Whoa! One of my favorites locomotives with a centered-on-the-boiler headlight? Like the original order of C&O 4-8-4's? I thought I had seen every incarnation of 614. I always thought I'd like 614 better with a centered headlight, not the C&O style low one. Now I'm not so sure. Thanks for sharing.
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Does Ross Rowland still own this locomotive? Great shot by the way.
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When I took this picture, I was 4 years old. My dad showed me where to stand, and focused the lens for me. I took the picture, and somehow didn't screw it up. I still remember how loud the whistle was on old 614. My ears were ringing for the rest of the day. I recently rediscovered the negatives for this photoshoot while cleaning out my basement, and I immediately recognized the loco as 614.
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The year of this photo should be around 1992. At that Time, Ross Rowland was testing the locomotive for his planned "21st Century Limited" which was to be a rolling museum highlighting the 20th century, similar to the American Freedom train of the 1970s. Unfortunately, the test runs and restyling of the 614 was as far as the project went.
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Thanks. I just found the tickets from my trips there in 1992. The dates on the tickets I have read that this photo was taken on March 22nd, 1992, and the excursion train pulled by Pere Marquette #11 left at 3:00 PM.
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Great finding those lost GEM's, ain't it?
Thanks for sharing this one - as mentioned earlier, I too thought I had seen every incarnation of this beautiful engine.
Ross still does own the engine, BTW, and is attempting another national tour named "the Yellow Ribbon Express", this time sporting a yellow band on the tender. Let's hope in a few years we will be fortunate enough to see her back in steam soon. Currently, #614 sits near Reading, PA under tarp at the R&N. From www.yellowribbonexpress.com : Yellow Ribbon Express will tell the 300 year story of the American democracy with an emphasis on thanking those who have answered the call to duty and served the nation at different critical times of need.
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