There is much about this image we don’t know. That includes where it was made and who made it. We just know that the date on the slide is June 1977 and that this is Chessie System No. 2101 pulling a Chessie Steam Special excursion.
We also know that this locomotive is a former Reading T-1 4-8-4 Northern type that pulled the American Freedom Train.
At one time it pulled Iron Horse Rambles excursions for the Reading and today is in the collection of the B&O Railroad Museum. The image is from the collection of Robert Farkas
This image of a Chessie Steam Special in Pennsylvania was created by John Woodworth using an extra camera being carried by Robert Farkas. The location is not known. After the image was posted on Trainorders.com, Ross Rowland commented, “Great reminder. That was my 41st. birthday and I was privileged to spend part of the day running her. IIRC she ran very well that day and everyone had a great time. Thanks for the memories.”
Chessie System 4-8-4 No. 2101 is westbound near Willard on July 2, 1977, after having sat for while before resuming its journey. The former Reading Company T-1 locomotive was making a ferry move from Cleveland to Detroit. A week earlier on June 26 the 2101 had pulled a Chessie Steam Special public excursion roundtrip between Cleveland and Willard. After reaching Detroit the train would operate a public roundtrip excursion to Grand Ledge, Michigan, on July 9 and the next day operate roundtrip to Clio (Hoyt), Michigan.
We’re standing where the Chesapeake & Ohio passenger platform used to be at Marion Union Station. The date is Aug. 12, 1978.
Today is special because the Chessie Steam Special will be in town, albeit briefly.
Reading 4-8-4 No. 2102 with its colorful Chessie livery will be coming up from Columbus en route to Cleveland on a ferry move.
It’s the second season of the Chessie Steam Special and it will be the last.
The T-1 and its train had actually been through Marion earlier this month on these rails. On July 31, 1978, it passed through on a ferry move from Detroit to Columbus.
It pulled a series of trips out of Columbus including to Ashland and Toledo.
Now it’s time to head for Cleveland where it will operate two roundtrip excursions to Willard before moving on to Pittsburgh.
The purpose of the Chessie Steam Special had been to celebrate an anniversary of the Baltimore & Ohio.
That played out over two seasons then steam had an encore in 1980-1981 with the Chessie Safety Express tour.
Today CSX — the “C” in the carrier’s name is for Chessie — is adamantly opposed to hosting steam excursions.
This looks more like a painting than a slide. Chessie 4-8-4 No. 614 is westbound near Mance, Pennsylvania, on July 11, 1981. The Greenbrier-type locomotive was built for the Chesapeake & Ohio in June 1948 by Lima Locomotive Works.
The Chessie System launched a series of steam excursions in the late 1970s to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Baltimore & Ohio.
Later Chessie used its Chessie Steam Special to promote grade crossing safety.
Being located on the primary route of the B&O between Chicago and the East, Northeast Ohiuo hosted visits from the Chessie Steam Special.
Bob Farkas caught one of those at Lodi on what is now the CSX New Castle Subdivision.
The image was made in either 1977 or 1978 and features former Reading Company 4-8-4 No. 2101.
Wrecked cars from a derailment were still on the site on the day the steam special passed by.
In reviewing a schedule for the Chessie Steam Special posted at https://themetrains.com/chessie-steam-special-timeline.htm it might be that this image was made on June 26, 1977, during a public round trip between Cleveland and Willard or on July 2, 1977, during a ferry move of the train from Cleveland to Detroit.
The 2101 was back in Northeast Ohio on Aug. 12-13, and 19th on trips that would have put it through Lodi.
That included a ferry move from Columbus to Cleveland on Aug. 12, and round trips between Cleveland and Willard on Aug. 13 and 19.
Remember when the Chessie System had a steam program? It may not have been as extensive as the Southern Railway steam program or the Norfolk Southern steam program, but for a couple of years in the early 1980s it received a lot of attention.
Here’s a favorite photo of the photographer that you may never have seen. Chessie 614 is eastbound in New Castle, Pennsylvania, on June 27, 1981.
If any of you get Railfan & Railroad magazine you probably read about the Chessie Steam Special and Reading 2101.
The article states that work was done on the engine at the Saucon Roundhouse in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.
I pass through Hellertown on occasion and I have photographed the roundhouse over the years. Here are images of it with the roundhouse and coaling tower still standing in 2009, and the last time I saw it in 2014.
I never experienced the Reading 2101 except on the American Freedom Train when it came to New Jersey. I have encountered and ridden behind 2102 several times.
Roger’s Chessie System 614 image reminded me of a favorite image I took of her. It is July 11, 1981, in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, and Chessie 614 is heading west toward the former Western Maryland bridge.
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