Kansas tourist railroad finds it has another year to operate steam locomotive

ABILENE, Kan. — Sometimes, paperwork can be a good thing.

The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad has received positive news for its 2023 operating plans, learning it has one more year to operate its 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2, Santa Fe No. 3415, before the locomotive is sidelined for two years to undergo its federally mandated 15-year inspection (also known as a 1,472-day inspection, since it is required after 1,472 days of service or 15 years, whichever comes first.

KSAL Radio reports the railroad, which believed the rebuild was due this year, discovered it had another year in the process of filing required papers with the Federal Railroad Administration. As a result, the 4-6-2 is now slated to operate 28 times this season, beginning Memorial Day weekend.

“We’re elated at the news,” A&SV President and General Manager Ross Boelling told the station. “We are the only operating steam railroad in Kansas and are happy to schedule more trains this coming season with Santa Fe locomotive 3415 providing the power.”

The railroad will soon post a full schedule of planned operations, both with the steam locomotive and its Alco S1 diesel, on its website. It also continues fundraising for No. 3415’s 15-year inspection.

Late last year, the railroad announced a collaboration with Heritage Rail Management, a subsidiary of American Heritage Railways, to expand its operations and otherwise strengthen the non-profit organization [see “Abilene & Smoky Valley, Heritage Rail Management announce collaboration plans,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 30, 2022]. Planning for operations without the steam locomotive is part of that collaboration.