Train Tuesdays
NS Raises Quarterly Dividend
Norfolk Southern Corporation announced that its Board of Directors today voted to increase the regular quarterly dividend on the company’s common stock by 6 percent, or 3 cents per share, from 54 to 57 cents per share… [More]
21st Century Steam Hiatus
It is with great regret that we must announce that there will not be any mainline excursions this fall. Norfolk Southern made the announcement the other day, citing increased traffic levels and a lack of available operating crews. [from TVRM 630 Facebook page]
Norfolk and Western 611 Update
FireUp611 reports that the 611 restoration is on schedule. 611 will be a part of Norfolk Southern’s 21st Century Steam program next year:
…The first step was to bead blast the boiler. Bead blasting is a high-pressure cleaning system that “blasts” small particles on the boiler’s surface to dislodge buildup that accumulated due to water scale buildup. It took the mechanical volunteers several days to remove the hundreds of pounds of small particles and residue from the bead blasting.
On July 11, Scott Lindsay, chief mechanical officer, and crew hooked up the stoker to a compressed air system. After sitting idly for 20 years, it turned on air — more evidence that the motor was not frozen. With the tender and locomotive separated, the rebuild crew will continue to inspect the drive shaft, universal joints and auger system that deliver the coal from the tender to the firebox.
On July 12th, the locomotive and tender were separated. The crew used a hydraulic ram assembly to compress and remove the buffer springs. The safety and service drawbar pins were then removed and the locomotive was pulled away from the tender. The locomotive was then moved into the roundhouse.
“Moving the locomotive into the restoration bay was a major milestone,” said Preston Claytor, project director and Fire Up 611! Committee Chariman. “The roundhouse (at the North Carolina Transportation Museum) allows for a controlled environment for our work to continue. It also gets our team out of the weather.”
Having a great shop to work in allows us to understand what a fully equipped mechanical facility can mean to the long term care of 611, he added. (The Virginia Museum of Transportation is still raising funds to build the preservation and maintenance facility.) [Excerpt from email update - see FireUp611.org to support]
Southern 4501 Update
The Southern 630 and 4501 Facebook Fan Page has pictures of 4501 nearing completion. The locomotive is expected to run this fall at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and be ready for the Spring 2015 Norfolk Southern steam schedule.
Office Car Special
The NS Office Car Special rolled out from Altoona, PA to Atlanta, GA yesterday and today. I managed to get a couple photographs of the special at Front Royal and Markham, Va.
NS Office Car Special 7/21/2014 – Front Royal Golf Club
NS Train 956 passes the old depot in Markham, Virginia
by Hurray for the Riff Raff. Links below to the song and album…
– nice because you just pin it to the wall.
- doesn’t look as nice and you have to have a place to sit it, but is good because you can adjust it for reception.
series. The finale will be on-the-air Monday.
