C&O 614 Erie Limited, Fall 1996

Ross Rowland's C&O 614 on her first series of "Erie Limited" trips for NJ Transit in the fall of 1996, Hoboken to Port Jervis round trips.
Filmed at:
10/12/96
1) Moodna Viaduct Westbound
2) Guymard
3) Guymard Eastbound
4) Arden
10/13/96
5) Central Valley Westbound
6) West Otisville
1019/96 Extremely heavy rain. I didn't go out. Train suffered major delays due to signal trouble.
10/20/96
7) Tuxedo Westbound
8) Michigan Corners
9) Port Jervis Runbys
10) Guymard Eastbound
11) Tuxedo
10/26/96
12) Suffern Westbound
13) Middletown Station
14) West Campbell Hall Eastbound
15) Mahwah, NJ
10/27/96 I rode the trip. No video, no audio, Just enjoyed the trip with no distractions. 614 wore a N&W Hooter whistle in honor of special guest O. Winston Link. I met Mr. Link and shook his hand.
Hi8 Master Recording

[@1940limited]

Ross Rowland stated that operating a steam locomotive in this kind of service,namely excursions, photo runbys, etc., is all about showmanship: Knowing how to get maximum sound and smoke out of the locomotive to put on a spectacular show. Obviously he knew how to do it. These were great trips, probably never to be repeated. I especially liked the one that had a N&W freight whistle on it.

[@trainknut]

To be fair 614 certainly wasn't faking the hard work she was putting in for her time in the spotlight, they may have "exaggerated" and put on a show, but Ross's kind of showmanship is a far cry from the modern day style of throwing a diesel DPU into dynamic brake or running an 8 car train with like 15 pounds of air applied. 75mph with 25+ car trains isn't a problem for a 4-8-4, but it's certainly anything but light duty. Same goes for her time in the ACE3000 project as 614T, or pulling the Chessie Safety Express. 614 always put in the work and earned her time on the main.

[@steamgent4592]

These were great trips & ran at 75+ mph sometimes much more on the return eastbound when Ross Rowland was running. Whistle was from Reading G3 Pacific 219 the last Reading Pacific built, its a 6 chime & belonged to the late Rich Carter RIP Rich you were a awesome dude.

[@trainknut]

Apparently Ross speeding on those return trips made the FRA panic and insurance rates skyrocketed going into the 2000s. This is why a lot of famous engines never ran again after the end of the 90s, 614 herself included, also joined by Frisco 1522 and Cotton Belt 819, none of which have operated in 20+ years despite all being stored in serviceable condition with decent public interest in their return to the rails.

[@steamgent4592]

@@trainknut most of the line was good for 100mph. Ross at least at the time still had his Amtrak license to operate high speed trains. I spoke with several of the Conrail and NJT folks on several occasions on the different trips. They gave Ross the go ahead as they knew it would never be allowed again. Especially once NS take over of Conrail had been completed. It had to do with the Class 1 mergers and their BOD being anti steam that had much more to do with steam being not allowed on the mainline.

[@solidaridadjusticia1438]

​​@@steamgent4592It must have been a site to see a steam locomotive operating at the speed it would normally operate at in actual service do you think he ever went over a hundred miles an hour?

[@steamgent4592]

@@solidaridadjusticia1438 there were rumors we hit the TON but never heard over that. It will NEVER happen again in this country too many Karen’s in America now.

[@solidaridadjusticia1438]

@@steamgent4592 maybe when the T1 gets completed we might see 100 mph?

[@railfanjackson4531]

I just can’t get enough of that 6 chime

[@karenlopez4253]

There it is, ladies and gentlemen. True American steam at it's finest. The rattling of the Lima built metal on steal rails, the puffing steam from the funnel, the echo-ish whistle. This is what true american steam locomotives live up to be. Bless the souls of the ones who put the work into bringing these locomotives back to life.

[@ArnoldMP]

There it is lady and gentlemen, the reason we don't have steam on CSX anymore.

[@maxm2317]

The 614 never disappoints.

[@1940limited]

It always amazes me the length of the train 614 pulled! No diesel would ever do that.

[@ConcededGlue182]

The 614 is one heck of a steam locomotive. Look at how it just flew by at 4:11. Jet speed

[@50B114D]

Great video! These were some of the best steam excursions of the '90s and the ONLY ones in the East at all in the late '90s.

[@robkrasinski6217]

Yes. Except maybe Steamtown for longer excursions, and the Knox and Kane. RBMN 425 went out of service from Dec 1996 to 2007. By the 90’s Conrail became sort of against public excursions on its tracks. So that left tourist railroads and commuter railroads as the only places to run steam excursions in the 90’s in the east. NS quit its first steam program Dec 1994, and also CSX started to say no to steam around the same time. Now the situation is even bleaker. Amtrak still has an excursion ban, and NS stopped hosting the newer 611 excursions a few years ago. 614 is no longer running. But, T-1’s 2100 and 2102 are making a comeback. And you can ride steam on a regular basis at TVRM and Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. In the north though only Strasburg runs steam on a regular basis and it’s only a 9 mile round trip. The other tourist railroads that run steam also use diesels when the steam locomotives are out of service. I think NJT also became anti steam after the 614 and 142 excursions they hosted. But, maybe CSX will allow steam excursions again. They seem to be softening their stance toward transporting steam locomotives on their own wheels. There is a C&O Kawanaha steam locomotive being restored in Kentucky. CSX helped move it to its new home. But, steam excursions or any excursions are a big liability for class 1 freight railroads and even regional class II’s. Some regionals even want nothing to do with public excursions.

[@09JDCTrainMan]

Man, the 614 should knows how to move, heck of a machine

[@09JDCTrainMan]

*sure

[@BenBensonStudios]

Ross Rowland really knew how to put on a good show

[@Jimboliah3985]

This is some bloody FANTASTIC footage of what is now officially my favorite 4-8-4! I'm actually a bit jealous! Born too late and on the wrong side of the world! Congrats! B3

[@southern_railman]

This is one amazing locomotive!

[@WSOR10C]

Absolutely incredible video. I have always been dissapointed I was too young to know about these trips going on. Seeing her storming the line at speed is quite impressive. As is that Reading 6 chime whistle!

[@AirchimeLTDproductions174]

Sure its not a C&O 6 chime? Both the C&O 6 Chimes and reading 6 Chimes sound very similiar.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

@@AirchimeLTDproductions174 how about a Santa fe 6 chime.

[@maxwellsteam5810]

@@AirchimeLTDproductions174 MD Whistles has put on a false sound-identity for their Re-production "C&O 6 Chime". the 614 wore a Reading 6 Chime from a G Class 4-6-2, the whistle was owned by the late Richard Carter. I commonly see people think that 614 wore a said "C&O 6 Chime". It never did.

[@AirchimeLTDproductions174]

@@maxwellsteam5810 Yeah this was back when I thought C&O 6 Chimes were shortbells like the Reading whistles. When really that was never the case.

[@andrewb981]

I was sitting in the jump seat on the fourth run by on 8/20/96.... what a thrill

[@trackingangle929]

I was on that train. What a blast!

[@picklesrgreat1629]

by the way I view the 614 as preforming flawlessly outstanding captures love the video

[@trainknut]

Erie tracks; Reading whistle, C&O locomotive, and an NJT consist. C&O 614 is one of the few locomotives I can think of that looks just as good on foreign rails pulling modern equipment as she does in home territory on the C&O/Chessie.

[@amtrak706]

12:10 is definitely above 80 mph!!

[@DonCormack]

Amtrak706 Ross was never known to obey speed limits hence why NJT banned future trips. He blamed it on market saturation. Typical.

[@nicholmansgarage3501]

@Amtrak706 It could never do that on the tracks past my house... it'd just yeet itself into the creek and/or my house. (My house is directly on the end a semi-sharp curve on the outer side so the engine might just go straight.) It actually happened once before I was born, but the train just landed in my front yard and avoided the house. Anther train going the other direction took out the station at the opposite end of the curve. Actually just found pictures of that wreck. Sorry, I'm rambling again.

[@FanRailer]

doing the math yields ~75 mph in that clip.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

It went 90mph

[@SuperFoxyRailwayProduction6702]

@@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324 12:11

[@SuperFoxyRailwayProduction6702]

12:11 WOW it goes like 80 mph! Awesome

[@zachycards]

Maximum speed she can do is 125

[@zachycards]

When this thing hits 88 mph you’re going to see some serious shit.

[@kevinmills8437]

Amazing Steam Locomotive.

[@BritanniaPacific]

I must say those comet commuter coaches look really good behind a steam locomotive. So nice for nj transit let the 614 use some of their comet coaches for the train.

[@LeonardFShanerJR]

I rode October 19, 1996 a very rainy trip, but I enjoyed it 100%. The next week I enjoyed even more when I met the Late O.W. Link. that was Oct. 27. Len.

[@Eli_Santin]

Yeah. Mark I Video captured footage of that day and couldn't help noting the conditions in the narration.

[@dannykutzler7958]

I was watching this video because I remember I used to go watch them go by as I lived right next to the railroad. I am the little blonde kid in this video at 7:07 jumping up and down lol

[@yankinga]

Oh, so you were the one who got in my shot! 🤣🤣🤣

[@michaeledwards4662]

WOW! 25 cars with NO diesel assist. Nothing this powerful should have been retired. CSX should be ashamed of themselves.

[@deejay7661]

Actually, that is a Reading 6-chime. What you were probably hearing was something I believe MDWhistles did, which involved cutting down a C&O 6-chime. C&O was a huge proponent of the standard Nathan 6-chime design. I might as well leave a comment on this video and say that 12:10 is mind-blowing. That's Ross Rowland for you, doing what I see as definitely above 75 miles per hour with no diesel assist and 25 cars. Assuming the wheels on the Limited's cars are 36" in diameter and spinning at 900 rpm, then assuming they have a gear ratio of 1 (which I have no clue about), that's 96 miles per hour. That's probably way off, but Ross still can take the Limited like a champ.

[@nicholaskotsidis5294]

You actually may not be that far off with 96 mph. I rode that trip with my grandfather, and I remember being in the open car with him through that stretch. Being a 45 year veteran of the New York Central, he knew a thing or two about how to calculate speed using the mile markers. As we came through Campbell Hall Eastbound, turned to me and told me, "46 seconds, that's almost 90". Being the young pup that I was at the time I had no idea how he'd figured that out, but in retrospect I realize that I had experienced one of the top 10 moments in modern steam history.

[@deejay7661]

It's a real shame that 614 is no longer operable. She was a legend of her species, and I hope she hits the high iron again by the end of this century. So many other legendary engines like UP 4014, C&O 1309, N&W 611, and several lesser-known engines have been announced to be restored to operation in this year alone, so if the circumstances are right, it just might be probable.

[@ryanseals_]

MD Whistles did not cut down that Nathan 6 Chime, former Cass Scenic Railroad Engineer Artie Barkley did when it was damaged.

[@deejay7661]

That's why they cut it down. I believe Missouri Pacific did the same for some sort of branchline purpose.

[@ryanseals_]

Dustin Raiken 614 has a cracked crown sheet among other things, it would be a long time before it happens.

[@jmream2618]

I hope C&O 614 gets restored

[@wardy98px1]

As far as iam concerned she's the best of them all

[@phantomj7921]

LIMA SUPERPOWER! Nothing comes close...

[@wardy98px1]

Love her stoker

[@angelmunoz6839]

Ivr 614 whistle 2:24

[@imagreatbigman]

It's too bad she doesn't operate and run on that route anymore. Looked like a great train ride.

[@That_Thicc_Cat]

Why did Greenbrier cancel their plans to restore this thing, they would have made so much money!

[@regularguy7266]

Mainly because of trackage rights between White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, which is where the resort is at, and Washington D.C. Ross Rowland and Jim Justice would need permission from CSX, Amtrak, and the Buckingham Branch Railroad in order to pull it off. The main problem was that CSX has capacity issues on their portion of the route due to the lack of sidings, and from what I know, Buckingham Branch had some issues with the plan too. The route either had to be it's own railroad, or these issues would've needed to be fixed by their respective owners or railroads. It was also due to a lack of funding that the Greenbrier Presidential Express was canceled. It was supposed to be a super luxurious train, so lots of money was needed to get state of the art passenger cars, diesels, and restore 614. It is a shame that these excursions never happened, BUT, I have a feeling C&O 614 will be restored again, it's just we don't know when, or what it will be restored for.

[@picklesrgreat1629]

what was the set up for the Erie limited's consist in this video

[@Mrfrenchy6883]

That reading chime do

[@SuperFoxyRailwayProduction6702]

7:30

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

would Number 614 steamed again.

[@phantomj7921]

I often wonder why the 614 didn't run any of these trips with the custom K5LA that it wore during the Safety Express trips, and the A.C.E. 3000 tests...??? I heard that whistle is sitting down on Florida in someone's Den...

[@SuperFoxyRailwayProduction6702]

9:20

[@CycloneCordVHS]

I know this from another one of your videos but here goes........ Was this still with Sony V701?or different camcorder

[@yankinga]

Still with the V701

[@dcoursey82]

After watching this video and hearing the whistling, I think I've discerned what gives the Reading 6-chime its unique sound. On, say, a Nathan 6-chime...the first and last note are an octave apart. But with the Reading, the SECOND and last notes are an octave apart. Listening from 7:21 on, it sounds like G-A-B-D-F-A. Someone with knowledge on this front, please correct me if I'm wrong.

[@radforddivisionrailfan]

Late reply, but I checked with a whistle sound on my keyboard and it appears you are correct with the notes.

[@wardy98px1]

A real steam engine

[@tk48states]

Great engine but could not have pulled Gulf Summit with this train.

[@angelmunoz6839]

Indian valley railroad the movie 2:17

[@catlover2368]

it's time for this steam engine to return to the rails maby Norfolk and Southern can run it on there steam program

[@lembriggs1075]

Hard to believe he just lets this locomotive sit outside in the elements with all the jacketing on it. What a shame! What a shame!

[@lilcattythewildnorwester7786]

110-120 MPH !

[@DonCormack]

Lil'Catty Laws False.