RJD America LLC Acquires Historic Chesapeake & Ohio 614 Steam Locomotive and Announces Comprehensive Restoration

The iconic locomotive will be restored at Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services and returned to operational status.

Denville, New Jersey

RJD America LLC is thrilled to announce that it has purchased the legendary Chesapeake & Ohio 614 steam locomotive from the American Freedom Train Foundation, Inc. With a firm commitment to preserving railroad heritage, RJD America LLC will invest substantial resources into restoring both the locomotive and its auxiliary tender at the esteemed Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services.

"Chesapeake & Ohio 614 is a treasured part of national history, and we are privileged to become its caretakers," stated Jason Johnson, General Manager and Communications Director for RJD America LLC.

Constructed in 1948 by the Lima Locomotive Works, the Chesapeake & Ohio 614 is a Class J3a Greenbrier 4-8-4 steam locomotive, marking it as one of the final steam locomotives built for commercial use in America, showcasing the height of steam technology. It primarily served the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, known for its substantial power and speed in hauling passenger and freight trains.

The comprehensive restoration at Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, will ensure the locomotive and its auxiliary tender not only meet contemporary operational and safety standards but also retain their historical authenticity.
"Reviving 614 goes beyond restoring machinery; it's about reigniting the magic of steam railroading for today's and tomorrow's enthusiasts," Johnson added.

Ross Rowland, the Founder & CEO of the American Freedom Train Foundation, Inc., expressed his satisfaction: "We are extremely pleased that our iconic locomotive is now in the very capable hands of RJD America LLC, where she will receive the excellent care she deserves as America's last commercially built mainline steam locomotive. RJD America's commitment to fund her FRA recertification utilizing the outstanding Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services assures that she will get a thorough and timely return to service where she can again bring the magic of steam to the public wherever she runs. Our congratulations to RJD America, and we look forward to being trackside to welcome the 614 back to active service soon."

For further details on the restoration project and upcoming announcements, please visit [url]co614.com[/url].

About RJD America LLC
RJD America LLC is dedicated to preserving and promoting America’s rich railroad heritage. Specializing in the restoration and operation of historic locomotives, the company aims to educate and inspire future generations about the role of railroads in shaping the nation’s history. For more information, please visit: [url]rjdamerica.com[/url]

About Chesapeake & Ohio 614
Built in 1948 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the Chesapeake & Ohio 614 is a historic Class J3a Greenbrier 4-8-4 steam locomotive, representing the pinnacle of steam locomotive development in the United States. It is celebrated for its engineering excellence and its role in American railroading.

About Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services
Situated in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Services is acclaimed for its superior steam locomotive restoration and maintenance. The facility employs a team of expert craftsmen and engineers who have returned many historic locomotives to working condition, preserving an essential aspect of America’s industrial legacy.
Contact Information:

Jason Johnson
General Manager and Communications Director
RJD America LLC
media@rjdamerica.com
973-750-4000 Ext 614

good news indeed. Can't wait to hear the plan for her return. Thanks Ross and Jason.

Awesome news for sure!! As one of many who grew up riding behind this engine, I am excited to know that opportunity may come around again in my lifetime. Congrats to Jason and team and best of luck in the project! I look forward to seeing the engine with that Strasburg touch!

While there were some naysayers, it really was good that N&W 611 did some service on Strasburg prior to return to VMT.
I'd hoped that worked out financially for both parties.
That's an interesting approach, not sure if it applies here, but there's a whole lot of people in the Strasburg region that may not be able to see it in its new home, just sayin', even if it's for a short break-in season. I got to see 611 run again at Strasburg, Virginia was a stretch, couldn't make that.

And if the restoration is daunting, so is the move, which will be its own story here.

I'm curious to know why the move would be daunting - there have been plenty of long-distance on-the-rail movements of inoperable steam locomotives before. Nickel Plate 757 from Strasburg, PA to Bellevue, OH... N&W 2156's round trip between Kirkwood, MO and Roanoke, VA... even 614's trip from Port Clinton, PA down to Clifton Forge, VA was a long one. Each of those, to the best of my memory, went very smoothly. It's a similar length trip (a bit shorter) to get it back up to Strasburg, so I can't see why it would be incredibly difficult...?

"Extension 614"

Did anyone notice that all the positive progress on the East Broad Top happened after a new ownership stepped in?

I'm a-gonna grab the popcorn now......................

I think the reason for this and some other things are due to one thing.

The new owner shows up and has had some sort of track record, and also has resources (money). Until the new owner or owners show up with those things, nothing gets done--because it CAN'T get done.

You can have people with expertise, but they don't have the money, and raising it is hard. Consider not only the EBT and 614, but also the Durango & Silverton, Grand Canyon Railway (going back to the beginning, when, as I recall, some former jewelry store owners took an interest in the former branch line). Even the Strasburg back in the 1950s required some substantial investments from business owners in nearby Lancaster.

And then there are the dreamers, who may have good ideas, but maybe are short on business experience, and of course have no money, either.

Of course, there are also people with more money than could be used to restore to operation, say, most of the preserved steam engines of the Chesapeake & Ohio, plus cars for them to pull, but they aren't rail enthusiasts or rail business owners, either.

So you need interest, competence, and cash.

And the new owners will need their skills plus a bit of luck in getting enough passengers to fill trains. It's one thing to have skilled management and a good overall product. You also need to figure out how to get PAID for all this. I'm convinced that last thing is a bit of a natural talent, like music or painting.

I'm reminded of a saying attributed to the late Jimmy Buffett. Supposedly he said that to succeed in the entertainment business, you needed three things.

1. Basic talent.

2. A lot of work in practice to hone that talent. The example that comes to mind is the Beatles, who spent two years in Germany playing at clubs up to eight hours per day. That's an enormous amount of practice time and general refinement before they became "overnight" sensations when they came back home.

3. Finally, you need that luck again.

And, Buffett added, you need all three. Two will not do.

A friend and I were discussing this and his comment was that "the Beatles were around in the 1960s, when a lot of younger people had the money to buy new music, and the desire to listen to new sounds. That would not have been the case if they were young men in the 1930s. In that time, they would at best have been a bar band. More likely in that time, they would have been construction workers."

What's the "RJD" in "RJD America"?

I want to offer a nod to Ross Rowland, who recognized the critical importance of C&O 614's future. It takes a significant moment to recognize one's possessions will remain long after we are gone. Of course Ross gains a financial return by selling his locomotive, but the enduring legacy is fairly well assured. I think was a brave and intelligent move on his part.

Thank you Ross. You restored a cold museum piece, to the delight of everyone, you ran it for years. You kept it maintained even when it was dormant. Now C&O 614 has been passed to people who will keep it as it deserves to be kept.

Ever since High Iron out of Jersey City in 1967, You've had your hand on the throttle of
CPR 1278, NKP 759, RDG 2101 and 2102, NH&I 40, and C&O 614.

Thanks for all the cinders.

Thanks Richard for the kind words which are very appreciated.

You're so right about the big picture. When you come right down to it we're only here on earth for a VERY brief time and we never really "own" anything in an eternal sense but rather are allowed caretaker roles of "things" for our brief tenure here.

I'm very grateful to have been given the caretaker role for C&O 614 as she gave me more satisfaction and visceral delight than one man deserves. I was humbled to play a role in her bringing the magic of mainline steam to countless thousands every time she took the stage.

I'm also very grateful that she now has a new caretaker team with both the means and the passion to return her to service asap and see that she is given the world class TLC she warrants as a national icon. Giving the gold standard Strasburg steam shop the honor of putting her through her FRA boiler recertification drill makes it a certainty that she will be given the best quality work obtainable and will no doubt be a reliable mainline ( without diesels) runner for years to come. Everything needs to be in good order to crank out mile after reliable mile at 80 mph.

Her's wishing the RJD team a long, happy and fruitful tour of duty as 614's caretakers.

Onward & Upward.............All the best, Ross Rowland

Who are the principals in ownership of RJD? What is their experience with restoration and operating a mainline steam locomotive?

This is a copy / paste from a Train orders. Com post


Let's just say the leader behind the new build PRR. T1 5550 adventure is super well qualified for this rebirth.

Jack,

RJD America is a group of railroaders and businessmen that have put ALL of the funds together to purchase the locomoitve from Ross and pay Strasburg to restore it in their shop. We will not be asking for any donations, all funds are needed and we are fully aware of the real costs associated with restorations. There are many post-restoration plans in the works that we will share with everyone once everything is finalized. We would not have taken on this project if there wasnt't opportunity at the end of the rainbow (probably not gold, but hopefully coal)

I still am the General Manager behind the PRR T1 and that won't change. We have lots of good announcements coming up with that first of the year. I won't hijack this topic with the T1. That info will be realesed in due time.

TRAIN's Magazine and Railfan and Railroad mag did articles on the 614 news.

Trains Magazine Online Article

​Railfan and Railroad Article

Thanks
Jason

This ties in with my comment above, about how for anything like this, and a lot of other things, we need three ingredients for the people who would undertake such a project.

1. Interest, or "passion"

2. Competence, experience, and other knowledge

3. Money

And a fourth ingredient--luck. Hopefully the venues this group is looking at will have good patronage to help pay for all this. Let's also hope some economic downturn or other problem doesn't throw a monkey wrench into these plans and the plans of a bunch of other people.

Hey, those things can come at any time, and the people in "power" don't really have power over circumstances--which sooner or later do go bad.

Me too