Steam & Excursion > When And Where Will The Next Big Steam Engine Gathering Be?

Sacramento Rail Museum?, like 1981, or 1991?, 1991 Was Really a great big deal!!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

If all goes well (which it hasn't over the past 5 years), it will be in Cumberland, Maryland with the ex-C&O 2-6-6-2 #1309 in operation on the former Western Maryland Railway.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Just my opinion but, I personally think that "Big Steam Engine Gatherings" are a thing of the past. What with the extremely high liability insurance requirements, total lack of Amtrak support, and the requirements of PTC, certainly put a damper on any future "gatherings". Then throw in the mix, all the current Precision Scheduled Railroading practices, and things sure do NOT look good for the future of ANY main line steam in the U.S..

Finally there is the "where" and who will pay to have all those "Big Steam Engines" gather?

I seem to recall that past big steam engine gatherings were not particularly financially successfull. I think they were the opposite of that.

There was something said about that last big one which was very short of breaking even and paying those who were supposed to be.

Not sure if you consider it BIG, but the next big batch of engines to be seen in 2020 may well be the Cumbres and Toltec.  There is talk of a gathering of several pre-1900 engines, including the soon to be completed 168.  315 is already there and just operated.  2020 they will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the purchase of the 64-mile line from the D&RGW.  Lots of grades out there to make those engines really work hard.  If you have never been there, shame on you, if you call yourself a die-hard steam fan!!!  Next month or so the fall colors will begin, which is another added bonus.
Greg Scholl
http://www.gregschollvideo.com

If it did happen would have to be on a short line or reginal railroad like the Steam Railroading Institute outings.   

But would you ever get  big draw like the 4449 did?

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

The 2nd outing seemed almost as busy as the 1st one, but I am not sure.   1225 wasn't in operation for the 1st one, it had mechanical problems. 

WLE2679 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The 2nd outing seemed almost as busy as the 1st
> one, but I am not sure.   1225 wasn't in
> operation for the 1st one, it had mechanical
> problems. 

What/which "outing" are you referring to?  When SP 4449 attended the "big event" in Owosso, MI back in 2009, the 1225 had a boiler problem (broken tube?), and was unable to operate.

Correct.  2009    They did the same type of event, minus the 4449, in 2014, with 765 and 1225, Little River RR #115, and the smaller steam engines. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/19 18:26 by WLE2679.

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If all goes well (which it hasn't over the past 5
> years), it will be in Cumberland, Maryland with
> the ex-C&O 2-6-6-2 #1309 in operation

One engine does not make a gathering.

A gathering FOR a steam engine or a gathering OF steam engines. There are big gatherings FOR steam engines often, especially those that have not been seen for a while. 4014 to California will be big, There are other steam apperances that could also be considered big. Ignoring captive steam (engines that never leave their line) getting a steam engine to come to town is a big deal. If one has steam operating daily or weekly in one's town it is a lesser deal.

Getting multiple engines together for an event is a big deal. A gathering OF steam engines. With visiting engines that becomes rare.

It would be awesome for ORHF to have a gathering when their turntable is installed. My wild idea was have UP send a steamer, and then the resident big engines wouldn't have to organize a mainline trip. For small engines, they could possibly have the Willamette from Mt. Rainier, SMV 205, and CW 10. Maybe add NP 1364 to the mix, since in my wild dream BNSF is totally on board with the whole thing.

Posted from Android

Quad Cities was a disaster for a lot of reasons, most of which the organizers couldn’t control. Like Petersburg, the date was important to locals (I forget why,) but put the event in the most likely time for extreme heat, and sure enough it was over a hundred degrees. Some of the guest engines couldn’t make the trip for one reason or another, some of the sponsors bailed so money wasn’t there when it should have been, and just for the rotten maraschino on top, a severe weather outbreak erupted straight overhead.

We made some pretty extreme efforts to get to Owosso and Petersburg, but I knew QC was a no-go from the get-go because we’d be making the trip with a heatstroke-sensitive guy who would have been stuck in the hotel the whole time. A lot of families with small children or elderly railfans would have had the same problem, so they didn’t show either. It was a shame, but most of what went wrong was unavoidable.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

Go to the Steam Festival in Dresden, Germany in April, 2020. Lots of plandamph type trips with mainline steam planned. There are also two fine narrow gauge lines near the city and don't forget the fleet of vintage paddle wheel steamers on the river. Look at today's post on the European board which has a link to the web site for further info. Nothing in the U.S. has or will compare with it.  Dresden is in the former East Germany and easily reachable by train from Berlin. 

OHCR1551 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Quad Cities was a disaster for a lot of reasons,
> most of which the organizers couldn’t control.
> Like Petersburg, the date was important to locals
> (I forget why,) but put the event in the most
> likely time for extreme heat, and sure enough it
> was over a hundred degrees. Some of the guest
> engines couldn’t make the trip for one reason or
> another, some of the sponsors bailed so money
> wasn’t there when it should have been, and just
> for the rotten maraschino on top, a severe weather
> outbreak erupted straight overhead.
>
> We made some pretty extreme efforts to get to
> Owosso and Petersburg, but I knew QC was a no-go
> from the get-go because we’d be making the trip
> with a heatstroke-sensitive guy who would have
> been stuck in the hotel the whole time. A lot of
> families with small children or elderly railfans
> would have had the same problem, so they didn’t
> show either. It was a shame, but most of what went
> wrong was unavoidable.


My wife and I went to the Quad Cities in ‘11 for the Train Festival and didn’t seem to have issues with the heat. She was almost 9 months pregnant at the time. I think the only engine that was scheduled to make it but had to back out that I know of was ATSF 3751.

Posted from iPhone