Maryland Thunder: 1309's Inaugural Weekend on The Polar Express

[@bruceboatwright7488]

Beautiful composed, visually stunning on all levels. What a locomotive!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you very much for the kind words!!

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

🚂🚂Love that engine! 🧡🧡

[@Bigjimvideo]

Me too!

[@nathancorcoran5347]

This is a amazing Polar Express event at the Western Maryland with Chesapeake & Ohio 1309. Great video.

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you!!

[@WRProductions]

This is great. One of the better videos I've seen of this run!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Wow. Oh wow. Words fail me. Thanks for posting this Big Jim!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you for enjoying it - and you're welcome!!

[@patrickwebb7311]

These are some fun shots. I’m glad you could go see #1309 in action. Here’s to a long, happy excursion career.

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you - and I agree!!!

[@dogrokket]

Great video! Thanks for doing this!

[@Bigjimvideo]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@duck1946]

From a UK railfan lovely restoration, and love that hooter!

[@Bigjimvideo]

It's a beauty!

[@stevensainerailfanproductions]

1:15 I didn't realize that was you right beside me. lol It was great to meet you man! and I didn't know you were in the photo line at 5:09. lol

[@Bigjimvideo]

Likewise!!!

[@thomasavery3316]

Enjoyed another fine video by "Big Jim" !!! Guess I was a little surprised to hear the wheel slippage as he pulled out of the station. These locomotives pulled some heavy and long coal trains. A real challenge by the crews "back in the day"Nothing beats steam trains!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

I heard the slippage myself. I suspect they're just learning how to handle 1309 and have a lot to learn. I don't mean that in a derogatory way but there's probably very few men alive to ask how to run one of those 2-6-6-2's and no owner's manual to reference. They'll figure it out.

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you very much!!! Yeah, there's still a lot to learn and get used to running with this engine. But they'll get the hang of it!! Plus it had rained a little bit while waiting at the depot, so the rails were a bit wet.

[@Bigjimvideo]

Indeed they will!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

@@Bigjimvideo You're welcome Jim! And that was a great video by the way, I really enjoyed it! Thanks for taking us to the "Big Show!" By the way, I was on a Norfolk-Southern steam excursion around 1990 or so pulled by 1218, another articulated. It was a rainy day and we had a 23 passenger car consist. 1218 slipped a bit pulling out of the station as well. They recovered quickly though.

[@garryferrington811]

I had long thought, from the care it didn't receive, that this engine would eventually revert to a pile of rust. To see it alive is beyond belief. What a great job they did.

[@Bigjimvideo]

100%!!

[@atsfevan0242]

Despite the long wait I think it was still with it. I think.

[@chendersonrailproductions704]

Fantastic video man! Was great seeing you trackside again!

[@Bigjimvideo]

100% agreed!! Hopefully we'll see each other again soon!

[@hiworldstephensonultranate290]

Thanks so much for making my nt Christmas Week

[@Bigjimvideo]

You're welcome!

[@psycotria]

Look for the vid of 1309 being delivered years ago. Glad it is back on the road!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you very much!!

[@TrainspotterSPb]

Excellent video!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Thank you very much!!

[@SimonTog]

Wonderful video Jim and Merry Christmas :)

[@hiworldstephensonultranate290]

hi Polar Express saw n cinema 2004! superb video Happy Christmas from Ireland

[@Bigjimvideo]

Happy holidays!

[@aimeemoore1094]

It's so beautiful

[@northernohiorailfanningpro8899]

Aw man I can’t wait to chase this next summer

[@Bigjimvideo]

I can't wait to get back there myself!

[@aimeemoore1094]

I would love to live next to a railroad so I could see and hear these amazing machines

[@Bigjimvideo]

Sometimes I feel the same way!

[@psycotria]

I can hear a CSX freight right now, at West Palm Beach, FL! Back in 1977, I was at SCL grade crossing in Lake Worth and happened to catch 8444, pulling the Freedom Train southbound to Miami, at speed. When the visit in Miami was over, I was laying in bed awake, late at night. I could hear 8444 blowing every crossing from Boynton Beach to West Palm Beach. Never forget it! I hear another train. Could be Florida East Coast or CSX...

[@Cbazz]

This is such a unique engine to say the least It's a C&O Engine, With a Western Maryland Livery & a N&W hooter whistle 😂 Btw these shots are absolutely gorgeous ❤️

[@Bigjimvideo]

And it's got Christmas lights on it! :P Thanks!!

[@timosha21]

Choo Choo: I'm a train and I approve this video

[@hiworldstephensonultranate290]

Christmas lights on polar man this is Living that's Why i love America Brian Ireland yippee, all aboard,

[@ronmitchell859]

Did it historically have a single chime whistle?

[@CaptainCrutch]

It had a hooter whistle very similar to the one on it now, but this one is N&W

[@howiesmith1504]

@@CaptainCrutch kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIurhpl8ppiJodU Here's an actual C&O long bell bootleg, off Kanawha 2789, guesting on NKP 765---same type as 1309's original. Great job of quilling, especially the first 14-L crossing signal, very expressive and mournful. As you'll hear, the tone is somewhat different than the 2-6-6-2's' current N&W one. It would be nice if WMSR could score one, or a good authentic replica. There are plenty of recordings of N&W whistles available, but hardly any of C&O, so any additions to the library would be welcome.

[@CaptainCrutch]

@@howiesmith1504 Oh the pitches aren’t even close but they’re still pretty similar whistles. Unfortunately 1309’s disappeared long before the WMSR got it, but it would be nice to find a replacement.

[@howiesmith1504]

@@CaptainCrutch kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4jOmWNontF5Zqc&sns=em Dollywood has one off another C&O 1300. Maybe some mechanically competent person could take measurements and figure out what kind of metal the bell is made out of. Apparently not a big deal, no intricate casting---just a length of capped pipe.

[@Thatonerandomguy1331]

Well are there no more leaks, and is she OFFICILLY completed?

[@Bigjimvideo]

She wouldn't be pulling passengers if she wasn't "officially" completed! :D

[@Thatonerandomguy1331]

@@Bigjimvideo makes sense LOL

[@1940limited]

It sure is nice to see this locomotive restored and operating. Burning coal with lots of smoke. Perfect!

[@Bigjimvideo]

Agreed 100%! Can't wait to see it this summer.

[@georgecarter838]

Looks like she still has a few leaks on the engineer side, but all in all, she preformed very nicely.

[@Bigjimvideo]

She did indeed!! Plenty of time now to get things fine-tuned for next year...

[@sharkyfish3492]

how long was the ride, i understand she is not going all the way up the line to frostburg

[@Bigjimvideo]

It went about five miles (give or take?) to Helmstetter's Curve. Or maybe it was five round-trip miles? Not sure.

[@philliplee980]

Very cool I was there as well

[@Bigjimvideo]

I hope you enjoyed it!

[@philliplee980]

@@Bigjimvideo I did

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

Why are the crossing signals at that crossing on Helmsteader's Curve not working Why have they been shut off for most of the year?

[@Bigjimvideo]

Not sure.

[@CaptainCrutch]

They stopped working a few months ago and are about to be replaced very shortly.

[@harris4018]

i am surprised it runs on such bad rails

[@Bigjimvideo]

How are the rails "bad" here??

[@harris4018]

@@Bigjimvideo not very level they are very up and down