There’s something magical about watching big steam engines run while the snow flies. Although most of these large locomotives are going through their off-season maintenance in the winter, there are a few big steam locomotives that plan to bring season’s greetings. For a rundown of all holiday trains, check out our list of 2023 Polar […]
BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum has announced plans to begin cosmetic restoration of Reading Co. 4-8-4 No. 2101 — maintained in the museum’s collection as American Freedom Train No. 1 for the role the locomotive played during the Freedom Train’s 1975-76 tour — and will begin that process by moving the locomotive from its […]
STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. — While the 2023 schedule of the Indiana Rail Experience — a partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. — will continue with diesel-powered Christmas excursions out of Pleasant Lake and New Haven, Ind., the steam season for Nickel Plate Road No. 765 has concluded in […]
Top preserved diesel locomotives are units that were not only saved from the scrap heap, but special. These locomotives are important to see and understand not only because they were saved but because visionary railroad management saw them as examples of the past that should be saved to be enjoyed by the present and future […]
BELLEFONTE, Pa. – After an absence of 18 years, the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society will resume Rail Diesel Car public excursions over a branch of the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad on Oct. 28-29. This was made possible by the return from Rail Mechanical Services of Columbia, Pa., of the group’s repaired RDC-1 car No. […]
ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe 4-6-2 No. 3415 took one last bow on Oct. 7. The locomotive wrapped up its duties for not only the 2023 steam schedule on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, but also its 15-year service life following a 2009 restoration. The locomotive is now slated for a federally mandated 1,472-day […]
ALTOONA, Pa. — A trio of aging 100-foot-tall yard floodlights that once illuminated the railroad exhibit at the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair is finding a new home here at the Railroaders Memorial Museum. Fabricated with a three-legged cross-section, the towers were among at least four built for the 17-acre railroad grounds, which, in addition […]
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The 2023 steam schedule for Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel concluded on Oct. 9 with 2-8-2 No. 4960 making an appearance at the depot in Williams for the Employee Fall Festival. This comes after the final “First Saturday” steam excursion of the year to Grand Canyon National Park a couple of days […]
Part one of a two-part update on the East Broad Top Railroad ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — For the first time since 1956, the narrow-gauge East Broad Top Railroad ran a steam locomotive over a newly restored portion of main line south of this town, signaling the railroad’s intent to reopen all of its 20-mile route […]
GOSHEN, Va. — The first weekend of the Shenandoah Valley Limited with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 is now in the books. In its first fall excursion through the home state of Virginia since 1994, the J-class 4-8-4 led six half-day trips unassisted out of Goshen along the Buckingham Branch Railroad with diesels […]
BISMARCK, N.D. — Three organizations have received a total of more than $250,000 to fund historical exhibits about the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge, KFYR-TV reports. BNSF Railway is providing funding through the State Historical Society for the exhibits under an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard. The North Dakota State Railroad Museum in Mandan will […]
RAVENNA, Ky. — The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. has received a $1.9 million grant to aid in the restoration of Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716, as well as continue development of the railroad-centered attraction “The Yard” that includes the shop where the steam locomotive is being restored. The funds are in the form of […]
