Steam locomotive 722 pulled the first Southern Steam Excursion from New Orleans in 1971. She was painted in the same green and gold of the 4501, even though as a working steam locomotive, she never wore these colors which were reserved for the high profile Pacifics and Mountains that pulled the Southern's crack passenger trains of the era. She was a freight hog in those days, painted in plain black, but for her excursion career, she wore green.

The Southern sold the 722 and her sister engine 630 to the ET&WNC railroad as it was diversting itself of steam in the 1950's. When the excursion bug bit and the Southern was searching for working steam to supplement the 4501 on fan trips, it struck a deal with the ET&WNC where the Southern would send some Alco diesels in trade for the old steam duo.

I never got the chance to ride behind (or even see) the 722, but the photos I poured over in books, magazines and later on the internet of her fueled my imagination.

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