It is something that has been bugging me for years, and I have done much searching for the answer, and still have not found it. So maybe you all can help, I hope. When I was a kid, I used to look forward to October, when I knew that NS would be running a steam-special train through the area. My family and I would make a special trip to the railroad crossing, and wait for it to run by. I know that the J-Class 611 has gone by us, and I'm sure some of the others like the maybe the NW 1218 or the SR 4501 have gone by, but my memory is a bit fuzzy with the other ones. But then in the mid 90s, they just stopped coming, and I never knew why. It was a huge disappointment, and to this day, I'm disappointed every fall that one of those special beauties do not run through the area. So would anyone have any ideas as to why NS stopped the program, and would they ever restart it?
Management at the railroad changed. The Claylor brothers were no longer in charge. The bean counters (accountants) could not quantify the return on investment provided by the public relations of the steam program. IMHO
Railroad management has evolved quite a bit the past few decades. Well, maybe not evolved. But changed radically. And not for the better. Leadership used to all be railroaders, who came up from the ranks. Now, they mostly come in cold. From "college." Heads full of theories. And no experience at all. Not a clue how a railroad is run. They're no longer professional railroading businessmen. They're accountants and lawyers. RR companies, for the most part, have divorced themselves from the communities of our nation. There is barely a public relations side left. What little there is, is mostly facade. So, when the Claytors were gone, and the 'new wave' was in, it was quickly "good by history." This also relates directly to merger mania. But that's another topic, for another day. Boxcab E50
Wow...I should've known management would have a hand in taking away something so well-loved. That's unfair that rail fans got tossed by the wayside due to management issues. Very interesting points, there. Thanks you two for sharing them.
Sadly, rail fans don't ship freight and pay revenue. Most Class-1 railroads view steam programs and fan trips as a liability and a waste of money because they don't add to the bottom line. Only the Union Pacific understands the benefit of a fan-friendly image, so management is happy to fund Steve Lee and his Steam Department at Cheyenne, charging it off as part of their Marketing budget.
It is all tax deductable via the advertising/marketing PR budgets. Having some minor experience in these things, it's surprising to learn the positive impact it has on the public. And even potential customers/shippers. For all their flaws, oh so many of them, UP is smart in retaining their steam. Public recognition of their program is extremely high. Boxcab E50
Its kind of ironic too. There was the incident in 1986 with the derailment of the train pulled by the 611 in the Dismal Swamp. Insurance premiums did not really go up much as a result of that. It was only later after a long stretch with a good safety record that the insurance companies got spooked.
I got to ride the 611.My father was the conductor on the last trip it took through our part of the IL. Division.I sure do miss the class J engines.I think it is true that nobody ever knew how fast they could go.Nobody ever opened one up full throttle but they could easily reach 100 plus MPH.
Harold, I believe this is a dodge created by (short-sighted) companies that wanted to get rid of all non-revenue trains. Rather than come out directly and say "we don't want rail-fan trips" (bad for image), they could blame it on insurance companies (see, it's not OUR fault!).
Then there is the fact that in-house operations are probably self-insured. Such as the UP program. I can see requiring a seperate policy for non-owned excursions over your tracks. But the NS operation was in-house..... Boxcab E50
I should've known insurance and $$$ also to blame with the discontinuation of the steam program. *smh* When I see pictures of various steam excursions, it makes think back to what used to be not that long ago. I wish I could've ridden the 611 myself but was never that lucky.
In the early 90's, while I was a crew member on NKP 765 the insurance for a trip went up from $20 million, to $200 million. Thats the coverage the FWRHS needed to pull each trip! Sadly, even 765 has felt this burden, as well as the Class 1's attitude towards steam. I was lucky to have been a part of steams last mainline excursion burst, before NS retired 611 and 1218, and doubleheaded with 611, NKP 587, PM 1225. Shortlines and museums may be the only regular place to watch steam in action now, aside from the rare mainline trips we may see again, but never again like it was. We really can be Thankful for the UP and it's steam program. Ross Rowland made steam stand out in the 60's and 70's, the Claytor brothers kept it alive through the 80's and into the 90's, men like Gary Bensmen, Dolye McCormick, and a handful of others have helped rebuild several steam locomotives in different locations, I myself have worked on the rebuildings of 765, OC 1551, 1293, 13, and 6325, and it only took insurance companies the stroke of a pen to spell the end of railroads greatest PR tool.
And for sure steam is a wonderful PR tool. Just look at the expressions on people's faces when a steam engine runs by. Do you see any frowns? Little kids jump up and down with glee, and old guys like me get a chill just hearing the sounds. It is really sad that the suits have nearly killed a great thing.
Also it doesn't help the steam program when you have hot intermodule waiting on a fan trip.Now add the general public standing by the tracks when a hot Trip Crown or Intermodule runs by..
The accident at Lynchburg was the last straw for ending the steam program. Mr. Goode reportedly decided after that accident that the risk of having the public involved was just too great. I had worked safety on numerous excursions, and for the last several years ridership was falling off as the tickets shot up in price (again the insurance monster...the same one that's killing healthcare in this country). I was fortunate enough to work the last "scheduled" 611 trips in November 1994 and at the end of the last trip on Sunday, I knew how railroaders felt to make their last run.
Allen, first of all, WELCOME to Trainboard! The accident at Lynchburg, was that when the rolling stock (wonderful looking varnish) got damaged by a runaway, or something similar? I feel lucky to have been in the east in 1993 for the New River trip and caught the 611 at Pamplin and Appomattox. Great looking and performing machine.
