Genesee Valley Transportation prepares for move of PA

Men shaking hands in front of blue and white diesel locomotive

BATAVIA, N.Y. — The move of a preserved Alco PA locomotive from Oregon to its new home at Genesee Valley Transportation’s shops in Scranton, Pa., is tentatively slated to begin in April, although exact plans have yet to be finalized, GVT President Michael D. Thomas says. Thomas, speaking Sunday with Trains News Wire, said no […]

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Santa Fe hi-level lounge acquired by Arizona museum

Former Santa Fe high-level passenger car

CHANDLER, Ariz. — The Arizona Railway Museum has acquired former Santa Fe hi-level lounge No. 576. The car arrived at the museum last month Six hi-level lounge cars with curved glass roofs were built for Santa Fe by Budd in 1956. They were numbered 575–580 and operated on the all-coach El Capitan streamliner between Chicago […]

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F unit donated by Union Pacific arrives at Iowa heritage railroad

Men pose in front of weathered F7 locomotive

BOONE, Iowa — A former Chicago & North Western F7 donated by Union Pacific has arrived at the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, where it will eventually be restored to operation. Locomotive No. 401, built in 1949 and stored in Cheyenne, Wyo.., since the 1990s, saw service as one of C&NW’s executive train units in […]

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American Freedom Train steam locomotives

Steam locomotive on display with crew posing for a group photo.

The American Freedom Train steam locomotives were stars in their own right during the U.S. Bicentennial tour. From 1975 to 1976, a total of three each took turns leading the 26-car exhibit train full of American artifacts through 48 contiguous states. What were these patriotic steam stars and where are they now? Southern Pacific No. […]

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East Broad Top Railroad passenger cars in the 21st century

Cabooses and passenger cars at a railyard during the evening.

East Broad Top Railroad passenger cars have been vital to the narrow gauge railroad’s 150-year history. Today’s fleet is a mixture of old and new, waiting for you to climb aboard the next time you visit this National Historic Landmark in Rockhill, Pennsylvania. Coach passenger cars Since the beginning of passenger service on August 30, […]

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Conrail Retrospective

Big Blue diesel locomotives were ubiquitous for those living in the Northeast and upper Midwest for many years of the last century. Although Consolidated Railroad Corporation has been gone for over 20 years now, let’s take a look back at 1990s Conrail freights in the state of Pennsylvania! […]

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Genesee Valley Transportation acquires PA locomotive for office car train and excursion operation (updated)

Blue and white locomotive in building

PORTLAND, Ore. — Genesee Valley Transportation has agreed to acquire the Alco PA locomotive restored by preservationist Doyle McCormack and will run the unit on main line passenger excursions, the short line company announced today. McCormack and GVT Rail President Michael D. Thomas finalized the agreement in a meeting Wednesday at the Oregon Rail Heritage […]

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Nashville Steam launches matching campaign to complete restoration of No. 576

Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 4-8-4 No. 576 steam locomotive

NASHVILLE — The seven-year effort to take former Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 4-8-4 No. 576 from static display in a Nashville park to operating locomotive and regional tourist attraction is entering its final phase, with caretakers Nashville Steam Preservation Society Inc. launching a new matching campaign to raise $350,000 to finish the job. “We […]

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Remembering Jeff Schmid: BNSF railroader, 1522 engineer

Man with white hair and glasses

Jeff Schmid was an unusually versatile railroader. Over more than a half a century with BNSF and two of its predecessor railroads, he moved from track worker to locomotive engineer to safety officer, the latter bringing him special satisfaction. If that wasn’t enough, along the way he mastered the art and craft of running one […]

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Reading & Northern Santa Trains in Pennsylvania

In December 2022, near Tamaqua, Pa., it’s no surprise the Reading & Northern Santa Trains are big business! Of course, the Reading & Northern is no stranger to giving the public what they want. The railroad does a brisk business with these runs with its Lehigh Gorge Scenic railway operation, based out of Jim Thorpe, […]

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