Gettysburg Railroad 1986

Steaming action of the Gettysburg RR filmed in 1986 on 16mm film

[@DynamoProductions-trains]

No they operated for YEARS after the explosion, the had several engine accidents after that, the diesels caught fire a few times.

[@mylesspear]

Dynamo Productions did they cease steam operations after the boiler explosion?

[@dannydorito9815]

Myles Spear yes

[@DRGW168]

Far From it, after the cornells stopped running it, it was sold to pioneer lines, a firm that owns several shortlines like Gennesee & Wyoming. They use to run some passenger excursions with two F units, but they have since stopped doing that. I was one of the few that rode the Pioneer Lines exursion, wasn't anything really spectacular...

[@bendover9411]

One of the diesels ended up on the Knox & Kane Railroad in Marienville, Pa. It was destroyed inside the train barn by Arson.

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

It was that RS36 wasn’t it

[@kenkime9741]

I grew up along the digger line just North of Gettysburg, I remember once a load of scrap the diesels alone couldn't handle so Sloan put 38 & 76 on the rear to get up the line, pretty neat as a kid watching steam earnings its keep! BTW, more than one bridge on the line and the one over the Conewago creek is longer than 50 feet! I also remember long blocks of cars with 4-5 geeps on the head end to interchange with the WM in Gettysburg when the line was still run by the Reading.

[@southern4501isawesom]

yep after a boiler explosion on the canadian locomotive i think FRA shut em down

[@o484]

Jim Cornell was the one at the helm of 1278 when her boiler exploded.

[@nathancorcoran5347]

Pretty cool video of the Gettysburg Railroad back then in 1986 with their Mississippian Railway 76, which operated until 1995 due to the backdraft explosion incident with another steam locomotive, Canadian Pacific 1278. That shut down operations of the heritage railroad. I hope one day both of the steam locomotives will find a new owner to maintain them so good in operation than what happened at the Gettysburg Railroad.

[@nathanielcruz6675]

Well, #1278 is currently at the Age Of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio. It has undergone a cosmetic restoration to improve it's overall looks. And there's rumors that she will be fully restored to operating condition at some point in the future. As for #76, she's on display at the Oakland B&O Railroad Museum in Oakland, Maryland. Like #1278, #76 went under a cosmetic restoration & renumbered as B&O #476. As of 2020, there are plans to restore the engine back into operating condition.

[@RavennaRailfan4070]

Great steam action! Is this engine still on Gettysburg & Northern and does it still run?

[@chrislynch8128]

Steam has not run at Gettysburg since 1995, when one of their other locomotives (#1278) suffered a firebox collapse/boiler explosion due to neglected maintenance. Pioneer Lines now owns Gettysburg & Northern, and they do not run tourist trains at all anymore.

[@quasimoto7662]

No. 76 is currently displayed as a b&o engine in Oakland Maryland

[@nssteampunk4865]

Last passenger run I believe was 2009

[@rogerlollar4325]

I wonder what happened to the tracks after the line closed

[@kcciiowa]

Good one, don't know

[@BenBensonStudios]

The tracks are still in use by a shortline.

[@Strasburg1991]

@dcoursey82 6 chime, possibly from the sp

[@danielfoster3642]

Such a shame they don't do tourist trains anymore.

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

Well given the railroads record of explosion and here and there, I'm honestly not too surprised

[@nssteampunk4865]

That whistle sounds like the 6-chime used on Knox and Kane #58

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

Erich Diebold it sure does

[@drewclemens8739]

0:34

[@dcoursey82]

What whistle is that?

[@irishvans]

this No.76, was one of the locomotives used to make the old Rio Grande movie from the late 40's or early 50's i think.

[@lynnwashington3820]

3254?

[@yerkees01]

It's too bad this doesnt contain any footage of CN #3254 before her move to Steamtown

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

There was an old copy of a program i remember from 1985 called Paradise and No Despair. Can’t remember who produced it but it was about the 1985 NRHS convention in Lancaster. Featured steam locomotives are, CN 3254, GETY 76, 38, CP 2317, 1246, PRR 1223, 7002, SRC 90 and 31, RDG 2102, BM&R 425, CP 972, WK&S 2, and 65, GW 60, PRR 643, NH&I 40, W&W 98, 37, Queen Anne # 3, and a bonus feature of Pine Creek Steam with 2-truck shay # 6, prairie # 26, and Lady Edith # 3, a 4-4-0T narrow gauge built in Ireland in 1887. I think it was a crazy 6 hour program. I was about 2 or 3 at the time i watched it at the Evesham township firehouse in NJ. All the railroads in the program were part of where members were going for the convention in Lancaster. All the people were heading to Lancaster were riding the tourist lines that would later board school buses. (Wayne, Ward, Superior, old Blue Bird, Carpenter etc some models early as 67 and late as 1983-84). It’s no longer in print.

[@MMID303]

Why did they have an explosion?? Bad safety valve? Crown sheet?

[@engineer6325]

MMID303 The Gettysburg Incident occurred on June 16, 1995 when Canadian Pacific 1278's crown sheet melted due to the crew failing to keep the water high enough in the boiler, (Operator error). The modern design of the firebox managed to keep the boiler from exploding completely, thus allowing the crew to escape with their lives. Upon investigation, it was found the Gettysburg Railroad had been slacking off on maintenance for the 1278, and had been using inexperienced crews. Because of this incident, the Government, (FRA), completely rewrote the rulebook for steam locomotives in the United States. Those rules of which are still in effect to this day.

[@MMID303]

Wow, that's terrible. How could someone let the water get that low? I run traction engines sometimes, and that is the first thing you check. And you keep checking it! Water, water, water! Thanks for the info sir!

[@engineer6325]

Not a problem! Glad to help!

[@craigm2520]

+MMID303 unfortuently the operators were very inexperienced. I read the entire NTSB report and this wasn't a one time deal, the engines had a history of unsafe practice

[@evanf1293]

Shame the place shut down a year after the 1278 incident. Today the line is now a freight line switching trains with NS and CSX. As for the steam engines 1278 is now on display in the age of steam roundhouse and is still service able so maybe one day she'll run again. 76 is now in Maryland on display and renumbered as 476 and 38 is awaiting a rebuild and being sent to the Everett Railroad to run with 11.

[@Strasburg1991]

@RAILGUY18 it may run again by the end of 2011 or end of 2012

[@shanewalters4171]

1278's still getting restored at the Age Of Steam Roundhouse, when she'll steam again is currently in question. As for the other steamers that worked for Gettysburg, I have no idea about them

[@DRGW168]

And Pioneer Lines still hauls freight with their two F units

[@Strasburg1991]

u have knox and kane videos kcciiowa?

[@evanf1293]

So how long did this tourist line last til the late 90s after the incident with CP 1278?

[@shanewalters2565]

It lasted till 96, the operation no longer runs tourist trains, it's a basic boring shortline now

[@evanf1293]

@@shanewalters2565 thanks

[@shanewalters2565]

@@evanf1293 No worries my friend

[@anthonynigri8585]

If the explosion didnt happen I bet this railroad would still be around today

[@RailPreserver2K]

Let me guess the Railroad is gone now

[@jacobadam4556]

i grew up in this area and its all still there, train stations, and rails. there is a hidden train station in biglerville for the african americans after the civil war, the mansion burnt down to that

[@shanewalters2565]

Yep, it operates as a shortline now, no more tourism :(

[@kingofthemonsters3712]

​@@shanewalters2565wrong

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

...as there ever been a successful railroad in Gettysburg?

[@tevinwms1104]

+DXP Surprisingly not. Maybe one day, they'll try again.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

hopefully

[@Strasburg1991]

who will buy 76 then??

[@Rebel9668]

Right now it's sitting at the steam railroading institute, the same place that runs Pere Marquette #1225

[@STRTRR]

GETY 1278 and 76 went to Ohio Central

[@dawsonclemens]

0:57

[@drewclemens8739]

0:58