Nothing quite symbolizes the allure of the rails like big steam on the open main. In June 2014, Owosso's
Steam Railroading Institute brought together two
Lima Locomotive "
Berkshire" Locomotives, among others, for a weekend of steam railroading.
SRI's
Pere Marquette 1225, and visiting FWRHS
Nickel Plate 765 headlined the show, carrying on the legacy of
William Woodard's "
Super Power" steam concept.
Build in
1941 and
1944 respectively, the "
Berks" pulled tonnage at speed like few predecessors could. With a massive firebox and boiler, coupled with feedwater heaters, enlarged superheaters, and a trailing truck booster engine, the 1225 and 765 spent their careers at the heart of their respective fleets.
Saved from the gas wrench in the dieselization era, both units became static displays before eventually being rebuilt for excursion service.
Train Expo 2014 brought the two Berks together for the first time in several years, following the 1225's 15-year overhaul. Each locomotive hauled 5-hour excursions over three days from Owosso to
Alma, Michigan along the famed
Ann Arbor Railroad mainline, now controlled by the
Great Lakes Central.
TRRS chased on the first day of excursions, Friday June 20, 2014. The day was marred by rain, but the majesty of steam can penetrate even the worst downpour.
Follow along with the morning 765 excursion and then the afternoon 1225 excursion with the 2-8-4 "Berkshire" cousins from the
Nickel Plate and
Pere Marquette.
The chase of 1225 was terminated in
Alma due to the heavy rain which would only continue. While I am not afraid to film in the rain (obviously!), it does not mean I like to do it over and over!
Nickel Plate 765 Train Expo Excursion
Consist [Northbound run arrangement]:
-
NKP 765 [Lima 2-8-4 "Berkshire"]
- RPCX 250001 ["
N&W;"
Auxiliary Tender]
- RPCX
701 [FWRHS
Tool Car]
- MSTX 5000 [Auxiliary SRI Tender, ex-Rock
Island]
- RPCX 102 ["
NYC" OHRS
Coach "
H. H. Wade"]
- RPCX 104 ["
ACL" OHRS Coach "
City of
Orrville"]
- RPCX 106 ["
SCL" OHRS Coach "
Ohio Presidents"]
- RPCX 103 ["
W≤" OHRS Coach "
Robert S. Bixler"]
- RPCX
101 ["
PRR" OHRS Coach "
William B. Baer"]
- MSTX 1367 [SRI
Power Car]
- ??? 762 [
Passenger Car]
-
GLC 5447 [Passenger Car]
- RPCX 3125 ["PRR"
Lounge Car "
Paul Revere"]
-
SLRG 1394 [
Iowa Pacific Full
Dome "
Prairie View"]
- SLRG 551 [Iowa Pacific Full Dome "Sky
View"]
- GLC 1342 [
Business Coach]
Location/
Time:
- GLC RR,
Owosso, MI,
Baldwin Road xing, on 6-20-14 at 8:40
EDT
-
Bannister, MI,
Main St xing, at 9:02 EDT
- Bannister, MI,
M57 xing, at 9:08 EDT
-
Ithaca, MI,
South/
Maple St xing, at 9:40 EDT
-
Alma, MI, Ely St xing [Wyeing the train] from 9:55 to 10:55 EDT
- Ithaca, MI,
Center St
Overpass [
Photo Run-bys] at 11:22 and 11:34 EDT
- Ithaca, MI, South/Maple St xing, at 11:42 EDT
- Owosso, MI, along
Cass St, at 13:10 EDT
Pere Marquette 1225 Train Expo Excursion
Consist [Northbound arrangement]:
- PM 1225 [Lima 2-8-4 "Berkshire"]
- MSTX 5000 [Auxiliary SRI Tender, ex-Rock Island]
- RPCX 102 ["NYC" OHRS Coach "H. H. Wade"]
- RPCX 104 ["ACL" OHRS Coach "City of Orrville"]
- RPCX 106 ["SCL" OHRS Coach "Ohio Presidents"]
- RPCX 103 ["W≤" OHRS Coach "Robert S. Bixler"]
- RPCX 101 ["PRR" OHRS Coach "William B. Baer"]
- MSTX 1367 [SRI Power Car]
- ??? 762 [Passenger Car]
- GLC 5447 [Passenger Car]
- RPCX 3125 ["PRR" Lounge Car "Paul Revere"]
- SLRG 1394 [Iowa Pacific Full Dome "Prairie View"]
- SLRG 551 [Iowa Pacific Full Dome "Sky View"]
- GLC 1342 [Business Coach]
Location/Time:
- GLC RR [Old
Ann Arbor Mainline], Owosso, MI, Main St xing, on 6-20-14 at 14:12 EDT
- Carland, MI, Carland Rd xing, at 14:37 EDT
-
Ashley, MI,
Lynn St xing, at 15:12 EDT
- Ithaca, MI, Main St xing, at 15:38 EDT
- Alma, MI,
Tyler Rd xing, at 15:47 EDT
- Alma, MI [Wyeing, various locations along
Main and
East Leg], from 16:00 EDT to 16:40 EDT
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Copyright 2014
Thornapple River Rail Series. No part of this production may be used in any form without the consent of TRRS.
Don't forget to watch our other Train Expo
Specials,
Episodes 360 and 361!
- published: 25 Jun 2014
- views: 6142