The 1980-1981 Chessie Safety Express | Chessie's Safety Express

TIMELINE for the 1980-81 CHESSIE SAFETY EXPRESS - Season One
Date	Tour Number	Total Tours	Notes
*	*	*	In 1980, Chessie organized a series of excursions most commonly known as the Chessie Safety Express, promoting Operation Lifesaver and grade-crossing safety. These were the first excursions behind newly restored steam locomotive 614. Its coal tender was lettered "Chessie System Railroads", and its axillary water tender was given a special Safety Express logo -- and lettering that would change at least twice. At first, it was lettered "Chessie's Safety Express". This timeline is very much a work-in-progress. Any additions or corrections, please email.
September 13, 1980	1	1	Baltimore, MD to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV via the Old Main Line and return. To start things off right, the locomotive broke through a banner at Camden Station that read "Safety Express. A bottle of Deer Park Spring Water was broken over the pilot (Deer Park Spring Water was served in B&O dining cars for decades). Mrs. Wickersham, mother of SLCA mechanical officer Steve Wickersham, did the honors.
September 14, 1980	2	2	Baltimore, MD to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV via Silver Spring and return.
September 19, 1980	3	3	Baltimore, MD to Cumberland, MD one-way ferry trip. Reproduction builders plates were finally installed on the smokebox. There hadn't been time to install them before.
September 20, 1980	4	4	Cumberland, MD to Terra Alta, WV and return.
September 21, 1980	5	5	Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA one-way ferry trip.
September 27, 1980	6	6	Pittsburgh, PA to Rockwood and return.
September 28, 1980	7	7	Pittsburgh, PA to New Martinsburg and return.
September 29, 1980	8	8	Pittsburgh, PA to Brunswick, MD one-way ferry trip.
September 30, 1980	9	9	Brunswick, MD to Richmond, VA one-way ferry trip via Gordonsville.
October 5, 1980	10	10	Richmond, VA to Balcony Falls, VA and return - essentially the traditional Autumn Leaf Special run by the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS.
October 11, 1980	11	11	Richmond, VA to Balcony Falls, VA and return - essentially the traditional Autumn Leaf Special run by the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS.
October 12, 1980	12	12	Richmond, VA to Clifton Forge, VA one-way ferry trip.
October 13, 1980	13	13	Clifton Forge, VA to Huntington, VA one-way ferry trip.
October 18, 1980	14	14	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return.
October 19, 1980	15	15	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return.
October 25, 1980	16	16	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return.
October 26, 1980	17	17	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return.
October 27, 1980	18	18	Huntington, VA to Cincinnati, OH one-way ferry trip.
November 1, 1980	19	19	Cincinnati, OH to Ashland, OH and return.
November 2, 1980	20	20	Cincinnati, OH to Ashland, OH and return.
*	*	*	After the last run of the season, locomotive 614 pulled an 11-car train over the B&O and WM back to Hagerstown, MD for rest and repair.
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TIMELINE for the 1981 FAMILY LINES' SAFETY EXPRESS
*	*	*	In early 1981, the Chessie Safety Express was temporarily reborn as the Family Lines' Safety Express for a series of excursions in Florida, again promoting Operation Lifesaver and grade-crossing safety. The water tender behind the steam locomotive was re-lettered 'Family Lines' Safety Express'. The coal tender received Family Lines Rail System lettering and an SCL logo. The trips were sponsored by the State of Florida and the National Railway Historical Society. Trips out of Miami were co-sponsored by the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.
Date	Tour Number	Total Tours	Notes
February 16, 1981	1	21	Jacksonville, FL to Tampa, FL one-way ferry trip.
February 21, 1981	2	22	Tampa, FL to Dunnellon, FL round trip via Plant City.
February 22, 1981	3	23	Tampa, FL to Dunnellon, FL round trip via Lakeland.
February 23, 1981	4	24	Tampa, FL to Miami, FL one-way ferry trip.
February 28, 1981	5	25	Miami, FL to West Palm Beach, FL round trip with a stop in Ft. Lauderdale.
March 1, 1981	6	26	Miami, FL to West Palm Beach, FL round trip with a stop in Ft. Lauderdale.
March 2, 1981	7	27	Miami, FL to Orlando, FL (Naval Training Annex) one-way ferry trip.
March 7, 1981	8	28	Orlando, FL (Naval Training Annex) to Ybor (Tampa), FL round trip.
March 8, 1981	9	29	Orlando, FL (Church Street) to Palatka, FL round trip.
March 9, 1981	10	30	Orlando, FL (Church Street) to Jacksonville, FL one-way ferry trip.
March 14, 1981	11	31	Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA round trip.
March 15, 1981	12	32	Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA round trip.
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TIMELINE for the 1980-81 CHESSIE SAFETY EXPRESS - Season Two
Date	Tour Number	Total Tours	Notes
April 25, 1981	1	33	The first Tour of the Second Season. St. Louis to Flora, IL and return. The aux tender was now simply lettered "Safety Express". Tour coordinated with the St. Louis Chapter of the NRHS.
May 1, 1981	2	34	St. Louis to Washington, IN one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the St. Louis Chapter of the NRHS.
May 2, 1981	3	35	Washington, IN to North Vernon and return. Tour coordinated with the Exchange Club of Washington.
May 3, 1981	4	36	Washington, IN to Cincinnati, OH one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the Exchange Club of Washington.
May 9, 1981	5	37	Cincinnati, OH to Lima, OH and return. Tour coordinated with the Cincinnati Chapter of the NRHS.
May 10, 1981	6	38	Cincinnati, OH to Louisville, KY and return via L&N. Tour coordinated with the Cincinnati Chapter of the NRHS.
May 16, 1981	7	39	Columbus, OH to Russell and return. Tour coordinated with the Ohio Railway Museum.
May 17, 1981	8	40	Columbus, OH to Russell and return. Tour coordinated with the Ohio Railway Museum.
May 30, 1981	9	41	Detroit, MI to Clio, MI and return. Tour coordinated with the MSU Museum, Lansing. During the train's runs in Michigan, its whistle was replaced by one from a New York Central Hudson locomotive.
May 31, 1981	10	42	Detroit, MI to Grand Ledge, MI and return. Tour coordinated with the MSU Museum, Lansing.
June 6, 1981	11	43	Detroit, MI to Grand Rapids, MI one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the MSU Museum, Lansing.
June 7, 1981	12	44	Grand Rapids, MI to St. Joseph, MI and return. Tour coordinated with the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society.
June 13, 1981	13	45	Grand Rapids, MI to Plymouth, MI and return. Tour coordinated with the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society.
June 14, 1981	14	46	Grand Rapids, MI to Chicago, IL (Barr Yard) one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society.
June 20, 1981	15	47	Chicago, IL to Garrett, IL and return. Tour coordinated with the Twentieth Century Railroad Club, Chicago.
June 21, 1981	16	48	Chicago, IL to Hartford, IL and return. Tour coordinated with the Twentieth Century Railroad Club, Chicago.
June 27, 1981	17	49	Akron, OH to Pittsburgh, PA and return. Tour coordinated with the Whistle Stop, Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
June 28, 1981	18	50	Akron, OH to Pittsburgh, PA one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the Whistle Stop, Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
July 11, 1981	19	51	Pittsburgh, PA to Meyersdale, PA and return. Tour coordinated with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the NRHS.
July 12, 1981	20	52	Pittsburgh, PA to Somerset, PA and return. Tour coordinated with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the NRHS.
September 12, 1981	21	53	Cumberland, MD to Terra Alta, WV and return with a limited consist. Tour coordinated with the Western Maryland Chapter of the NRHS.
September 13, 1981	22	54	Cumberland, MD to Somerset, PA and return. Tour coordinated with the Western Maryland Chapter of the NRHS.
September 19, 1981	23	55	Cumberland, MD to Brunswick, MD one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the Western Maryland Chapter of the NRHS.
September 20, 1981	24	56	Silver Spring, MD to Philadelphia, PA and return. Tour coordinated with the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS.
September 26, 1981	25	57	Baltimore, MD to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV via Old Main Line and return. Tour coordinated with the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS.
September 27, 1981	26	58	Baltimore, MD to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV via Silver Spring and return. Tour coordinated with the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS.
October 3, 1981	27	59	Baltimore, MD to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV via Old Main Line and return via Silver Spring. Tour coordinated with the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS.
October 4, 1981	28	60	Baltimore, MD to Richmond, VA one-way ferry trip. Tour coordinated with the Baltimore Chapter of the NRHS.
October 10, 1981	29	61	Richmond, VA to Balcony Falls, VA and return. Tour coordinated with the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS.
October 11, 1981	30	62	Richmond, VA to Balcony Falls, VA and return. Tour coordinated with the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS.
October 15, 1981	*	*	Deadhead move from Richmond, VA to Newport News, VA.
October 16, 1981	31	63	Newport News, VA to Richmond, VA and return in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Yorktown and the 100th anniversary of the completion of the C&O Railroad into Newport News. Tour coordinated with the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS.
October 20, 1981	*	*	Non-revenue move from Richmond, VA to Clifton Forge, VA. School children were given rides as a treat. They were picked up and deposited at Ellerson, Doswell, Gordonsville, Charlottesville, Waynesboro, and Staunton.
October 24, 1981	32	64	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return. Tour coordinated with the C.P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS.
October 25, 1981	33	65	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return. Tour coordinated with the C.P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS.
October 31, 1981	34	66	New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return. Tour coordinated with the C.P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS.
November 1, 1981	35	67	The last tour of the Second Season -- and the last tour ever for the yellow train. New River trip, Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV and return. Tour coordinated with the C.P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS. The sold-out train carried nearly 800 passengers, as it had many times before.
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*	*	*	After two years of birthday celebrations and two years of safety promotion, it was finally time to 'let the boiler cool'. The Chessie Safety Express consist had run 67 'tours', 55 on the Chessie System and 12 on the Family Lines Rail System. Combined with the Chessie Steam Special of 1977-1978, that makes 166 successful fare-paid excursions for the big yellow train.
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