Steam & Excursion > NS Steam Program

I was looking at some old photos and thinking...  wouldn't it be nice if NS decided to bring back steam as part of an effort to win back the hearts and minds of the nation after the East Palestine derailment...  

 

Steve Gass
Linden, VA
B-LineRailfan

---

I rode that trip

B-LineRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was looking at some old photos and thinking...
>  wouldn't it be nice if NS decided to bring back
> steam as part of an effort to win back the hearts
> and minds of the nation after the East Palestine
> derailment...  

That's a very nice thought, but it will never happen because of the cost and the big Hedge Fund Shareholders will be furious to spend that money, especially since Norfolk Southern is going to be spending tons of money with these lawsuits right now.  Sad but true, these people are very greedy and want every penny that they can get.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Ah yes, the Wick era, sadly it came to an end.

B-LineRailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was looking at some old photos and thinking...
>  wouldn't it be nice if NS decided to bring back
> steam as part of an effort to win back the hearts
> and minds of the nation after the East Palestine
> derailment...  
>
>  

Aren't you a year early with your photo date?
It would also seem that we shared the same vantage point for this view (old gas station on VA 245 just south of The Plains)
2015 doesn't seem that long ago to me...

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I rode that trip

That’s cool! I rode behind 611 in ‘86 (Alexandria-Charlottesville) but am kicking myself for not riding behind 611 this most recent time (although I did go on a 630 trip in TN).

Posted from iPhone

Steve Gass
Linden, VA
B-LineRailfan

bigsavage Wrote:
>
> Aren't you a year early with your photo date?
> It would also seem that we shared the same vantage
> point for this view (old gas station on VA 245
> just south of The Plains)
> 2015 doesn't seem that long ago to me...

Indeed - I could’ve saved this for a Ten Years Ago post. But I’m sure I can dig up something else for next year.

That was a popular spot - nice scene and convenient to Rte 55 & I-66 for chasing. I remember all the shutter noises on my video from all of us clicking away.

Posted from iPhone

Steve Gass
Linden, VA
B-LineRailfan

My point is that 611 didn't run any trips until May, 2015, so it would have been impossible to shoot your pic on 6/6/2014...

In 1991, there was an excursion with 4449 to benefit Dunsmuir after a Southern Pacific derailment at Cantara resulted in many fish being killed by a chemical spilled into the river.  Here's a link to a Trainorders thread with more information:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2120417,2120417#msg-2120417

I have no idea if people living in the area appreciated SP's effort at creating goodwill.

However, I seriously doubt running a steam train excursion will lessen the acrimony from the public and politicians directed towards Norfolk Southern as a result of Norfolk Southern's derailment in East Palestine.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In 1991, there was an excursion with 4449 to
> benefit Dunsmuir after a Southern Pacific
> derailment at Cantara resulted in many fish being
> killed by a chemical spilled into the river. 
> Here's a link to a Trainorders thread with more
> information:
>
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10
> ,2120417,2120417#msg-2120417
>
> I have no idea if people living in the area
> appreciated SP's effort at creating goodwill.
>
> However, I seriously doubt running a steam train
> excursion will lessen the acrimony from the public
> and politicians directed towards Norfolk Southern
> as a result of Norfolk Southern's derailment in
> East Palestine.

No, running an excursion now isn't going to fix East Palestine.  However, you have to wonder if the public sentiment would be as severe IF NS still had an excursion program or some other more robust community involvement.  Would things be different if East Palestine happened during the Moorman or Claytor eras (social tendancies aside)?  Railroads disappered from public focus in the 1960's.  All most people know of railrods is that they can delay their commute at grade crossings, that they haul hazardous materials through their town, and that they are big corporations with deep pockets looking after themselves. Thats where the PR benefit comes into play. It develops over time. The problem is; How do you assign a cost value to it? Is it worth the expense? Is it worth the liability? How much value does it indirectly bring? Those are tough questions to answer. I'm betting that right now though, NS and probably all class 1s by extension are wishing they had made public relations a bit more of a priority.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/23 09:35 by bmoore765.

SP hired Doyle and the 4449 after the bad wreck and chemical spill at Cantera Loops in the Siskiyou Mountains back in the 90s to help heal the immediate community wounds. It's not a bad measure to take.

TrackGuy

Posted from Android

bigsavage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My point is that 611 didn't run any trips until
> May, 2015, so it would have been impossible to
> shoot your pic on 6/6/2014...

Got it - I must have mistyped the year.  Will correct and replace above.  Thanks!

Steve Gass
Linden, VA
B-LineRailfan

bmoore765 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In 1991, there was an excursion with 4449 to
> > benefit Dunsmuir after a Southern Pacific
> > derailment at Cantara resulted in many fish
> being
> > killed by a chemical spilled into the river. 
> > Here's a link to a Trainorders thread with more
> > information:
> >
> >
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10
>
> > ,2120417,2120417#msg-2120417
> >
> > I have no idea if people living in the area
> > appreciated SP's effort at creating goodwill.
> >
> > However, I seriously doubt running a steam
> train
> > excursion will lessen the acrimony from the
> public
> > and politicians directed towards Norfolk
> Southern
> > as a result of Norfolk Southern's derailment in
> > East Palestine.
>
> No, running an excursion now isn't going to fix
> East Palestine.  However, you have to wonder if
> the public sentiment would be as severe IF NS
> still had an excursion program or some other more
> robust community involvement.  Would things be
> different if East Palestine happened during the
> Moorman or Claytor eras (social tendancies
> aside)?  Railroads disappered from public focus
> in the 1960's.  All most people know of railrods
> is that they can delay their commute at grade
> crossings, that they haul hazardous materials
> through their town, and that they are big
> corporations with deep pockets looking after
> themselves. Thats where the PR benefit comes into
> play. It develops over time. The problem is; How
> do you assign a cost value to it? Is it worth the
> expense? Is it worth the liability? How much value
> does it indirectly bring? Those are tough
> questions to answer. I'm betting that right now
> though, NS and probably all class 1s by extension
> are wishing they had made public relations a bit
> more of a priority.

Since May 1st 1971 the AAR and the industry as a whole has done its best Brigadoon impersonation, only appearing when public largesse can be showered upon them. Otherwise it’s stay the hell away and nothing to see here,

Posted from iPhone

bmoore765 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In 1991, there was an excursion with 4449 to
> > benefit Dunsmuir after a Southern Pacific
> > derailment at Cantara resulted in many fish
> being
> > killed by a chemical spilled into the river. 
> > Here's a link to a Trainorders thread with more
> > information:
> >
> >
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10
>
> > ,2120417,2120417#msg-2120417
> >
> > I have no idea if people living in the area
> > appreciated SP's effort at creating goodwill.
> >
> > However, I seriously doubt running a steam
> train
> > excursion will lessen the acrimony from the
> public
> > and politicians directed towards Norfolk
> Southern
> > as a result of Norfolk Southern's derailment in
> > East Palestine.
>
> No, running an excursion now isn't going to fix
> East Palestine.  However, you have to wonder if
> the public sentiment would be as severe IF NS
> still had an excursion program or some other more
> robust community involvement.  Would things be
> different if East Palestine happened during the
> Moorman or Claytor eras (social tendancies
> aside)?  Railroads disappered from public focus
> in the 1960's.  All most people know of railrods
> is that they can delay their commute at grade
> crossings, that they haul hazardous materials
> through their town, and that they are big
> corporations with deep pockets looking after
> themselves. Thats where the PR benefit comes into
> play. It develops over time. The problem is; How
> do you assign a cost value to it? Is it worth the
> expense? Is it worth the liability? How much value
> does it indirectly bring? Those are tough
> questions to answer. I'm betting that right now
> though, NS and probably all class 1s by extension
> are wishing they had made public relations a bit
> more of a priority.

Since May 1st 1971 the AAR and the industry as a whole has done its best Brigadoon impersonation, only appearing when public largesse can be showered upon them. Otherwise it’s stay the hell away and nothing to see here, move along.

The steam programs, when you think about it were a real anomaly, and mostly pushed by high ups in the companies. The programs that come to mind from the 70’s to now are SP, UPRR, C&NW, BN, N&W-SOU(NS), CHESSIE. The D&RGW narrow gauge was a whole nother ballgame and I probably left something out, but you get the idea. The steam programs lived on the person’s in power who were the patrons to the steam arts. Loose their patronage and the huff and puff engines get pushed into a old roundhouse or back shop, or worse.

Support steam any way you can.

Regards

Posted from iPhone