C&O 1309 to operate Christmas train

GTW Dude · **Joined:** Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:46 pm **Posts:** 136

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... ctor-says/

Old-ish news but hopefully WMSR actually pulls through on the projected date. My questions that is everything needed to be done actually done? Or is this another “projected” date that could go awry.

fifedog · **Joined:** Tue Jul 09, 2019 9:36 am **Posts:** 1

GTW - Today, there was a rail contractor performing track work on the WM right-of-way, at the south end of the Narrows. So, I’d consider that a positive step forward...

T.E.P · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2021 12:57 pm

From Jasson Sobczynski (That Steam Guy on Facebook), the 1309 was given a test run out of Cumberland today.

https://fb.watch/9nzy7-Vave/

Second half, Jason's phone was going dead and the celluar service heading towards Helmsetter's Curve isn't the greatest:

https://fb.watch/v/1EUsNESwE/

I personally have no idea how far they went yet, but look for 1309 to be on the Polar Express trains December 17-19, then in regular service next year.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2021 2:18 pm

From Wikipedia, about the only place where they can't really scrub the embarrassing evidence:

Quote:

In early January 2017, the railroad said the reassembly process at the shop in Ridgeley, West Virginia would begin that month and announced that the inaugural trip of the restored engine would be on July 1, 2017; it began selling tickets for the excursion.[

So, a train a mere four and a half years late........

Yeah, yeah, I know, a LOT of that was beyond "their control"--we don't normally have a pandemic and an inside scrap thief................

ThatSteamGuy's videos:

https://www.facebook.com/ThatSteamGuy/v ... 025415720/

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?re ... 2413251927

YeOldeEnjine · **Joined:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:31 pm **Posts:** 329

They went just east of Brush Tunnel and returned.

co614 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2021 4:25 pm

Hearty congratulations to the WMSR team on achieving another important milestone towards a reliable locomotive. Getting the inevitable bugs out is a crucial step towards knowing the locomotive will provide trouble free service going forward.

I'm confident that steam pro Gary Bensman and his team will get all the kinks out and that the 1309 will become a steam star for the WMSR.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a healthy, rewarding, steam filled 2022.

Ross Rowland

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 929

I'm with Ross on this one. Congrats to the shop crews past and present who stuck by this project through thick and thin which is what you have to do to get to the finish line. Hope break in goes well and I will drink a few beers tonight for rule G {corrected}does not apply here or too me. Seriously Gary and you and the many crew members take a bow. Tenacious bunch of dedicated people who did do the right things. Well done guys and gals. Regards, John.

Thanks Sammy for pointing out my gross error of rules. It may be the reason I do not follow rules very well. I get them confused.

QJdriver · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:34 pm

With all due respect, Rule 99 is the flagging rule. Rule G is the one us retirees don't have to dodge anymore. I'm with you all the way, lets bend an elbow for the #1309. Congratulations to WMSR once again !!!

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2299

QJdriver wrote:

With all due respect, Rule 99 is the flagging rule. Rule G is the one us retirees don't have to dodge anymore. I'm with you all the way, lets bend an elbow for the #1309. Congratulations to WMSR once again !!!

I have heard stories of flagging being done with a can of something that would fall under Rule G, in the mid seventies, when six packs of beverages were picked up by crews every single trip in rural areas on certain lines (the Rock Island in particular comes to mind). A well known photographer was asked along by switch crews in Illinois when he was a teen in the seventies and wrote a story about it a few years back only to receive outraged comments "So unsafe!" etc., but it was a reality back then.

Back OT, congratulations on a minor miracle for WMSR.

QJdriver · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2021 11:38 pm

Those stories are most likely true. About the same time, the old heads told me that they used to give signs with a tall can of beer, especially in Rice Yard (once the best place to work in Denver).

Anyhow, no matter which rule you break, I bet a lot of folks are joining me in drinking to the success of WMSR #1309 !!! Bravo.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:29 pm

Test run with eight cars today:

https://www.facebook.com/ThatSteamGuy/v ... 311355356/

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2299

Here is a runby, not sure if this was today or yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25H-iwJi4g

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:47 pm

PMC wrote:

Here is a runby, not sure if this was today or yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25H-iwJi4g

Friday's run with three cars.

YeOldeEnjine · **Joined:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:31 pm **Posts:** 329

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

Test run with eight cars today:

https://www.facebook.com/ThatSteamGuy/v ... 311355356/

Todays 1st test run was 7 passenger cars, 1 generator car, and F40 #450 tacked on the rear.

Photo taken at City Junction in Cumberland, MD. The string of Hoppers were donated by CSX to the WMSR over the past year or 2.

T Wilson

C&O 1309 to operate Christmas train

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