Was the Tennesseean steam driven in the beginning?

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I remember the Tennesseean before I went into the military but, as I try to remember details, I'm not sure of myself. I thought I remembered it as being steam driven at the time. So that's my question. Was it steam deriven before it went diesel? If so, what type of engine was it and does anyone have a picture of it or one like it? Thanks,

Bibb

-- Bibb Longcrier (blongcri@maine.rr.com), April 19, 2002

Answers

Bibb--yes but only partially--let me explain. When the Tennessean was inaugurated in 1941 Southern did not want to buy extra diesels for the short run from Washington to Lynchburg where the train was handed over to the N&W for the run over their tracks to Bristol. So, they took #1380, a PS4 Pacific and added a sreamlined boiler jacket and other ammenities to the engine and built up the tender. Then they applied a green, and imitation aluminum paint job. There should be a picture among the steam locos on this web site. For the run from Bristol to Memphis they used E6AB sets--Larry

-- Larry Puckett (ljpuckett@starpower.net), April 19, 2002.

The train inaugurated in 1928 would not have been the Tennessean, as it was inaugurated in 1941 as Larry said. However, perhaps the Memphis Special, the train that preceded the Tennessean, may have started in 1928, I don't have any idea.

-- bill haithcoat (bhaithcoat@ajc.com), May 26, 2004.

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