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For today’s Throwback Thursday edition of Railfan Video of the Day, we travel back to late Winter 1981 when Chesapeake And Ohio 4-8-4 Greenbriar #614 (Lima 1948) was touring Florida as the Family Lines Safety Express. These anonymous public domain home movies are available in their original form at the Prelinger Archives web page. We at Locomaniac.com have edited, digitally enhanced, and added a soundtrack to these 8mm home movie transfers.

The train itself dates back to 1977 when Chessie System enlisted ex-reading 4-8-4 #2101, fresh from duties on the American Freedom Train, to pull a special passenger consist in celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Baltimore And Ohio Railroad, one of Chessie System’s component railroads. The T-1 locomotive pulled numerous Chessie Steam Special excursions in 1977 and 1978.



In the Winter of 1979, #2101 was severely damaged in a roundhouse fire in Kentucky. In compensation for the loss to Ross Rowland, #2101’s owner, Chessie System traded Chesapeake And Ohio #614, then on display in Baltimore, for the #2101, which is now on display at the B&O Railroad Museum. The C&O Greenbrier was restored and pulled the Chessie Steam Special consist, now re-lettered as the Chessie Safety Express, throughout 1980 and 1981 to promote railroad crossing safety.

Observing the success of the Chessie Safety Express, the Family Lines Railroad arranged to have the #614 and its train pull several excursion trains in Florida in February and March 1981 as the Family Lines Safety Express, as seen in today’s video. At the end of the 1981 season, the Chessie System dispersed its passenger train and released #614 to other excursion duties. The locomotive is now in storage awaiting new excursion opportunities.

Enjoy!

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