Gathering Steam: The Texas Returns At The N.C. Transportation Museum

Even the Queen Of Steam has to genuflect once in a while.
On April 28-30, 2017, the North Carolina Transportation Museum hosted a celebration of steam to honor a very special guest - Western & Atlantic 4-4-0 12, better known as the 'Texas'. Built by Danforth, Cooke & Co. in 1856, the Texas earned its place in Civil War history on April 12, 1862, when it carried a Confederate posse in pursuit of Union raiders who had stolen another locomotive (the 'General') during an attempt to sabotage the W&A's line between Chattanooga, TN and Atlanta, GA. The raiders were subsequently captured, and their unsuccessful theft of the General later became known as 'The Great Locomotive Chase'. After its retirement in 1907 and donation to the city of Atlanta, the Texas was put on display in the basement of the Atlanta Cyclorama, where it received a cosmetic restoration in 1936. In late 2015 the Texas was moved to the NCTM in Spencer, NC, where it was cosmetically restored again by the Steam Operations Corporation. In its latest restoration, the Texas has been returned to its appearance from the late 1880s when it was still plying its trade in freight service.
To mark the restoration's completion, the Texas was joined by two operating sisters in steam - Lehigh Valley Coal 126, an 0-6-0 tank engine, and Norfolk & Western 611, the storied Class J 4-8-4 that was visiting the NCTM for maintenance at the midpoint of her 2017 excursion season. Several of the museum's non-operating steam locomotives also joined in for various photo opportunities: Seaboard Air Line 544 (Class D-4 2-10-0), Atlantic Coast Line 1031 (Class K-15 4-6-0), and Southern Railway 542 (Class J 2-8-0). Event sponsor CSX contributed a more modern locomotive for display that also has ties to Atlanta - GP38-2 2702, which started life as the Georgia Railroad's 6051 and is named in honor of noted Atlanta historian (and railfan) Franklin M. Garrett. The 2702 claimed its own place in history when it pulled the last of the Georgia Railroad's mixed trains in 1983, one of the few passenger operations in the U.S. that was not absorbed by Amtrak.
Gathering Steam covers the second day of the event, April 29th.
Click the links below to jump to specific scenes in the video:
0:17 - SAL 544
Seaboard Air Line 544 is spun on the turntable to position the locomotive for photos. Moves of the 544 and other non-operating locomotives this day were performed by Duke Power 5951, a GE 25-ton switcher.
1:50 - ACL 1031/Posing For Photos
After the 544 is in position, Atlantic Coast Line 1031 goes for a spin to pose alongside the 544 and the Texas, representing three CSX predecessor railroads in steam.
5:52 - Lehigh Valley Coal 126
Lehigh Valley Coal 126 backs past the roundhouse area with the caboose train.
7:25 - N&W 611
Shortly after the 126 passes, the 611 performs her own reverse move.
8:06 - 126/611 At The Roundhouse
With fresh loads of passengers aboard, the 611 and 126 pass by the roundhouse area.
9:58 - 611/126 At The Footbridge
The 611 and 126 are seen again by the footbridge leading from the museum's parking lot.
13:50 - Museum Ride-Around
A ride around the museum grounds as viewed from the rear car on 611's train. Before we perform our reverse move, the 126 pulls the caboose train in behind us to take its turn. Filmed with permission.
24:03 - CSX Predecessor Locomotives On Display
Locomotives from CSX and its predecessors pose for photos at the roundhouse, arranged from newest to oldest, left to right: CSX GP38-2 2702, C&O F3Au 8016, ACL E3A 501, SAL 2-10-0 544, ACL 4-6-0 1031, and the Texas.
25:04 - Texas On The Turntable
The Texas takes a spin on the turntable to position it for the night photo session later in the evening.
28:04 - 126 On The Turntable
While the Texas looks on, the 126 rides the turntable to back into position at the roundhouse.
30:42 - 2702 and 5951 On The Turntable
The 2702 and the 5951 stare each other down as they ride the turntable together. The 2702 moves into position for photos while the 5951 fetches the 542 for another spin.
34:57 - Night Shot - 611 At Barber Junction
The day's events culminated in a night photo session, with the steam locomotives posed in various scenes around the museum grounds. I took one last look at 611 by the Barber Junction station before turning the video camera off to focus on stills.
Special thanks to the men and women of the North Carolina Transporation Museum, the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Steam Operations Corporation, CSX, and Gramling Locomotive Works (owners of the 126) for their work in making such an event possible!
For more information on exhibits and upcoming events, visit the N.C Transportation Museum's website:
www.nctrans.org
#trains #train #railfanning #railroad #northcarolina #travel

[@quasimoto7662]

My grandfather operated the ACL 1031 in Florence SC, nearly cried when he saw it restored at the NC Transportation museum

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Very cool. I hope they can give it the same treatment as the General someday.

[@TheNoogaRailfan]

Some of the best coverage I’ve seen from that day. Great job! I spotted myself at 5:25.

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Thanks! Now I'm curious to find some other videos and see if I can spot myself...

[@jltrain-zgamingrailfan202x3]

NCTM, you should make an event that people can blow steam locomotives whistles, much like the Rail Giants Train Museum.

[@yes_no_maybe45]

Yes please!

[@phillipbonner5215]

Yes thank God they have not got to any of the museum pieces that would be a horrible disgrace

[@Darthsimpletext]

I can see that just becasuse there's a busy norfolk southern main nearby doesn't change what you really want to get, being at these events must be great and i would consider some of these "not to miss" things too, the 611 was in storage in late july but i still wanted a good image of her because of the notoriety she has in her excursions, not really wise to take this place for granted when so many great things happen here.....

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Five Row and CP Lee are worth a visit if you're ever in Spencer for the museum. It would be great if there was a way for the NCTM to build an observation deck that would allow viewing of the mainline right outside the fence, but I'm perfectly happy with events like this.

[@phillipbonner5215]

One thing I hate when I'm watching these videos is when I see train cars with graffiti all over them it's just a disgrace

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

I agree, it's sad even when compared to my footage from the '90s. At least it wasn't on any of the museum equipment though.

[@phillipbonner5215]

Why can't these people just leave the trains alone they paint enough stuff all over the place. Everywhere you go you see that painted crap.

[@carolinian-scum]

i remember seeing this thing at the at the throttle event and i remember watching it run for the first time and then getting showered by charcoal XD

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

When I rode the mainline excursions between 1984 and 1993, we would gather in the vestibules and ride leaning out the top half of the Dutch doors. I'd often spend the entire trip there, my seat was just a place to put my stuff. I used to come home covered in cinders, looking like one of the chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins.