Steam & Excursion > TP 610 Leaves Cincinnati Behind

On a hot humid summer day in 1977 TP 610 (2-10-4) climbs out of the Ohio River Valley en route to Danville, KY.

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

---

Thanks for posting this.

Though I was in South Africa shooting steam at the time, I remember hearing about this trip. Had I been home(Cincinnati area) I would likely have been out there. My dad and a friend chased the train that weekend and said the weather was horrible. Heat, humidity, and smog everywhere, as evidenced by the haze in your photo. Kudos on making the big climb to the trestle. I am guessing thats Amsterdam Road Trestle south of Ludlow, although there are 3 such trestles on Erlanger Hill. I got to see this engine once in 1976 with 4501 at the NRHS convention, and on a trip from Louisville to Lexington. She was a bruiser. Thanks for posting.
Greg Scholl
http://www.gregschollvideo.com

I was fortunate to be the Son of the President of the sponsoring RR club.  My Dad made fast friends with Bill and Sarah Purdie and after the train was turned in Danville KY and readied to go North, I was commanded by Mrs. Purdie to get 'front and center'!   

While my Dad looked on with a grin, she said "I understand you want to ride this engine?  Well you better get up there!"

So after a huge rainstorm had left the yard in standing water up to the rail head, the 610 left off the yard lead and struggled to gain her feet.  This is the only steam engine I've ever ridden that 'yawed' from side-to-side when working.  It was very pronounced.

I was told to sit on the sand box between the water legs at the front of the tender.  Sitting next to me was the Senior Engineer on the 1st District of the CNO&TP.  He was from Erlanger or Elsmere KY and became good friends.  The 610 was certainly a 'loud' engine, and the engine crew was communicating with hand signals which was neat.

Every 15 miles or so, the Auxiliary Fireman would gesture toward us with a #14 scoop and we would get off the sand box so he could sand the flues.

Certainly good memories for me.  Thank you for posting this image.

At what kind of speeds was Southern operating the 610 ?

train1275 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> At what kind of speeds was Southern operating the
> 610 ?

Some 50 to 60 MPH as I recall. The one time I rode and worked with Doug Karhan, helping to teach them firing an oil burner, at 50+ MPH, the rods on 610 made darn near as much noise as the stack.