Steam Days clips on the Peavine #602

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According to my records, all Class Js, except 611 were listed as retired prior to September 1959. The 602 was retired at Bluefield on January 2, 1959, if I can read my writing correctly. The last three Js, in service were as follows: 

610 was retired at Crewe, August 12, 1959
611, of course, October 24, 1959 at Shaffers Crossing
612 was retired at Lamberts Point, August 21, 1959

I think that, plus Louis' personal account would rule out any sort of "joy ride" not to mention the possible repercussions for such an event if anyone higher up found out, and I think you could pretty well count on that happening.

I believe that both 610 and 612 had sat idle for several months, out of service before being retired. We know the 611 was stored at Bluefield prior to being pulled out to run an Appalachian Power Company excursion in August of 1959, and finally the farewell trips in October.

Ken Miller

On Sep 13, 2013, at 8:49 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> Hi,

>  Greg Scholl here in Batavia, Ohio.  Recently I acquired some N&W films of a family friend who passed away maybe 40 years ago.  He did some traveling with my dad during the steam era, but only shot tidbits.  He had a machine tool business a block from the Batavia depot, and would get notices from the agent on specials, etc.  Anyway, as most of you know steam passenger power ended in July 1959.

> 

> Question one(1).  He has a shot of the last steam powered Arrow eastbound stopping at Batavia. I could not make out the engine number looking at the film.  The note says Warren gets on the train.  Warren, would be my father Warren W. Scholl. This explains why he did not have shots of the last run, cause he was riding.   Anyway, what was the date of this last run in July 1959.

> 

> Question(2).  The film also has a note of #602 light engine, September 1959.  This of course was after steam was removed from the Peavine to Cincinnati.  I recall two instances where light engines went

> west to Cincinnati to pull extras(Troop trains).  One was in the evening(not sure of the month), and the other was on Thanksgiving day, 1959, as my dad and the two boys took off from the diner table to head for Cincinnati and an eventual partial chase of the troop train, much to mothers dismay leaving her with the two guests.  Now the interesting part of the film clip is the #602, since it is going eastbound back toward Portsmouth, as a light engine.  I had been familiar with westbound light engines, mentioned above, but cannot figure out what this move might have been.   Someone once told me there was rumor that a road foreman in Portsmouth decided to take a J on a roundtrip from Portsmouth to Cincinnati and back, since he knew the end was near for them, or some such.  Could this move be that "Joy Ride",

> or was this something else. Anyone know anything about this, or other extra moves after July 1959!

> 

> Thanks in advance.

> Greg Scholl

> http://www.gregschollvideo.com

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