Built in 1904 by the Richmond Works of ALCo, Southern's 630 and sister 722 (below) were part of the road's largest class of steam engines: the Ks 2-8-0 Consolidation type, with 318 engines in the group. After nearly 50 years of service on the Southern system, in 1952 both locomotives were sold second-hand to the shortline hauler East Tennessee & Western North Carolina, based in Elizabethton, Tn. Fifteen years later, the Southern was looking to develop a small fleet of excursion steam locomotives and traded the ET&WNC two second-hand ALCo RS3 road switchers for the sister Consolidations. #630 served the Southern's excursion steam program from 1968 to 1977, as well as non-Southern sponsored trips on the system from 1987 to 1989. The locomotive has been out of service since 1989, and was donated to the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum in 1999.

Like sister 630 (above), Southern's #722 was a member of the railroad's large Ks class of Consolidation type steamers. Whereas 630 was an ALCo product, 722 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1904. Sold second-hand to the ET&WNC along with 630, the unit was also traded back to the Southern in 1967 for excursion service in the developing steam program. #722 made Southern-sponsored trips on the system for 10 years -- 1970 to 1980 -- before serving briefly at the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum and then being placed on display by the Asheville chapter NRHS.

Although a key player for nearly two decades in the Southern's excursion program, Pacific type #750 has no Southern Railway lineage of her own. Built by ALCo in 1910 for passenger service on the high speed Florida East Coast lines, she was sold second-hand in 1934 to Georgia regional Savannah & Atlanta. After retirement from revenue service, the locomotive was acquired by the Atlanta chapter NRHS for preservation and excursion use. The Southern and successor Norfolk Southern leased the locomotive from 1967 to 1984, operating it on numerous trips around the southeast. A subsequent lease from 1985 to 1992 by the New Georgia Railroad utilized the locomotive in tourist service around greater Atlanta, but business did not hold up. Today #750 is stored serviceable, on display at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Ga.

Handsome in design but eccentric within the Steam Program stable, Southern Railway nevertheless leased for two years Montreal-built Hudson type #2839. During 1979 and 1980, the "Royal Hudson" made several trips throughout the region pulling Southern-sponsored excursions.

Britain's "Flying Scotsman" steamer made one appearance on the Southern Railway, for the system's anniversary "Steam-o-rama" gathering in Anniston, Alabama, in 1969. After retirement from revenue passenger service, the locomotive was sold into private hands and during the late 1960s was brought with a passenger consist to the United States for a "British Industry Tour." It remains in service today in Britain.

Built in 1920 by Baldwin for the coal-hauling shortline Kentucky & Tennessee, the locomotive was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum in 1965. Its service in the Southern steam program turned out to be brief: running only one excursion out of Chattanooga in the fall of 1965.