Train Whistle....

[AppUSMC]

Well, I grew up at the top of that mountain in the black and white picture and have found old locomotive components while exploring up on the other side of that ridge towards tater hill. They had spur lines to move the lumber to the main line. The Virginia Creeper Trail is about 34 miles of that original line that Tweetsie used to run.

If you’re really interested in the subject, the free history museum in Jefferson has a massive collection of photos and artifacts from Tweetsie as well as a huge electric train model of Tweetsie going through West Jefferson. Well worth the visit!

The funny thing is, I’ve been advocating for a train whistle for years because it just makes historic sense. So does the black powder musket. Now if we could just get an old settler log cabin for Yosef at the stadium, my dreams would come true!

[AppStateMtneer]

Another great edition by Doug Gillin. Well Done DG. Also loved hearing the band play buglers dream on all kickoffs!

Yes and yes - thank you

And the App State chant was so much better!

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Small correction-the Virginia Creeper was an old Norfolk and Western line which came in from Virginia and stopped in Todd.

Tweetsie was the ET&WNC and the the Linville Railroad that ran into Boone was a narrow gauge line that ran up what is now Hwy 105. I don't think Boone ever had standard gauge rail lines.

Based on one book I have there was likely a very short lived connection between some logging railroads beyond Lenoir, NC and the Linville RR.

[wncapp78]

Great addition. And in addition to Tweetsie we also had “The Virginia–Carolina Railway was an interstate railroad in southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina. It ran from Abingdon in Washington County, Virginia to Todd in Ashe County, North Carolina. The line charted a complicated course through the mountains of the area, crossing the Blue Ridge not far from Mount Rogers”.

[APPRIDE]

Loved the train whistle. Like I said in another post, it's a cool nod back to Boone's earlier days when the Tweetsie Railroad ran from Boone to Johnson City.

I'm not sure if it was an actual whistle or not, but if its not and we want an authentic one, we need to get one of those bad boys like what the 611 down in Spencer has. People in Wilkesboro would hear it when we scored, lol.

Wow, thanks for posting! Going to google the shops website etc. but what’s the short answer on trips avail. to the public on the 611?

[hotrod2001]

Loved the train whistle. Like I said in another post, it's a cool nod back to Boone's earlier days when the Tweetsie Railroad ran from Boone to Johnson City.

I'm not sure if it was an actual whistle or not, but if its not and we want an authentic one, we need to get one of those bad boys like what the 611 down in Spencer has. People in Wilkesboro would hear it when we scored, lol.

Wow, thanks for posting! Going to google the shops website etc. but what’s the short answer on trips avail. to the public on the 611?

The 611 spent the Spring and Summer down at the NC Transportation Museum getting maintenance and repairs at their top-notch shop they have there, but now it's back up at the Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke, VA as of a few weeks ago. I think there it's just on static display...the last few activities at the NCTM were on 9/23

I don't believe it's doing any excursions this year sadly, apparently there is some tiff going on between the 611 folks and Amtrak or in regards to line usage for excursions and so they're looking for other options for 2019.

The best thing to do is to check both museum's websites (nctrains.org & vmt.org) as well as follow the 611 on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/Fireup611/

Finally a topic I can speak on, lol.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I think part of the 611 and Amtrak is that Amtrak is pulling away from being used to run excursions and letting private cars hitch a ride on scheduled trains as well. I am not sure how this helps Amtrak financially but that is Amtrak management for you.

[NoLongerLurking]

Let's call it a steam whistle, and I can get behind it.

[hotrod2001]

In March, Amtrak announced that it would end operation of most special charters and was adding restrictions to private-car moves, citing that "private varnish has the potential to worsen on-time performance." This caused the 611 and the Southern Pacific Daylight 4449 (another iconic and beautiful locomotive which you should see in person if you're ever in Portland, OR) to have their excursions cancelled this year.

It seems stupid to me too...I'm fairly certain that those groups who run the excursions do so in a way which doesn't interfere with Amtrak's main lines, but I'm not sure. Apparently Amtrak has agreed to meet with the 611 group to work something out so hopefully they can come to an agreement and get the thing doing the excursions from Lynchburg to Greensboro to Spencer back running, because it's truly a special experience.

[firemoose]

Outside of the NE Corridor and a few selected locations in the US (Michigan as one example) where AMTRAK owns the lines, they have no say at all over who can run excursions or not. Whatever freight RR that owns the line has that decision. The part about private cars is true and they do have control over who can "hitch a ride" on one of their trains, so to speak.

But AMTRAK is at the mercy of the freight railroads whose lines they run on. The STB/FRA tries to control it with fines but it really doesn't work. During my time with NS we had a choice of taking a fine from the STB/FRA for delays or stopping our operations to let AMTRAK go through. Most of the time they told us to do our work. CSX was the same way in my area and pretty much every Class 1 accepts the fines instead of delaying freights. It's why AMTRAK deals with so many late trains. When I was on locals I tried my best to time moves, when TRAK was close, where I could be working somewhere off the main so I could let them through. Didn't always work out but I had and still do have a lot of friends who work for them and I tried to help out where I could.

There is a tiff on NS excursions inside NS management. Some want more and some don't. Been that way for a long time. All the years I was based in Roanoke I would spend any time off I had working on refurbs of several engines, including the 611. And also taking the occasional test run, just to make sure everything was working. Got a bunch of photos somewhere I need to dig up. We often had big shots show up to see the work and we would get the skinny on who was for excursions and who wasn't. Pretty stupid IMO as they bring out a lot of fans, even if it's just to watch a run by.

I'm going to the shops in a couple of weeks to check in and maybe do a little work. I'll see what I can find out about future runs in the works.

[hotrod2001]

Amtrak apparently generates an additional $4-10 million in revenue from the private excursions.

It's a shame they couldn't just open up one of the lines which are currently out of service...a good example is the old NS line that runs through Saluda and out towards Brevard. I talked to some rail fans at the Depot in Hendersonville and apparently there's a standing offer to put it back into service but they'd have to have $3 million secured to open the line back up for use. Which is a tall order but that stretch would be great, especially since it ends right outside of Oskar Blues. The Saluda Grade would probably be a no-no since it's..well, the Saluda Grade. But there could easily be another GSMR-like venture that goes from Hendo to Brevard if someone had the capital to make it happen.

[firemoose]

Amtrak apparently generates an additional $4-10 million in revenue from the private excursions.

It's a shame they couldn't just open up one of the lines which are currently out of service...a good example is the old NS line that runs through Saluda and out towards Brevard. I talked to some rail fans at the Depot in Hendersonville and apparently there's a standing offer to put it back into service but they'd have to have $3 million secured to open the line back up for use. Which is a tall order but that stretch would be great, especially since it ends right outside of Oskar Blues. The Saluda Grade would probably be a no-no since it's..well, the Saluda Grade. But there could easily be another GSMR-like venture that goes from Hendo to Brevard if someone had the capital to make it happen.

Would love to see that as well. Another one would be the Clinchfield since CSX decided to mothball most of it (when NS killed us I applied at Erwin and was hired but had to back off after my dad fell. Actually glad I didn't take it now as I would have been shut down a second time if I had taken the job.)

I know they are still running a few locals, including the Kingsport/Charlotte run each way as well as the occasional run through when needed but with coal mostly gone and way too much work to make IM feasible since you can't run double stacks on it I know they have put it on the blocks. But a passenger run would be something I would love to see coming up through the Loops and over the rest of that line. Beautiful country it passes through.

[ayy_lmappstate]

The train horn is definitely my favorite game day addition so far. If it's not a real horn (like I suspect) I'd be more than willing to help chip in for a real one if a fund was set up.

[appstatealum]

Well, I sure know Gardner Webb and SA felt like they got hit by a train......

[JMappfan5]

Now let's "steam roll" Ark St!!!

[APPRIDE]

Loved the train whistle. Like I said in another post, it's a cool nod back to Boone's earlier days when the Tweetsie Railroad ran from Boone to Johnson City.

I'm not sure if it was an actual whistle or not, but if its not and we want an authentic one, we need to get one of those bad boys like what the 611 down in Spencer has. People in Wilkesboro would hear it when we scored, lol.

Wow, thanks for posting! Going to google the shops website etc. but what’s the short answer on trips avail. to the public on the 611?

The 611 spent the Spring and Summer down at the NC Transportation Museum getting maintenance and repairs at their top-notch shop they have there, but now it's back up at the Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke, VA as of a few weeks ago. I think there it's just on static display...the last few activities at the NCTM were on 9/23

I don't believe it's doing any excursions this year sadly, apparently there is some tiff going on between the 611 folks and Amtrak or in regards to line usage for excursions and so they're looking for other options for 2019.

The best thing to do is to check both museum's websites (nctrains.org & vmt.org) as well as follow the 611 on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/Fireup611/

Finally a topic I can speak on, lol.

Good info, thanks! Will look for a scheduled run in 2019 or at least a visit to the VTM...

[Apptrain]

I love the train whistle, naturally!

[GregPercussion]

I wasn't the biggest fan of the train whistle when they started using it. Makes me think of Chattanooga...

But if we can get a visual on the score board and a bit of the history put into the game day experience I think it's really going to catch on. Make em feel the train and know the history.

[AppSt8Will]

Let's just hire Denny Neagle to provide the train whistle...

[walt75]

Have been a follower for a long time but have just registered to give this response. We also enjoyed the whistle at the game Saturday. Just a little more history. My wife and I are the middle pair of 3 generations of App grads. My parents meet at App in 1934 and had their first date on Tweetsie as a day trip to Tenn. When they were still with us they loved returning to Boone as often as they could. Look forward to the whistle at future games and remembering!