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A Timeless Weekend...
Ohio Central #6325 reprises history on her first revenue run.
by Mark C. Perri
Almost 60 years ago, our country was thrown into the the worst conflict
it had ever known by a sudden attack on American soil. Our nation
rallied, using ingenuity and fortitude to create and utilize industrial
capacity that we could never have previously envisioned.
Railroads were at the forefront of this industrial mobilization,
primarily as movers of people and materiel, and secondly, from their
ranks of employees, as a provider of soldiers. Equipment and
infrastructure were taxed to the limit; many jobs were capably and
admirably filled by women.
A few months into the conflict, with wartime restrictions on the horizon,
the Grand Trunk Railroad took delivery of a group of 25 4-8-4
locomotives, built similar to designs of parent railroad Canadian
National. No. 6325, constructed like the others at the American
Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York, was built in February, 1942
and entered service shortly thereafter.
Equally at home with an 80-car fast freight or a 16-car passenger train,
the 'light' 4-8-4 was a workhorse on the Chicago to Detroit mainline, and
routinely operated at speeds of 70-80 mph. When the war was over and
diesels were making inroads everywhere, she lasted until the late 50's.
Finally, she was relegated to static display in a park in Battle Creek,
Michigan, her firebox doors welded shut in October, 1959.
Fast forward to September, 2001... it may be a cliche to say that
"history repeats itself", but today our nation finds itself reacting to
the first attack on American soil since that Day of Infamy on December 7,
1941. The enemy has changed, as well as our tactics to defend
ourselves. But as railroads will again certainly share some of the war's
burden, steam locomotion will not.
History, however, will repeat itself for ex-Grand Trunk Western 6325.
Now owned and operated by the Ohio Central Railroad System, she once
again finds herself in 'new' condition, making her debut in revenue
service just days after our generation's Day of Infamy, the attack on New
York's World Trade Center. With these events forefront in the minds of
crew and passengers alike, it seemed even more ironic that the Columbus
to Dennison, Ohio, excursion (sponsored by the Ohio Railway Museum) was
planned as a World War 2 tribute, with re-enactors on board. The
restored depot at Dennison, Ohio paid tribute to the war era, when the
people of Dennison had turned out to greet the many troop trains that had
traversed the ex-Pennsylvania Railroad mainline, providing food and
comfort to American troops as they passed through town.
The rebuilding of the 6325 lasted a long two and a half years at the
railroad's Morgan Run shop. Re-introduced to service in the last week of
July, 2001 (see October 2001 Railpace) she spent the next six weeks in
test runs, troubleshooting, and finishing touches.
The days leading up to her first excursion on September 22, 2001, typified
the experiences of many steam operators, and exemplified the commitment
of the time, effort and expense needed to field a first class operation.
While the Ohio Central has the benefit of being a railroad, it also has
the handicap of being a railroad. When test runs were needed, there was
glory in being able to round up the steam crew and say "let's take her
to Dennison for lunch." But the "full time'' steam crew of four also
shares the responsibility of ensuring that the freight side of the
railroad runs... just in the last six weeks, there were days when two of
the four were out as engineers on freight trains, and a third person
covered the daily run at Sugarcreek, with Ten-Wheeler #1551.
The first test run was made on August 1, following the successful
steam-up in late July. The locomotive and three cars were towed to
Newcomerstown, about 15 miles east. She steamed back with the train, at
low speeds. It was a break-in run, and areas of concern came to include
the bearings and bushings, all new. The trip was quite rewarding,
though, for the crew who toiled on her for so long. Bearing temperatures
remained satisfactory, there were no major problems, and she proved to be
quite a machine. Indeed, of the quietness and smoothness of the running
gear, one crew member quipped "she's the world's largest Swiss watch".
The final test run occurred on September 12, with a consist of twelve
coaches. With F7 1001 on the point, the 6325 shoved the consist to
Dennison, in time for the crew to have lunch. That afternoon she roared
out of Dennison with a vengeance, with CEO Jerry Jacobson at the
throttle. She reached her highest speeds yet -- over 40 mph. And she
instilled the crew with the confidence and spirit that the upcoming
excursion in a little over a week would indeed be the day they'd waited
for so long.
To position equipment for the excursion, a deadhead move was planned for
the day before. The locomotive, facing west, would need to be turned
between Morgan Run and Columbus, at Newark, on a wye located on CSX
trackage. The 6325 would then overnight in Columbus, and on Saturday
morning, pull the excursion east about 90 miles to Dennison. Then, after
a layover, the railroad's two vintage F7A's would pull the train back to
Columbus, and the 6325 would deadhead back to Morgan Run.
On Thursday, September 20, staff and volunteer crew members began
arriving at Morgan Run. The locomotive had been fired the day before,
and many of the projects that remained involved minor details on the
engine, or on the coaches to get them ready for Saturday. It wouldn't
be long though, before the first gremlin set in... an inspection by CSX
and Ohio Central personnel led to a decision late Thursday not to turn the
locomotive on the wye at Newark, which meant all of the equipment and
personnel moves needed to be shuffled. In the end, the new moves proved
to be easier on the steam crew, and will probably be standard practice
in the future.
The coach work needed to be finished up, and the trainset got on its
way. While many toiled on the steam locomotive, it was Joe Shriber,
conductor, chef, mechanic and parts man, as well as Sean Bible, who was
newly hired, who had gotten the coaches, which were just returned from
the now defunct Pacific Wilderness venture, ready for the trip. All
available hands pitched in with final preparations, the F's were coupled
up, and part of the steam crew was headed west to Columbus for the day.
Saturday morning, while the Columbus crew, along with an Ohio Railway
Museum staff of almost 80 people to tend to over 600 passengers, departed
at 8 am, the 6325 and tool car departed Morgan Run, towed by OC GP40 #
3253. On the way over, the train would be called on to assist ex-P&LE
GP7 1501, on the local, in a freight move! While the 6325 did not
provide the power, two boxcars were coupled to her nose, and pulled
around the 1501, in the clear.
Once in Dennison, the locomotive was serviced, which involved checking
and filling lubricators, 'shooting' the rod bearings with grease, and
going underneath it for more grease fittings. It was parked in the clear
west of the depot, awaiting arrival of the excursion train. Even in a
town used to seeing an occasional steam locomotive, quite a crowd
gathered around her. At the direction of Jerry Jacobson, an impromptu
cab tour was given to all who wanted one! Jerry, who takes personal
pride in his fleet of steam locomotives, and enjoys the attention they
get from the general public, said "bringing a steam locomotive back to
life is like a real 'Jurassic Park', and there's nothing like a 4-8-4 to
command the attention of the general public and railfans."
After the noontime arrival of the excursion consist, the locomotive was
backed down to the depot, and coupled on. More than a two hour layover
allowed passengers to tour the Dennison depot and view the locomotive. A
destination in itself, the Dennison depot, built in 1873, includes a
restaurant and small museum which pays tribute to the rich history of the
town during the war years. Under the direction of Wendy Zucal, the
museum sponsors excursions and helps staff Ohio Central excursions. An
equipment display, which will include ex-C&O Kanawha 2700, is in the
works, thus continuing the evolution of a project that began in 1984,
when the depot was purchased by a grassroots, local volunteer
association.
At last the tender was topped off, and shortly after 2:30 pm, it was
ShowTime! The rearranging of the trip would prove fortuitous for
photographers...a thick fog which blanketed central Ohio was just
beginning to burn off after 1 pm...and broken clouds were just giving way
to clearing skies. There was a stir among the crowd of onlookers, as it
seemed that everyone in Dennison was focused on the hissing, breathing
behemoth that was about to leave town.
A pop off let loose, white steam screamed skyward from the 6325. Soon,
the stack exhaust darkened, as steam silmutaneously shot sideways from
her cylinder cocks. First the bell, then she whistled off...and
effortlessly, but methodically, the 6325 proudly marched out of town.
Later, Chief mechanical officer Tim Sposato, who was at the throttle,
elaborated on what was going through his mind at the time. With all of
the planning, then last minute re-planning, "you just wonder if
everything will be OK," he said, "with the equipment, the generators, all
the last minute things you've fixed. Then, as you whistle off, you have
the railroad worries...slow orders, (DTC) blocks, meets and keeping the
schedule."
Tim takes satisfaction in knowing that in spite of all the operational
worries, "I do have the chance to reflect on the enjoyment to all (of the
staff and spectators) when we can re-create the days of steam powered
trains, as we operate down the legendary 'Panhandle', as so many other
trains have done in history".
Once clear of Dennison, and neighboring Uhrichsville, the locomotive and
14 cars moved out across the relatively flat valley toward Newcomerstown.
They followed a relatively parallel Rt. 36, with a motorcade of a few
dozen cars...many who planned to chase, and some, like a beverage
delivery driver, who was unwittingly included! Rolling across the
relatively agricultural route, with a maroon consist (save one coach)
certainly evoked images of a Pennsy past.
The train slowed through Newcomerstown, where some of the crew spotted
folks running from their homes toward the tracks to see the train; then
slow orders to Morgan Run gave chasers a respite to catch up to their
next location. At Coshocton, the train cruised past company offices,
located in the town's depot...and proudly at the throttle was Jason
Johnson, in charge of the consist for the 'review' at 'world
headquarters'.
Just west of Conesville (where a large power plant includes itself as an
Ohio Central customer), the motorcade had grown to gigantic proportions;
many photographers and observers set up where the tracks come back along
Rt. 16. Even though she was drifting, the 6325 made a fine sight as she
turned into the sun, and then raced the next few miles to the photo runby
location at Trinway, where the branch of subsidiary Ohio Southern
Railroad diverges south to Zanesville.
Over 600 people were on the train, and almost everyone got out to observe
the runbys. Passengers were told to expect two runbys, a 'slow' one and
a 'fast' one. For many, it was the first time that day to actually see
the locomotive and train as a bystanders. The excursion staff kept some
semblance of order for those who wanted unobstructed photographs.
The train topped 30 mph on the first runby. The crowd seemed impressed.
Those who turned to follow the locomotive were treated to a dramatic
sight as exhaust rocketed skyward, and the late afternoon sun glinted off
of the shiny black locomotive. As the train backed out of sight for the
second runby, a youngster in the photo line asked his mom "if that was
the slow runby, what's the next one going to be?" A crewmember, who had
an inkling of what was next, quipped without hesitation, "a flyby!"
Thundering by on the second run, let's just say that the 6325 made ample
use of the track's geometry, which is 40 mph for freight, and that, as
the locomotive passed the far end of the photo line, she was still
accelerating. The towering plume that so effortlessly shot skyward on
the first runby, now arced over the entire consist. Conductor Dick
Marshall, mingling with the crowd, and a veteran of many excursions,
remarked that he was "stunned by the silence following the second runby."
He continued, "Then everyone burst into spontaneous applause. I've
never seen anything like it."
Passengers reboarded, and the excursion rolled west, soon arriving in
Newark. A valve on the auxiliary tender stuck, and made filling the
primary one a necessity. The locomotive was spotted next to the wye
where she could not be turned, fire hoses were run, and while water was
added, the necessary arrangements were made for the final dash across CSX
into Columbus. The festive atmosphere which began at the runbys
continued, and one observer noted that "if Jerry (Jacobson) were a
smoker, he'd be handing out cigars for his new baby"!
The excursion arrived in Columbus just after dark, and passengers
disembarked. For them, it was the end of a long and successful day. For
those working the train, the advantage and necessity of having extra crew
members became apparent , as Trainmaster Denny Varian took over at the
helm, towing the train west with the F7's. Just out of town, the consist
paused for a quick servicing. An accommodating CSX dispatcher affording
the steam crew time to 'get her ready and get out of town', instead of
putting the train out of the way for freights. The crew obliged, the
equipment performed, and for many on the crew, it was time to retire to
the tool car for a well deserved rest, a well deserved meal, or to
ponder the events of a rewarding day while the relief crew took over.
Named "Conneaut", the crew car is an ex-Wabash RPO that was acquired by
the Ohio Central. While details of her railroad pedigree are being
researched (and any information that someone might have would be
appreciated) she does have a history of providing a support role in many
'big steam' operations. She's been pulled behind the 759, 614, and
three T-1's, the 2100, 01 and 02. Now she begins a new chapter in her
veteran career, barnstorming with the 6325.
A well deserved nap on a moving train is one of life's special
experiences, but on the deadhead home, closed eyes (and a mind that tries
to make an album out of the day's images) offers one time to reflect.
Current events, on everyone's mind, made the re-enactments in Dennison,
and on the train, all the more realistic. As Americans, we share the
emptiness in the loss of lives, and loss of lifestyle. We hope that the
caring spirit and unselfish efforts, exemplified by the re-enactors on
the excursion, are rekindled in today's time. As railroaders, those of
us from the diesel era have a new appreciation for the yeoman efforts of
those from the steam era.
For the crew of the 6325, September 22, 2001, marked the end of a long
road, one that began when its rebuild started in earnest, in January,
1999. Satisfaction in a job well done, however, will be quickly eclipsed
by the excitement of a new era of steam railroading that has just begun.
Here, in rural Ohio, a handful of railroaders and volunteers, supported
by the staff and crews of an upstart regional railroad, have accomplished
what many would be unthinkable, if not impractical. Their spark comes
from a leader with a vision, their persistence is fueled by the pride
in applying their craft. Their determination comes from a passion for
steam.
This Article appears in the November 2001 Issue of RAILPACE Magazine. You can purchase this issue of RAILPACE at www.railpace.com. For all you Ohio Central #6325 fans, this Issue is a must. There is over 7 pages of pictures, side stories (not published here) and much more from this historic event. This is the most in-depth look at this rebirth of this Mechanical Monster. www.railpace.com
This article is copyrighted to RAILPACE Magazine and was reproduced here with permission. |
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