's run to the Nicholson Viaduct once in a while, with open window coaches on track owned by CP which is a class 1. Is it the friction bearing issue why older steel open window's aren't permitted on class 1 railfan excursions anymore? They were up through the late 1980's.