#630 Steams In Chattanooga.

[TVRM610]

Southern #630 is a 2-8-0 hand fired coal burning steam locomotive built by Alco in 1904. It was part of the Southern Steam excursion program and last ran in 1989. For the last several years it has seen an extremely extensive rebuild inside of the Tennessee Valley Railroad's "Soule Shops."

This Weekend (March 26/27) was the first full weekend of operation for this gorgeous locomotive. It's currently scheduled to run every weekend in Chattanooga. It will also be part of the Norfolk Southern Mainline steam to begin later this year (I hope).

Chattanooga doesn't have Amtrak, but we sure are lucky to have such an amazing operational Steam Locomotive!

Picture of 630

 

[MattW]

YES! I was actually just reading about #630 on Wikipedia of all places earlier today (Sunday). Since it's going for the NS Mainline Steam, I'm assuming TVRm won't be running alongside her sister? cousin? 610?

She's a great looking locomotive and if I can manage a trip up there, I'd sure love to be in a train pulled by her. She's a beauty!

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Always good to see the return of another iron horse. An excerpt from the 3-22-10 Trains News Wire:

"'We put about 30 miles on 630 yesterday and everything ran cool, much to our delight,' Al Phillips of the restoration team said Sunday night [3-20-10]. 'We still have some detail work to do, but we think she's going to be a good horse.'

"Break-in runs will continue, and the engine is scheduled to begin pulling regular Missionary Ridge Local trains on the museum grounds starting April 2.

"No. 630 gained fame as one of the Southern Railway weekend excursion fleet engines in the 1960s and 1970s, but proved to be too slow and not powerful enough to pull long trains. The engine went to TVRM in 1983 to pull trains there. Norfolk Southern plans to use the engine in a new version of its steam program later this year, but no details have been announced."

Norfolk Southern photo.

​

 

[AlanB]

Bill Haithcoat and I did a Missionary Ridge run a few years back behind 610.

We actually took the Downtown Arrow, alas a service no longer run , that saw a diesel hauled train coming into the remaining downtown station to pick up passengers and bring them out to the TRVM's main station (Grand Junction) and yard.

From there we caught the Missionary local for a ride out & back, before catching the last Downtown Arrow for the day back to Chattanooga.

The Downtown Arrow, downtown at the main station.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Good memories, Alan.

Longer term members of this forum know that I, now in Atlanta, am a native of Chattanooga.

My pride and joy exhibit at the museum is a streamlined lightweight sleeping car named "Chickamauga Pine". It is from a train long gone called the Georgian. It was one of my two all time sentimental favorite trains, the other being the Dixie Flagler.

A beautiful Norfolk and Western J class streamlined steam locomotive used to haul a lot of Southeast excursions.

So I visit the museum almost every time I go to Chattanooga but I do not always take a trip. I usually time my visits to eat lunch.

 

[MrFSS]

Here is your car, Bill. MrsFSS and I were there a few years ago and enjoyed the ride down into Georgia and back.

They have a nice Observation car, too. Needs a little work.

The Pine is sitting behind the Obs car.

I was able to capture the 610, also.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Here is your car, Bill. MrsFSS and I were there a few years ago and enjoyed the ride down into Georgia and back.

They have a nice Observation car, too. Needs a little work.

The Pine is sitting behind the Obs car.

I was able to capture the 610, also.

Thanks for those shots of my dear old Uncle Pine, and other equipment.

That observation car is neat, also. It ran on a train called the City of Memphis from Nashville to Memphis. That train was promoted and advertised as a streamliner but actually its cars were cleverly and and beautifully well done heavyweight rebuilds.

The Pine car, though, is genuinely streamlined.

That pine car was one of 29 pine sleepers built for several trains in 1953. Believe it or not it was of advanced design--and not just because I said so!. It had cut-a-way bed in the roomette which enabled the passenger to raise and lower his bed without his rear sticking out into the aisle. Of course I guess that partly depends on the size of one's rear.....enough said.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

It is great to see 630 back on track! She pulled me on several trips back in the '80's and is a real beauty. If you get a chance, take a ride!