Central Railroad of New Jersey No. 113 operates select dates through 2023

Steam locomotive and vintage passenger cars at station

MINERSVILLE, Pa. — Central Railroad of New Jersey No. 113 is scheduled to operate during the fall and holiday seasons. The heavy 0-6-0 switcher is in its centennial year, having been built in June 1923 by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, N.Y. Railway Restoration Project 113 — the nonprofit organization that owns the locomotive […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 resumes operations during Labor Day weekend

Steam locomotive with passenger car and gondola for riders in field with trees in background.

ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe No. 3415 returned to service on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad during the Labor Day weekend. The 4-6-2 received a month-long break and extensive work in August that included check-valve maintenance and a routine firebox cleanout, according to Ross Boelling, the president and general manager of the A&SV. “No. […]

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Grand Canyon No. 4960 labors through Saturday excursion

GC4960

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel’s No. 4960 was at the head of Sept. 2’s round trip from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The busy Labor Day weekend resulted in a 16-car excursion train that maxed out the platform length at the Williams Station, according to Eric Hadder, […]

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How to own and maintain a caboose

A red caboose sitting perpendicular over railroad track tied to a crane on an overcast day.

Privately owned caboose Welcome to the world of privately owned cabooses. The craving for a cab is a continuing urge for Americans. So, let’s probe this topic deeper. Matt Bumgarner, noted railroad author, publisher, and driving force behind the Southeastern Narrow Gauge and Short Line Museum in Newton, N.C., answers the following questions about his […]

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Steamtown announces ticket for 2023 autumn excursions

Passenger train rounding bend during a fall day.

SCRANTON, Pa. — Tickets for Steamtown National Historic Site’s upcoming schedule of autumn excursions are now available for purchase online. Selected days in September and October will see diesel-powered, full-day trips depart from the National Park to Gouldsboro, Carbondale, Tobyhanna, or Cresco. Autumn excursion schedule includes these dates. Tickets can be purchased at recreation.gov: Sept. […]

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Norfolk Southern funding will help bring railcars to Pullman National Park and State Historic Site

Ornate multistory brick building with clock tower

CHICAGO — Norfolk Southern has made a $250,000 contribution to help create an interactive exhibit at the Pullman State Historic Site and Pullman National Historical Park that will give visitors a chance at a close-up experience with historic railcars, including those once manufactured at the site. The Historic Pullman Foundation and Illinois Department of Natural […]

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society acquires seven NYC passenger cars

Group of stainless steel passenger cars

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired seven cars built in 1941 for New York Central’s Empire State Express from New York’s Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum for use in its Indiana Rail Experience operation and future excursion use. Estimated cost of restoring the entire fleet of cars is […]

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Santa Fe No. 2926 steams again to local brewery for fundraiser

Large crowds around steam locomotive

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 2926 returned to the Tractor Brewing Wells Park for public display at the “Tracks, Tunes & Taps!” fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 26. “It performed as well as it could be expected,” said Mathew Casford, chief of rail operations for New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society […]

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VIA Rail Canada puts C$80 million into preservation of four historic stations

Outside of ornate train station

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — VIA Rail Canada is in the midst of spending more than C$80 million to preserve and upgrade four heritage stations across its network, the company said last week. That includes C$25 million at Winnipeg, where work is expected to be completed later this year. That money is being spent between 2020 and […]

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Initial ticket sales strong for upcoming N&W 611 fall excursions

Streamlined steam locomotive with train passes through field

ROANOKE, Va. — Strong sales have followed Tuesday’s release of tickets for the upcoming fall excursions with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 on the Buckingham Branch Railroad. The Shenandoah Valley Limited will offer twice-daily, 60-mile round trips during October and November weekends between Goshen and Staunton, Va. Traffic was high on the website […]

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Grand Canyon No. 4960 celebrates centennial

Black steam locomotive pulling passenger train around curve

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway’s No. 4960 completed three consecutive Saturdays of round-trip excursions from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 5, 12, and 19. The 100-year-old 2-8-2 commemorated its centennial year with an official celebration as part of the Aug. 12 run. The locomotive “ran like a […]

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Western Maryland Scenic adds former California Zephyr dome (corrected)

Stainless steel dome car with red stripe along windows

CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has added dome-lounge Silver Palace, a well-traveled car built by the Budd Co. in 1948 for Western Pacific for use on the California Zephyr. Following completion of maintenance, inspections, and upgrades, the car will enter excursion service, replacing dome-lounge Stampede Pass, which the heritage railroad had previously […]

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