Dollywood theme park trades steam locomotive for hurricane donation

Steam locomotive on truck trailer

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — The Dollywood theme park has parted with a steam locomotive that had been on display at the park, and has aided hurricane victims in doing so. Former Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 107, built by Baldwin in 1887, had long been on display at the Dollywood entrance. Now, the engine is on […]

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Kentucky Steam to auction off Nickel Plate 2-8-2

Steam engine crossing small wooden bridge

IRVINE, Ky. — A former Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive is going to the auction block to settle a legal judgment. The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. said today (Jan. 23) in a public notice that NKP No. 587, a Class H-6o 2-8-2 built by Baldwin in 1918, will be the subject of a sealed-bid auction […]

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Preservation group lands additional grant for restoration of Lehigh & New England diesel

Orange end-cab switcher in line of rolling stock

SOUDERTON, Pa. — The Railroad & Industrial Preservation Society continues to gain financial support for its restoration of the last surviving Lehigh & New England Railroad diesel locomotive. The society announced today (Jan. 23) that the Berkheimer Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to advance restoration of former L&NE Alco S2 No. 611. This follows […]

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B&O museum begins cosmetic restoration of American Freedom Train locomotive (updated)

Front view of steam locomotive with "American Freedom Train" nameplate on front

BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum is beginning its full cosmetic restoration of American Freedom Train No. 1, the former Reading Co. 4-8-4 that pulled the train celebrating America’s Bicentennial, and expects to complete the work this year, in time to mark the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026. The museum had first announced plans for […]

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society acquires Pullman ‘Kitchi Gammi Club’

Maroon passenger car being pulled by steam locomotive

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has purchased Pullman car Kitchi Gammi Club from the car’s owners and operators for more than three decades. The heavyweight car built by Pullman in 1923 and long assigned to Nickel Plate Road service, is already in use at the Indiana Rail Experience, the excursion […]

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American Steam preservation group aims for test firing of Reading No. 2100 within 60 days

Firebrick has now been installed in the firebox of Reading No. 2100

CLEVELAND — The American Steam Railroad Preservation Association is aiming for an initial test firing of Reading Co. 4-8-4 No. 2100 within 60 days, as it continues a number of smaller projects after completing installation of firebox firebrick. The engine is being restored to operate as American Freedom Train No. 250. Forrest Nace, the organization’s […]

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Delaware & Hudson historical society gains non-profit status, acquires RS3

Blue road-switcher locomotive with yellow trim and lettering

CORINTH, N.Y. — The Delaware & Hudson Railway Historical Society, newly formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the state of New York, has announced it has acquired for preservation former D&H Alco RS3 locomotive No. 4085. The group acquired the locomotive —currently located at the Erie Turntable in Port Jervis, N.Y. — on Nov. […]

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PRR K4s 1361 restoration moves past halfway point

Drivers for steam locomotive in shop building

ALTOONA, Pa. – With the inspection, cleaning and conditioning of the drivers of former Pennsylvania Railroad Class K4s 4-6-2 steam engine No. 1361 by Strasburg Rail Road’s mechanical department, the locomotive’s $2.4 million restoration has moved symbolically past the halfway point, according to the engine’s owner, the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The six 80-inch drivers made […]

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Restoration continues for rare geared locomotive featured in movie marking 70th anniversary

Geared steam locomotive with large number of people posed along boiler

MISSOULA, Mont. — An obscure but classic motion picture about logging in the Northwest, and the unique log-hauling locomotive that starred in it, are returning to the spotlight. In February 1955, “Timberjack” made its world premiere on the screens of the Roxy and Fox theaters in Missoula, not far from where the movie had been […]

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Reading & Northern buys Penn Valley passenger cars (updated)

SUNBURY, Pa. — After 27 years of running holiday passenger trains, fund-raising excursions, and shipper specials, owner Jeff Pontius of Penn Valley Railroad LLC has sold his fleet of seven passenger cars to the Reading & Northern Railroad. R&N announced that it would receive the cars today (Jan. 14, 2025) and outlined the planned move […]

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Saluda Grade to sell for $31.5 million

Map of rail line in North and South Carolina

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The organization seeking to buy the Saluda Grade from Norfolk Southern for conversion to a trail will pay $31.5 million — $1 million a mile — for the route between Zirconia, N.C., and Inman, S.C., the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports. The states of North Carolina and South Carolina will each contribute […]

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Locomotive tender among items available in Illinois Railway Museum auction

Three-quarter view of steam locomotive tender

UNION, Ill. — The Illinois Railway Museum is currently auctioning off surplus items ranging from a former Chicago & North Western steam locomotive tender to a pickup truck to tools and artwork. A total of 112 items are available and are listed here. The auction ends Friday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. CT. Items are […]

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