1 October 2008
Steaming Through CV National Park
| |
Ex-CPR 1293 now Ohio Central
1293.
|
Cuyahoga Valley Ohio USA - Most of us encounter trains all
over the place - when we're on our way to and from work, during vacations, and on visits to our relatives' homes.
The locomotives that pull today's trains are diesel-powered. It's rare to see steam locomotives, which disappeared from
regular use in the United States by the late 1950s.
But a handful of steam locos have been preserved and still operate, usually pulling special excursion trains. One of those visited
Cuyahoga Valley National Park last week.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad sponsored a steam festival 24 to 28 Sep 2008, and the star was engine 1293, a
4-6-2 steam locomotive from the Ohio Central System.
Being a rail fan, I couldn't resist traveling over to the former Valley Railroad line at Howe Meadow to take a look at the old iron
horse on a beautiful early fall evening.
As beautiful as the evening was, the star of the show was even more beautiful. It was in tip-top condition, with its shiny
black paint gleaming, and did not look its 60-year age.
The locomotive caused quite a stir along Riverview Road, which parallels the CVSR's route. Many people paid $10 to get into the
festival, many paid $15 more to ride the train and even more pulled off the road to gawk at the impressive 80-ton machine.
The paying customers - adults and children alike - got to talk with the engineers and brakemen through the side window of the loco,
snap photos from afar and up close, and see a couple of "run bys".
As the loco chuffed by towing about eight baggage and passenger cars, thick black smoke billowed from its smokestack. Its steam whistle
was a contrast to today's diesel air horns.
The 4-6-2 Pacific type loco was built in 1948 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. However, its freight-pulling
days were numbered, as steam power was phased out in a few years.
It pulled excursion trains in Vermont in the 1970s, and after it was idled, OCS - whose owner Jerry Jacobson has a fondness for steam
locos - bought it in 1996.
OCS, based in Coshocton, has a steam department and owns 10 steam locos. Within a year, 1293 was restored to full operating condition.
For a short time after its restoration in 1997, the engine pulled a passenger excursion between Sugarcreek and Baltic in Tuscarawas
County. Another OCS steam locomotive eventually took over that run, which was discontinued a few years ago.
Since its restoration, 1293 also has been used for occasional weekend rail fan trips. It will run on the Byesville Scenic Railroad line
between Byesville and Derwent in Guernsey County this weekend.
When the 1293 pulled the train at Byesville in 2006, reports were that its whistle could be heard 10 miles away at Seneca Lake.
In case you're wondering, the sequence of three numbers - or in some cases four - are used to describe the wheel configuration on steam
loco.
In 1293's case, there are four small wheels behind the cow catcher, six large drivers which move the loco - this engine appeared to
have about 70-inch diameter drivers - and two small wheels under the cab.
There are all kinds of wheel configurations, such as 2-8-4, 0-6-0, 2-6-6-2 - which means two
sets of six drivers - and 2-10-0.
OCR's steam fleet is not used to pull freight trains, just for occasional excursions and displays.
One of its steamers - a former Wheeling & Lake Erie 0-6-0 - was built in W&LE's Brewster shops and is awaiting
restoration at the Steam Museum in Minerva. It is said to be one of only two remaining W&LE steam locos.
Also being restored is a former Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire - my favorite type of steam loco - which was built and
formerly operated in Ohio.
OCS's Jacobson fell in love with steam engines when he first rode a Baltimore & Ohio locomotive when he was 14 years old. As an
adult, he played out his passion.
OCS's steam department consists of six employees. Started 20 years ago, OCS employs about 155 people and operates on about 455 miles of
rail.
Among its routes are the Pennsylvania Railroad's old Panhandle line from the Ohio River at Mingo Junction through Dennison and over to
Columbus, and the former W&LE line from Harmon (near Brewster) to Zanesville.
In August, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced it had signed an agreement to acquire the nine short lines operated by OCR for $219
million.
GWI operates 52 railroads in nine regions of the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands. It runs trains over more than 6,000
miles of owned and leased track.
From what I've heard, Jacobson might retain ownership of his steam engines.
As darkness fell over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the 4-6-2 - with a CVSR diesel on the other end - headed back
north to its overnight resting site.
I decided to head north to eat in Peninsula, and joined a caravan of cars on Riverview Road going about 15 miles an hour as they drove
parallel to the CVSR line to watch the 4-6-2 roll along in the dark.
That was quite a sight, as was seeing the 4-6-2 steaming and clattering by in the daylight.
|
