HiDef: 21st Century Steam - Southern 630 Knoxville to Asheville

Southern 630 made 2 beautiful scenic trips along the S-Line from Knoxville, TN to Asheville, NC for the Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam. If you enjoyed this video please hit that LIKE and SUBSCRIBE button. I really appreciate & value all of the LIKES and SUBSCRIBERS to my Videos & Channel!!

[@williammartin7038]

Truly the sounds of steam are part of our history and deserve to be seen again.

[@09JDCTrainMan]

Wow, the 2-8-0 knows how to move!

[@USSCFan148]

Yo

[@SwindellSteamWorks]

Oh my lord! LOL Her bell actually balanced itself upside down! I have been waiting for something like that to happen!

[@dolothedolphin]

it happened to pm 1225 once, there is actually a video of it

[@trainboy1926]

I think it happened to me when I hand rang it this summer

[@pauladams9067]

I was born in Atlanta during the Steam Engine years of # 4501 & # 630. My Dad worked for the N C & St L , side by to the Southern Railway in Hills Park & Inman Yards Georgia We lived in Hills Park until I turned 15 yrs. old. Since both my Dad ,& both Grandfathers & Uncle worked for NC& STL & Southern , I have riden the Steam Engines, the Cabooses, Mail Cars, on the Mainlines, & in the Switching yards etc. I Love this film & sounds that was all of my "everyday" youth's scenes & sounds. THE Steam Engine Era. , was one of AMERICA'S GREATEST Travel, Freight, & Transportation Eras. It is still some of the thrills & sounds of my lifetime!!!!! Paul Adams

[@smokeybandit9760]

Southern was a amazing railroad

[@williamharvey9702]

this is like comfort food ! well , comfort . and it inspires me .comfort inspiration .uh-huh .the romance of America and its wonderful railroad .

[@BackshopRailProductions]

william harvey I agree! We lost the romance in railroading, when the steam locomotives and the passenger trains stopped running.

[@drumcrazykid]

I rode on that trip (Saturday). With the train lower on power on the return trip (due to the replacement diesel helper), you could hear 630 working even from inside of the coach I was riding in. It was music all the way from Asheville back to Knoxville! During the part of the video at 20:35 , it was obvious who was doing most of the work. You caught some of the best video that I've seen of 630 WORKING HARD on the mainline; lots of stack-talk! Everyone on the trip found it hilarious that it was the diesel locomotives that broke down during the trip.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks I really appreciate it!! I rode the Sunday trip but the Saturday trip was the best! I too found it hilarious that the modern diesel locomotive broke down and the 630 that is 109 years old made it back to Knoxville with 1 high hood helper and was pulling 12 passenger cars

[@railfancannon9321]

Nice video dude I love the sound of that whistle

[@revsketches]

I remember when this thing flew by my house several years ago after huge storms hit my area just the night before. 630 was screaming at the crossing that was right next to my house, and it sent me flying out of bed at eight o'clock in the morning!

[@theswede1625]

Sounds like a nice way to wake up in the morning!

[@BillySinnz]

This was a great video man! I'm guessing the night run wasn't part of the plan but with the diesel breaking down it put them behind. No matter it made for some great night video which is something thats rare for 630.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks! We left Knoxville at 7:30am the 630 arrived in Asheville at 12:30pm with a 3 hr layover and departed for Knoxville at 4:00pm due to the diesel slave unit breaking down. 630 didn't get back into Knoxville until after 9:00pm... But it really did make for some fantastic night shots.

[@jamesrussell6123]

SOUTHERN RAILWAY is my favorite hometown railroad it always have been and always will be

[@GuyjKite]

Im truly proud to say i had blood relatives work for the southern railway in the state of Va. Both my great grandfathers were station telegraph agents. My grand father locomotive fireman and then engineer. He saw the transmission from steam to diesel. I had a cousin as a brakeman. Excellent video.

[@herbward5240]

Love the valve gear on that engine. The paint job on the coaches reminds me of newly painted Awlgrip ( boat paint ) ...super gloss !

[@ronniedelahoussayechauvin6717]

I don’t understand anything about Trains but I respect them. The Horn sound Makes My Heart Heavy💔Just Beautiful❤️

[@southerncrescent1401]

AWESOME! I wish I was there. Great video.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks, It was a blast!

[@hi-railhardin]

Excellent video!! What a fine run!! 🚂

[@trekky60]

Excellent video, Heath. Best shots, passing thru Marshall and crossing the bridge @21:12. Big thumbs up!

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks George I really appreciate it...Those are my best shots also! My fave is of the 630 passing through the town of Marshall...My 2nd is the bridge shot, I came close not getting the shot, my ass about went over the bank LOL Thank God for a sturdy Tripod hahaha!!!

[@americanfoodie8998]

The sound of the whistle adds a lot to the romance of steam trains. Though I think this was actually a freight locomotive judging by its small wheels. The passenger steamers of PRR and New Haven Railroad had high pitched whistles which were much less majestic.

[@62forged]

Beautiful train! Great video. Thanks.

[@VanceSova]

Cool video. I like the horn sound of the steam engine. I was wondering what happened half way through the video when il looked like the train lost lots of its cars. Then I read the comments you made. I thought the diesel engines were there to back up the steam engine in case it broke down. But the steam engine outlasted them. Thumbs up.

[@VanceSova]

You are right about that.

[@Rebel9668]

***** Some steam engines have both horns and whistles, like the QJ's from china.

[@Rebel9668]

***** I never said it was, I said SOME steam engines have both horn and whistle, read it again.

[@Greatdome99]

Whistle, not horn. A horn is nothing more than a loudspeaker powered by a vibrating diaphragm (air or magnet). A whistle is similar to a wind instrument or pipe organ--air flows by an orifice and resonates.

[@jonnybeck6723]

Pretty fancy bell work goin' on there! @ 11:40

[@Saltrainrailfanning]

That was a great video.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks

[@bboomer1948]

fantastic video.so enjoyable. beautiful country, southeast USA.

[@petercermak4095]

What a Beauty! Sweet steam whistle too.

[@jmarksbery]

Super, thanks for sharing

[@dylanwatson1287]

Good God 630 sure hauled some serious ass on this trip especially for such an old and small engine she is! Must've had a very good experienced engineer and crew running her that day.

[@smokeybandit9760]

Nice job on the filming and this is pretty much my first time seeing Southern 630

[@RailGunProductions]

Fantastic video! This is one of the best chases that I've seen in a while. Thank you for sharing. By the way, would you happen to know why they swapped the diesel power for the return trip? Not that I'm complaining; I love those old high-noses. :)

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks I really appreciate it..The diesel slave unit broke down in Asheville so they had to swap power for a high hood.

[@gwidwock]

Thank you very much. I enjoyed every minute on this video. I love the steam engine.

[@edtrain5]

Great job of videography, Heath. My compliments on a superb job. It sure was an "interesting" trip with the loss and subsequent replacement of the 2nd diesel. Thank you for sharing.

[@SignalLightProductions]

Fantastic video Heath! Love the night shots! There's nothing like a passenger train in the dark! I've ridden behind her in the dark but never chased her in the dark. I'd love to get to do it though.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks Will, I loved chasing the 630 at night!! it was like stepping back in time 60 years ago. You could really feel what it was like during the 1950's listening to the 630 blow for a crossing in the night, then all of a sudden see that bright headlight coming towards you...It was pretty cool.

[@SignalLightProductions]

***** I bet! Kind of like an O. Winston Link type shot.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Yes it was!! Just to hear that whistle in the night it just sent chills down your spine.

[@SignalLightProductions]

I bet! Like I said, fantastic video, but I bet it was even better in person!

[@angusyjr]

dayum! that thing was producing alot of steam in the beginning of the vid. ALOT of steam! O.o pretty clean running locomotive though. 😀

[@maddennis55]

Great video! It was halfway done when I noticed that the 701 was a road slug!

[@thomasbush5778]

Great Video! We chased it too that same day, and could not keep up with her after we left Del-Rio. My favorite shot is the one in Jefferson City at speed, man she was really moving. Great job, thanks for sharing!

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks I really appreciate it! She was really moving 90% of the time, it was hard to keep ahead of the 630 I'm just glad the cops weren't out cause I did a lot of speeding LOL

[@4501trainman]

Great H/D Video. Good to see you even took the chance on some shots at night. I did that back in the day,and some turned-out good,and some not so good. But I was glad I at least, tried. Also,on the part about the Diesel breaking down. We rode behind the #630 on the Steam-All-Way-Trip to Summerville,Ga in 2011,and the #630 without a Helper,got down to a crawl,didn't slip once,and marched right over Missionary Ridge with 9-coaches. It was great at the time,to witness the Stack-Talk.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks, I really appreciate it...I don't know why they put the diesels on the trips, back in the day they didn't need them those old steam locomotives done the work all on their own...I did find it funny that it was the diesel broke down and the 630 make it all the way back to Knoxville with that 1 diesel unit.

[@steventruong9124]

Backshop Rail Productions Diesels were mainly use for dynamic braking and to provide electricity to the passenger cars though 630 is highly capable of pulling the train herself sometime she need a little extra help

[@dwkcamman611]

Wonderful!!! Well done indeed!!!

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks

[@sscalercourtney5486]

I really enjoyed this. Thanks for presenting it. A small suggestion. On the return through Hot Springs you open with a scene of the grade crossing. We look at the grade crossing scene for a minute and 13 seconds before 630 comes into the picture. I realize it's hard, but film editors would have cut that to closer to 15 seconds. Regardless, I truly enjoyed the video. This is meant to be constructive for the future.

[@jonnybeck6723]

Luv the shot @ 7:50... plus great camera work throughout. Many thanx p.s. Funny how people comment on the power of 630 ...with several thousand diesel horses to help her along...

[@stephanieeberly0424]

18:28 24:33 25:40 SOU #630's Ex-CofG 6 chime whistle, & bell sounds good!

[@Michiganrailfan]

Nice whislte

[@NickDiBella716]

Nice video of 90! keep it up

[@zacherykirk5407]

Love this great shots it seems like just yesterday we were still using them

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks, I really appreciate it.

[@zacherykirk5407]

Welcome

[@thomasweekley9209]

That whistle sounds like the one 4501 wore during the early part of 1985. Explanation please...

[@RailfanDude610]

The whistle is a Central of Georgia 6 chime.

[@ChestnutCove]

I would to see this happen again

[@jacksalvin364]

The trip ran from Knoxville, Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina and return over the Loops. 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃

[@PrismRisen]

A truly fine, richly enjoyable video. You caught all aspects of that trip. That opening scene with steam and smoke coming from everywhere is a classic. Visually, I think the cross-river view at Marshall, NC is tops, especially the smoke paralleling the train. Question from amateur - why are classic steam loco's routinely assisted by diesel units? They certainly didn't need the assistance in the 1920s or 1930s. Is it because they steamers are old and worn out? I really find those pushers distracting.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

would Southern Railway Streamline 1380 be back.

[@BigUnitBeef]

great video

[@amelierenoncule]

J'aime cela! Belles scènes ... Grande Audio et Grain ( à 23:43).

[@kenney5454]

today I watched the 1965 film " The Train" which showed French Partitions laying down their lives for the arts, to stay in France!

[@amelierenoncule]

ALLAN KENNEY As popular here in France...as 'High Noon' is in America!

[@pastorwaltercrossjr.8281]

When will this train go to Asheville again? How does one sign up and pay?

[@brianfalzon6739]

Wish 1551 can doublehead with 630 to Knoxville, Tennessee and Asheville, North Carolina. And what if 4501 can fit onto the NCTM's turntable too? That'll be cool!

[@sewer659]

There are two diesels pushing, because 630 Needs all the steam for the whistle!

[@charonsferryold]

What sort of witchcraft is required to get a consol to go that fast? Are the diesels pulling the thing with 630 on the point as a decoration?

[@HustleMuscleGhias]

I'm not sure if that was the case on this trip, but the 2014 trip out of Bristol to both Bulls Gap and Radford with the two SD-40-2s was definitely all show. 630 is a hand bomber with no provisions for an automatic stoker. Back during the original program, both 630 and 4501 used to have number of crew riding on the coal pile to relieve the fireman throughout the trip as well as also breaking up the bigger lumps into manageable pieces. There is a name for that particular position, but it escapes me at the moment.

[@SAXTProductions]

Heath, Awesome video. Now if NS would just bring the 630 down to Columbia. My compliments on your footage.

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks, I really appreciate it. With the 4501 coming out of the shops in April you might see some steam down your way.

[@BillySinnz]

I'm all for that seeing as how I live in Sumter. Would be a quick trip for me!

[@curtis13450]

been along time since knoxville

[@BigUnitBeef]

8:40......truth!

[@DiscothecaImperialis]

Southern is known to be the early Diesel Entry. this because this company operates much larger system than N&W and thus throughout upgrades and maintenances of the right of way isn't possible. also they had too many pre 1920s steamers and unable to procure better steamers N&W could. And EMD Diesels at that time was a problem solver for Southern.

[@jimpleace7488]

Awesome video, great camera work

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thanks, I really appreciate it.

[@jimpleace7488]

When I was at TVRM that day, 630 was being readied for the next excursion weekend. She should be in full service again soon

[@ericposey3782]

If is the one TVRM uses on her it is a 6 chime Central of Georgia whistle.

[@davidmcdougall9925]

damn, good shots

[@BackshopRailProductions]

Thank you David, I really appreciate it

[@DarkTerritory71]

WOW?! Call those guys "assholes"! 😅😅😅😅 Why? What did they do, if I can ask. That cracked me up!😅😅😅😅

[@erickwardwell962]

Smartass question-who's doing the actual pulling the steam or the 2 diesels. Good video.

[@wythetrumpet6419]

Question: were the two diesel locomotives sharing the pull or just there for backup and to provide dynamic breaking on down grades? Great video, thank you for posting!

[@justahillbilly7777]

Both is probably the case.

[@ashevilletrainman6989]

I caught it in Asheville

[@michaelgearheart115]

What is the wheel configuration? Oops, see it below! 2-8-0.

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

What was the speed limit on the Knoxville to Ashville route?? 630 must have been going 50 to 60

[@HustleMuscleGhias]

Steam on Norfolk Southern is limited to 40 miles an hour per operating rules which came as a result of 611's derailment in the Great Dismal Swamp on 19 May 1986.

[@deshaunstrains9962]

Did the train made it back to chattanooga

[@SouthernerFloridain2006]

Did Asheville NC had 722

[@brianfalzon6739]

Wish 1551 could join 630 and 4501

[@drby0788]

Was her number #4501 at some point(

[@MPT_Productions]

drby0788 no that is a different locomotive. 630 is a 2-8-0. 4501 is a 2-8-2

[@brockfitzgerald7193]

how fast was she going at 3:48?

[@thomasweekley9209]

Brock's wood shop looks as if she was doing 55mph.

[@kingofthemonsters3712]

​@@thomasweekley9209 Norfolk southern limits steam engines to 40 mph

[@thomasweekley9209]

@@kingofthemonsters3712 ok. I didn’t know that

[@kingofthemonsters3712]

@@thomasweekley9209 it's been regulated since 1986

[@thecurtray]

at 8;32 someone called those other 2 guys asses or whatever.look to me as though they were trying to move from the tracks.do you judge all people you don't know in this way.hard to fly with a heavy heart.just uncalled for and may show some of your own character which may be flawed.i have no idea why that bothered me,but it did.give others a chance before attacking.anyway........................

[@trainfan844]

But he didn't say you called them asses. He said someone

[@thecurtray]

thank you.

[@jlgoins64]

+Heath Nicks if it wasn't you it was the guy next to you....anyways, birds of a feather flock together....

[@williamkolina3988]

Carlini doesn't know axis bold as love Not experienced