Chesapeake and Ohio 614

Chesapeake & Ohio 614 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio, in June 1948 for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) as a member of the J3a 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. Retired from active service in the late 1950s, the 614 was preserved and placed on display at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1979, the locomotive was restored to operating condition and was used for extensive mainline excursion service from the 1970s until the late 1990s. Today the locomotive is on temporary display at the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia awaiting a potential return to steam.

Background

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 main line, was the inspiration for the name "Greenbrier" applied to these 4-8-4s.

C&O 614 on display in Clifton Forge, VA.

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. All J-3s were retired in 1955; however, several (including 614) were reactivated in 1956.

Due to increasing traffic, the C&O borrowed eleven 4-8-4s from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P) numbered 613-622. Because of one of the borrowed engines being numbered 614, the C&O renumbered J-3-A 614 to 611. Before the year closed out, both the 611 (614) and RF&P engines were retired, and 611 was sent to storage in Russell, Kentucky.

Excursion service

In 1975, 614 was sent to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1979, there was a roundhouse fire that damaged Reading (RDG) 4-8-4 2101, owned by Ross Rowland. This locomotive was rescued from a Baltimore scrap yard in 1975 and restored to service in a record thirty days for service on the American Freedom Train, and later the Chessie Steam Special. Because of the fire damage, 2101 was no longer operable without extensive repairs. So, Rowland made a trade, the ex-RDG 2101 (cosmetically restored) for the 614, still numbered 611.

In 1980, restored 614 made its maiden run pulling the Chessie Safety Express through 1981. After the successful system tour, 614 was kept in Hagerstown, Maryland until 1985. American Coal Enterprise was developing a modern steam locomotive to be used as an alternative to rising oil costs by burning coal, known as the ACE 3000. 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. For several weeks in January and February 1985, 614 (now 614T, symbolizing it as testing) hauled coal trains between Huntington and Hinton, West Virginia. The 614's fuel consumption costs were actually lower than most diesel locomotives operating at that time. In 1995, the 614 did excursion service from Hoboken to Port Jervis and back for excursion testing. However, in 1996, due to a problem with auxiliary tender and firebox problems with its booster failing later on severely hampered the test results returning from Port Jervis on the 4th time and were discontinued in the end. The locomotive was helped back to Hoboken by NJ Transit diesels. After the test runs, it was later returned to Baltimore: the project never moved further than the testing stage.

C&O 614 engine cab.

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. In 1995, 614 was moved to the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad in 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) between 1996 and 1999.

Current status

614 was required to pull 26 cars at 79 mph on some sections, and maintain speed up several hills. During this time, 614 was equipped with cab signals, 26L brakes, speed control and an MU stand. The 614 was moved to storage on the Reading and Northern Railroad in Port Clinton, Pennsylvania. In 2000. Rowland put 614 up for auction at the NJT maintenance facility, but no buyers were interested. The locomotive is still 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. 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 planend 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, 614 was moved to the Virginia Museum of Transportation for its Thoroughbreds of Steam exhibit. In May 2011, 614 was again moved to the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia. From there it went to Clifton Forge, Virginia where it was repainted in preparation for display for the Greenbrier Presidential Express. Unfortunately, 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 614 continues to sit on display at Clifton Forge. The website for 614 states that once an opportunity to run the engine is finalized, Iron Horse Enterprises will invest the necessary funds to overhaul the locomotive for operation.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chesapeake and Ohio 614.

• The Chesapeake and Ohio Greenbriers, Including The 614
• Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Steam Locomotive #614
• ACE 3000 and the testing with the 614
• The 1980-1981 Chessie Safety Express with C&O 614