2014 marked the return to steam of one of the most famous steam locomotives in the world: Southern Railway Mikado #4501.
The locomotive had been out of service since 1998, and was returned to action with the financial assistance of Norfolk Southern to enable her to participate in the railroad’s 21st Century Steam Program. She made her public debut in September, and in this program we see her in action on a pair of October round trips from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum to Summerville, Georgia.
We take a brief look at the history of the Southern Railway and the developments in steam power that led to the design and building of #4501, the Southern’s first and only surviving 2-8-2. Video footage shows her in her green passenger livery in 1995 and double heading with 2-8-0 #610 in 1997 after she had been repainted black. Photos, graphics and video from four photographers tell the story of #4501’s return. Also seen in operation are Southern Railway 2-8-0’s #154, #401and #630, along with Tennessee Valley’s former U.S. Army 2-8-0 #610 and Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 #765.
Highlights include climbing Missionary Ridge Grade at Rossville, Missionary Ridge Tunnel at Chattanooga, and the scenic curves at Rock Spring.