20th Century Steam
1980s

Photos by Mike Condren

Jan and I were on a trip to CO in late May 1980 before we moved to Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas for the summer. We had had good luck on the trip catching a steam train on the Georgetown Loop.

On our way to Durango, we passed through Silverton where I shot the train arriving from the south.

This chase of the Silverton train was on the same trip as the Cumbres Pass snow plow action. We had eaten Mexican in Durango the night before. My wife ordered a Tom Collins. The combination of the alcohol and altitude did Jan in the next morning. We changed our ride reservations to the next day, allowing me a day of chasing.

We stopped at Bill Peters' hobby shop in Chama, NM. The first thing that Bill said to me was "Are you here to chase the snow plow working on Cumbres Pass?" I said "Goodbye" and headed to the top of Cumbres Pass. We followed the plow and its 2 steam eninge pushers until they took water at Los Pinos tank where the track left the parallel highway. In one word WOW! Unfortunately, the automatic setting failed in the bright reflection from the snow.

The Southern had leased the T&P 2-10-4 #610 for excursion service. However, in 1981 they returned the engine. The trip was routed on the MP through Little Rock as seen in the following views.

This is the operation which once existed in Scott, AR but has moved to Eureka Springs, AR to be closer to tourists.

In May 1982 I experienced my first "Sentimental Journey" excursion on the Southern. That year the train ran to Sheffield, AL with former C&O 2-8-4 #2716. Here we see the train arriving in Memphis, crossing Highland Ave.

On the first day of the excursion, I rode the train. We see the train at the photo run-by at Rather curve.

On the second day of the excursion, I joined a group of Memphis railfans to chase the train.

Here we see the train about to pick up train orders in Corinth, MS.

Here we see the train on its ferry trip leaving Memphis May 6, 1982 on its way back to Birmingham after the Memphis excursions.

In May 1983 the "Sentimental Journey" was pulled by S&A 4-6-2 #750. These shots are of the ferry move of the train into Memphis.

In the June of 1983 I chased N&W 611 from Birmingham to Chattanooga with David Johnston. Here we see the train leaving the Birmingham, AL area.

Here is a VERY BRAVE man handing up orders to the headend crew!

Here we see the engine exiting the tunnel under Lookout Mtn.

Here we see the train leaving Chattanooga.

After we got back to Birmingham, we shot an "open flash" exposure with the help of Alton Lanier.

We did not chase as far on the second day of the excursions.

While the N&W 611 excursion was parked at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, David Johnston and I visited the Tennessee Valley Rail Museum where Southern 2-8-0 #630 was running.

I drove east of Memphis to meet the "ferry move" of the excursion train in April 1985.

This is the "Sentimental Journey" excursion on the Southern leaving Memphis in the spring of 1985.

Here we see the train arriving in Grand Jct, first crossing the former GM&O 'Rebel Route" at that railroad's station.

After the excursion, the engine was turned on the turntable at the Southern roundhouse in Memphis.

After 3 days of excursions, the steam engine is seen in the curve east of Highland Ave. leaving Memphis on April 30, 1985.

In August 1985 the N&W operated its 4-8-4 #611 on a train from northern Ohio to the State Fair in Columbus. I began my chase at Bellevue, OH.

The next day the family caught the train in Marion, OH on our way from Columbus to Findlay.

In August 1986 the N&W operated its 4-8-4 #61 on a train from northern Ohio to the State Fair in Columbus.

The next day the family caught the train in Marion, OH on our way from Columbus to Findlay.

In May 1989, we chased the SLSF1522 excursion from St. Louis to Moberly, MO.

In Moberly the engine was cut off the train and turned. Note the former Wabash coaling tower in the distant.

The train is seen leaving Moberly, MO.

The excursion is seen passing the former Wabash and GM&O stations in Mexico, MO.

As part of a trip to Quebec with the family in 1989, we visited the Stradburg Railroad. Here we see the passenger train arriving from a trip to Paradise.

Here we see the passenger train about to leave the station.

This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren. If you have materials
that you would like to contribute, contact me at mcondren@cbu.edu