Southern Railway 630 - 1938 to 2025

The game is set on the Murphy Branch, home rail for Southern Railway Ks-1 Consolidation No. 630. The 630 was built new for Southern Railway in February of 1904 by the American Locomotive company (ALCo) at its Richmond Works. The locomotive was a typical late Victorian machine, until a rebuilding in 1917 added superheat and more modern fittings along with Southern valve gear. For many years, certainly from the 1930s to retirement in 1952, the engine was based out of Asheville and regularly saw service on the Lake Toxaway and Murphy Branches. The locomotive was overhauled and updated once again in 1937 (making it appear quite similar to the in game model). Throughout this time, 630 was a crew favourite, and as such was often maintained in fine order; being spared the plain black paintschemes that came for most Southern freight engines during and after the Second World War. During these years 630's assigned fireman was Raymond L. Terrell; who was eventually promoted to engineer in the mid-1940s. One last overhaul came in 1947, when new cylinders were fitted (but the covers never were applied) and the tender was rebuilt into the form we know it as from the 1960s-90s, and the stylised rebuilt 4501 tender it trails today. Despite the lack of cylinder covers, crews just painted the cylinder heads themselves silver.

By 1952 time caught up with 630, and the diesels were on the way. The once proud paint work turned grimy black in its final months, the locomotive no longer being washed and refreshed regularly. Its graceful swinging bell was replaced with a clapper bell; but the deep hooter whistle remained as the locomotive worked out its final days, as the last steam locomotive on the Lake Toxaway Branch, and the final steam locomotive to see regular service in the region.

Fate smiled upon 630 in 1952. Representatives from the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad came to inspect 2 standard gauge locomotives for purchase to work the ~11 mile standard gauge "Tweetsie" line from Elizabethton to Johnson City, Tennessee. These men came to look at No. 685 and 835; however these locomotives (as were most) had been stored outside since their fires had been dropped. Sentimental forces had kept locomotive 630 and fellow Murphy Branch and later Asheville switcher No. 722, stored inside. Ultimately these locomotives were acquired, becoming ET&WNC 207 and 208 respectively. The ET&WNC made some changes, especially to the tenders, to make the engines more suitable for switching work and tender-first running. The paint-work was restored and cleaned up, in full Southern appearance, complete with stylised "ET" monogram on the cabsides.

These locomotives, in impeccable condition, kept running under the skilled hand of veteran steam mechanic Clarence Hobbs, served into the 1960s, a full decade after Southern Railway had retired steam. Things were changing though and Southern revived nostalgic steam excursions in 1