The New River Gorge-huntington To Hinton West Virginia (csx/c&o New River Subdivision)

Hey, we've gotten excellently executed steam locos in TS Classic before, just look at Smokebox's, JustTrains', Digital Traction's, SteamSoundsSupreme's, Digital Railroading's, and Caledonia Works' products to name a few. Are they perfect? Goodness no, nothing done by human hands ever is, but boy are their products some top notch stuff. It's all just a case of finding the right person or team to take the time to make the models properly and get the scripting right amongst other things.

Edit: Added "amongst other things."

 

I know, but things like good blueprints are difficult to find, and usually diesel would be easier than steam. Steam blueprints are usually blocked behind historical societies, which usually like a lot of cash, understandably.

 

I can see where you're coming from with that.

 

HAWKS NEST with several great "concerts" and a beautiful Amtrak Cardinal !

 

The Library Of Congress also has tons and tons of good information / photos / drawings. Below some examples of the hundreds of drawings they have available.

The examples include a great drawing of the very important (but normally extremely hard to get) door schedule ! ;-)

click the thumbnails to zoom in . . . .

 

I don't think that first video is of a New River Train. If so, contrary to what it's description says, it's definitely NOT the 1992 one. My guess would be the 1991 NRT, but I'm thinking it's a video of a different 765 excursion in the New River Gorge being passed by a Cardinal.
Edit: The first video is indeed of the 1991 New River Train.

 

Wow , that "bouncing" of the Cardinal in the first video is a lot more than I would ever expect !

 

It's certainly something to look at.

 

Also note the prototype Viewliner sleeper third in the consist, they looked rather sharp in the original Phase 3 paint with the cursive logo.

 

It's in the video of 765 getting passed by that bouncy Cardinal.

 

Start your count of cars with the one immediately behind the F40 and immediately pause when ya hit 3.

 

Will check it out after my coffee . . . . . .. can not find it. I guess I do not have the eye for it. - -

- - a while later , I gave up. No cursive logos to be seen. Possibly you are watching it in a better resolution.

 

I have seen several videos of this channel. But kind of missed it is a dedicate New River Subdivision channel ! Some other stuff as well, but mainly New River !

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGk55QYuifwkLHeDd4wrjeg/videos

 

Would be great to include an impressive yard like this.

click the thumbnails to zoom in . . . .



I love the Steam & Diesel photo (#10)

Photos from Library of Congress and https://wvhistoryonview.org/

 

Unfortunately it was not just good times all the time in the New River Subdivision

Never shots of a boiler explosion (image #5) before. Many people were killed in the various disasters pictured below. The large image is a derailment of a passenger train in 1930.

click the thumbnails to zoom in . . . .




Photos from https://wvhistoryonview.org/

 

What happened to the egg in the New River Video Steammaster posted Friday ? ? ?



Below link takes you to the correct time in the video

https://youtu.be/5VXAewb6as8?t=221

PS: In case you can not see , read the comments below the video

 

I would think they took it off the coupler before they coupled the locos to the train. Otherwise it would've broken regardless.

 

Tis a shame they took the Hinton turntable out. Would've saved CSX, the Huntington Chapter NRHS, SRI, and the FWRHS from having to make the extra logistical arrangements needed to get 765, 1225, and 261 turned on the Meadow Creek wye and reversed the 14 miles to Hinton.

Edit: Added SRI to the lineup.

 

Good guess, but not correct

 

Ah. Well then I've no idea what happened to the egg.

 

As indicated in my previous post the answer is in the comments below the video

Too bad is was not visible in the video.

 

OH! My bad. I didn't even notice that comment. Only one I took much notice of was the one mentioning this forum thread.
D'oh!!!!

 

"The New River Train stopping for a signal at Sewell, WV on Halloween 1981."



Photograph isn't mine, belongs to the feller whose name is there in the bottom right. In fact I got it off of a post with this picture that the man made in a Facebook group I'm in.

Edit: It would appear the URL for the image has sadly expired, whatever that may mean. Ah well. It is what it is.

 

I just noticed that photograph of 490. The boys in Huntington sure did a fine job of rebuilding the 490 and her sisters from Pacifics into streamlined 4-6-4 bananas.
B&O Museum's page on 490.

 

Which photo is that ?

PS: You could consider deleting the other photos from the quote

 

The Amtrak Cardinal - A Few Stops From Hinton - Christmas 2020


Photo from: https://www.railpictures.net/

 

My apologies. In the quote, third row going down and third on the right in that row. In the original post, bottom left thumbnail picture.

 

Thanks. You do realize that number of rows is not the same for every one on my laptop there are 5 in a row and on my phone 1

But after spotting the number it seems kind of obvious. This is it I think. . . .

 

1) You're welcome.
2) Duly noted.

3) That is indeed the one I meant.

 

That's a fantastic photograph, compliments to Michael Walton whom I presume is the photographer.

 

Well Buynot , this suggestion thread is officially the most viewed content suggestion/request across all of the forums, including TSW and Fishing Sim. I've looked multiple times. It's been on the top each of those times. Don't believe me? Go look for yourself.

 

Wow! And to think this thread was basically dead only a month or two ago. You pretty much single-handedly revived it. Thank you!

 

Chesapeake & Ohio Rail Road Map from 1873

 

Oh don't be thanking me. I'm just some hillbilly with an interest in trains and the rails they ride that took a particular interest in this suggestion thread, and posted on it. If it weren't for people taking some kinda interest in the thread when it came across their eyeline and therefore clicking it, the views wouldn't be there. Only a bunch of posts.

 

Photos and captions by - https://fredwolfe.zenfolio.com/
The postcard image is from Ebay. Postmarked 1911

 

The ice story is very interesting, Incredible they build it so tight for nowadays trains.

This is the first time I see that portal thingy (postcard). I assume the chains (are those chains?) are at the height of the tunnel and a last-minute warning system ? Or what is it ? Did anyone ever see these in train simulator ?

 

If I'm not mistaken, those aren't chains but rather some sort of tassel or brush. They're meant for anybody who would happen to be walking along the top of the train as a means of warning them about the upcoming tunnel.

 

Ah, ok, I get that. Was walking on trains so common that they built a whole thingy for it ?! Did they walk from engine to caboose and vice versa ? Is there a name for that whole portal-tassel-thingy ?

 

Not sure what the device is called, but during the first half of the 20th century, it wasn't uncommon for the crew of a freight train to walk along the top of the train so that they can set the brakes, depending on how old the rolling stock was. If you've ever watched New York Central Odyssey by Green Frog Productions, there's a small section where they explain the device in a bit more detail.

 

You should see some of the curves on the Alaska Railroad, they're in the same boat as CSX with the whole ice thing. The Destination America show Railroad Alaska detailed some of the operations surrounding crews having to deal with that kinda issue. They take an excavator on a flatbed out and have some sorta pick attachment on the boom arm and they chip away at the ice. Dunno how CSX handle it though. Could be the same, could be different, I dunno.

 

Three to six hours (passenger service) between Hinton & Huntington in the 1940's. So lots of driving fun !


Zoom in on above image - click here





Source: https://www.american-rails.com/

 

Well. After many trials and tribulations the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad have pretty much finished the mechanical rebuild of C&O 1309, albeit with an N&W 12 inch hooter and insulated firebox sides, but I digress. Let's have some footage of it.





Let's also have a video from Dollywood Christmas 2011 of an actual hooter off of one of 1309's sisters on either Dollywood 70 or 192.



Edit: Added the third video of 1309.

 

I honestly want to see if G-Trax would be interested, because I really think they would. Extensions could also be readily available to Charlottesville and Charleston.

 

Including the Dunloup Creek Branch, originally built as the Loup Creek Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio, from the start or as an add-on would give opportunity for some rare liveries . . .


Source: https://www.railpictures.net/


Source: https://thetracksidephotographer.com/

 

Well, it seems the Western Maryland Scenic's done a video on 1309's first run under it's own power after 64 years. It's titled A New Year In Steam.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=676765163003748

 

Did 1309 (H-6 Class) run on the New River Sub Division ?


Source: https://www.steamlocomotive.com/

 

Apparently the name is tell-tales . . . .

Tell-Tales
This structure was once quite common along railroad tracks as it was used to warn the men that an impending low obstruction was ahead such as a tunnel entrance, water tower, signal, or bridge clearance. Interestingly, however, a standard design for tell-tales was not put into place until 1926, more than 30 years after air-brakes became mandatory on all locomotives and cars. At this time, according to Trains.com, a tell-tale was to be placed 100 to 300 feet away from the impending obstacle and standing at least 21 feet high to clear passing equipment. Hanging from a single-track tell-tale, which was cantilevered, was rope so that a brakeman could easily be made aware of what was ahead if he was predisposed at the moment (rope, of course, was also a soft material to avoid injury when making contact). https://www.american-rails.com/tell-tales.html


Postcard image is from Ebay. Postmarked 1911

 

A rare aerial shot of the Hinton yard. . .

Aerial view of C&O yards and engine terminal at Hinton, W. Va., showing turntable, roundhouse, steel water tanks, and concrete coaling tower, with New River at bottom left corner of frame, February 18, 1971. T.W. Dixon, Jr. photo. https://cohs.org/

 

Very interesting event. Steam pulling coal in 1985 ! . . . .

Click on the thumbnails to zoom-in


Steam returned to coal train service on the Chesapeake & Ohio main line during most of the month of January, 1985. C&O 4-8-4 614 pulled coal trains between Huntington and Hinton, West Virginia, while sensors gathered data for Ross Rowland’s American Coal Enterprises, which was working on the design of a modern, highly efficient coal burner. . . https://www.railpictures.net/photo/752589/

 

They did. Fun fact: 1309's only surviving sister 1308 is preserved and on outdoor static display in Huntington by the Collis P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS who, for those that see this that don't know, are also the former managers of the New River Trains.
Edit: Speaking of 1309, let's have another video of the ol' girl.
Edit 2: Changed "...preserved on outdoor..." to "...preserved and on outdoor..."