For starters, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is developing plans to take the Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 out on the road again in 2018. Vice President Kelly Lynch says that the organization is planning several excursions in the coming year and is considering opportunities to take the locomotive to Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri.
“About half of the possible locations are places to which we have been before, but some of them are new,” Lynch says. “We had been considering going to some of these destinations in 2017, but we ran out of time to do the marketing. It didn’t look like we were going to have our ducks in a row soon enough to allow for that if we had tried those additional excursions in 2017.”
A little further west, Santa Fe 4-6-2 No. 3415, operated by the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad in Abilene, Kan., will continue to pull regularly scheduled excursion trains, and will participate in additional trains scheduled on holidays and for special occasions. Smoky Valley’s Manager Mary Jane Oard says that the train is also available for private charters, and that the group is actively seeking volunteers to expand its operational capacity.
Next year will also see the Southern Pacific 4-8-4 Daylight No. 4449 return to the rails at least to head the Christmas Trains. Martin Hansen, counsel for the Oregon Railroad Heritage Foundation, tells Trains News Wire that there may be additional trips at some point in 2018, but the organization is not ready to release details. Hansen also says that work to restore the Spokane, Portland & Seattle 4-8-4 No. 700 will continue through the year.
“In 2018 we are planning more trips with 261,” Steve Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of the Friends of the 261, wrote in a recent membership update.”
Sandberg wrote that 261 equipment will be traveling west this winter, heading to a private event in Seattle on Jan. 27, 2018, with tickets available to 261 group members and their friends.
In 2017, certain locomotives that rarely travel beyond their home grounds ventured farther into the field. In August, the Steam Locomotive Heritage Association in Hartford, Wis., took the Soo Line 2-8-2 No. 1003 to Chicago. The group doesn’t have any firm plans on the books this early in the 2018 season, but says that a large public turnout has encouraged them to consider a more frequent operating schedule.
“We saw a much higher turnout at this year’s Santa Trains compared to previous years,” says Zach Hall, the association’s mechanical manager. “We think that a lot more people are getting interested in this locomotive now that they realize it exists, so we are hoping to create opportunities to bring it out more often in 2018.”
Late in 2017, the Louisiana Steam Train Association, based in Jefferson, La., brought the Southern Pacific 2-8-2 No. 745 on a rare Christmas excursion into downtown New Orleans. The sold-out train and the reaction from onlookers demonstrated strong support for future excursions, Louisiana Steam Train Association president Richard Jacobs says.
“This locomotive was built locally and people were wiping tears off their faces because their dad or their grandfather had worked for the Southern Pacific,” Jacobs says. “So, we’ll definitely be pushing to do more events of this type. We will at least continue to fire the engine up quarterly and move it around our yard.”
“The work will include a hydrostatic pressure test in order to check staybolts and seams,” says Wolf Fengler, a spokesperson for the group. “The information will be used to determine if any repairs are needed and recalculate boiler stresses as necessary to complete an updated Form 4 report for the FRA. The crew will also continue its evaluation of what may be needed to allow 3751 to be outfitted with PTC equipment. With the locomotive disassembled, the increased access will also be used to do a more in depth inspection of other systems as well with repairs affected as necessary.”
Fengler says that the “1,472” inspection process could be completed in as little as eight months if no significant flaws are discovered.
In Albuquerque, N.M., 2018 will bring the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society closer to placing the Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2926 back to operating condition.
“Our all-volunteer crew has been busy installing steam and air lines in the cab for the bell ringer, stack lifter, dynamos, sanders and more,” says Mike Hartshorne, the association’s president. “Sheet metal and insulation for the boiler continue to be difficult work but progress is being made weekly. Plans are to make steam for testing of appliances after the holidays.”
The 2018 calendar year may hold even more excursions, as not all of the organizations Trains News Wire reached out to offered a comment. No matter how you slice the cake, big steam locomotives are looking to make a strong showing.
Oh, one last thing Jett, the time constraint all depends on money. The quicker you have money, the sooner you get it done. It cane take frima few months for a routine inspection, to even 20-25 years of fundraising and slow work.
Robert Kransinki, Steve Lee has been gone for around 10 years. Now he operates trains at the botanical gardens and works with Wasatch Railroad Contractors. I hope this helps. Yes, Ed Dickens is running. Currently crews are working to get 4014 ready for 2019, so they can’t be out with 844. Hopefully the plan is still to have 4014 and 119 come together.
As for the comment about writing a paper, Mr Jet Gunter. It costs upwards of $10,000 a day to operate a steam locomotive of significant size. At least $200,000 usually to restore a reasonably well kept Loco, I would say upwards of $400,000 at all times, but there have been a few ones that came in under that. As for bringing a Merchent Navy over, don’t. Allan Pegler was crippled bringing Scotsman here. (Then came the Waterman/McAlpine fiasco taking her to Australia). Southern Railway Schools Class 4-4-0 No 926 started out okay in North America, but didn’t end well. Meaford Power 3 “Flying Pig” also started out well, But is now rusting away. U.K. steam in American does not go well. You would for starters need a pilot, air brakes, most likely a larger tender (4472 and 926 did), headlight dynamo, bell, now probably PTC or something similar, and an MU control for best usage. Then comes the issue of pulling power, British carriages are smaller and considerably lighter, leading to the issue that they cannot pull as many American coaches, which raises ticket prices. Only certain people see a “foreign” engine as an attraction, others see it as “foreign traitor” or something else, you get the idea of their disdain. King George V’s visit went okay as did the Duchess of Hamilton’s, but both of those were in the days of steam, with real railway companies paying the bill, not societies. To answer the cost, I would say between $400,000-2,000,000 depending on the size and condition of the Locomotive. Remember you will need shop space, a contractor, overhead crane, wheel lathe or sending the wheels out, and other accessories that fill the support coach/tool car. I hope this helps and I haven’t come off as too rude.
I am a high school student doing a research paper on steam trains and preservation societies. What is the approximate cost in 2018 to preserve a steam train, and how long does it usually take? My paper is about bringing the Merchant Navy Class steam train from the UK to the US. I would appreciate any information on the subject!
The East Coast steam observer requires NS and/or CSX buy-in. Apparently, these days good will is not too high on these company’s agenda. But some of the commuter lines with significant trackage could come through, specially if certain state’s governors are seeking some good publicity.
People om the East coast would like to see something here….
Ok, what’s the story with UP? Why did Steve Lee step down as head of the steam program and Ed take over? And why does UP operate so few public excursions with 844? Usually only the Denver all day excursion in the summer. And what is up with NS? I heard that they won’t allow any excursions with 611 this year, only ferry moves. I hope that is not true.
Scot Perry-Kelly Lynch is a young guy, which is great, because younger people need to be involved too with steam and railroading. I met him when he came to St. Louis for the NS employee special that we helped with. Some of my friends that I also met that day are volunteers with Ft. Wayne group and introduced us I saw Kelly again with Joliet Rocket. He’s a great promoter of their programs. He remembered me and I also met Brad Morocco who is a younger guy in charge of events too.
How ironic that that wandering child 765 is being talked about being dragged outside of this state for whatever.If they go to Missouri 765 will most likely come thru this area allowing many of us to see it.What a novel idea!Actually running the 765 on Hoosier rails for once.I have seen this Lynch & he is very young for what he is doing.Like a college boy
I hope UP or somebody will run a mainline steam excursion to our neck of the woods, Fort Worth, Texas.
So this article is a bit deceiving…. Milwaukee 261 is NOT going to Seattle in January. Only some of the 261 group cars….so don’t expect any steam in Seattle…
Aaron Peavler-we met with Ed at Cheyenne steam shop last summer, one of our friends knows him and we got a tour from him. He said mostly the same thing you did, #844 needs work and 2019 is the big focus for UP 150th anniversary and get Big Boy up and running too.
Thanks for the news, Hayley. Hope #765 comes to St. L, she’s been here in 2012 but it was only doing trips to NS employees. I helped the local railfan group that I take trips with for those trips and we did get to ride on one of them Gave me a chance to see her and meet some of the crew that I only knew from FB like getting a chance to meet with you on Joliet Rocket.
#844 will only be going to Denver this year and the E9s will be on the system. UP is expecting huge delivery from Jeff Frost at Strasburg and they need to be there to receive it. also #844 can not travel 400 miles from here base UP needs the team in Cheyenne because we have one year and #844, BIG BOY, and all the steams need to be in Ogden for Railfair 19 that will not happen is Ed is away from the shop. also #844 just has been serviced and needs valve and rod work she is not going anywhere until those are replaced. BIG BOY is in rebuild and another reason Ed needs to stay in Cheyenne is he needs to help his former boss Steve Lee restore 4004. 4004 has parts 4014 needs and 4014 has parts that are not needed and need to be placed on 4004. to make the swap both engines need to be dismantled, moved, gutted, and abated. Both big boys have been on display since the 50s and ware and tare, rust, and superfund hazmat are contaminating the locomotives. 4014 is almost done several items need be sent to the park the stoker pan to replace the one on 4004, all the valves, parts of the grates, and both locomotives need to swap rod parts. 4014 is getting new pistons and rods 4004 needs the old ones for display because vandals destroyed them. Both need the steam pipes replaced because they are full of rust. and both need new jackets and paint because the old ones are contaminated with lead and asbestos. so #844 will only make one trip and back to work.
It’s great to see that there will be some big steam operating occasionally around the US. But, if you want to see mainline steam operating virtually every weekend and often several different excursions on the same day in different parts of the country, go to Great Britain. There are a plethora of main line trains operating at mainline speeds constantly and there are loads of tourist and museum operations as well.
thanks for the info – when i dispatched steam trains i thought they were a pain in the neck. now that i am retired i love watching them . keeping eye on cnw 1385 and the big boy
Pardon me, in the second paragraph it should be ATS.
Though not technically a “Northeastern” state, there is plenty of steam in West Virginia between the Cass Scenic Railway and the Durbin Rocket. For the last several years, one of the Gramling traveling steam engines has spent 3 consecutive weekends at the Walkersville Southern near Frederick, MD, usually near the July 4th holiday period. It’s not “big” mainline steam, but it’s still STEAM in 2018.
PTC on a steam engine? Please correct me if I’m wrong on this, but It’s my understanding that as “antiques” steam engines are exempt from things like PTC just as they’re exempt from environmental regulations concerning smoke output.
I do know Automatic Train Stop (ATC) was installed on some steam engines back in the old days, but that was an electro-mechanical system much less complicated than todays PTC.
It’s my hope that four certain 4-8-4s will steam in 2018. I’m certainly waiting to see how the rebuilds of Reading T-1s 2100 and 2102 will go. Last time I heard about anything regarding 2102 is that the Reading & Northern is hoping to have her under steam sometime in 2018 or 2019. As for 2100, I’m not sure. The recent announcement that 2926 is just about ready for a test fire is great news, and I’m keeping my eyes open for video footage or status updates on Facebook. As for N&W 611, my speculation is that she may partner with Amtrak or another group for trips this year. With the Northeast Regional now extended to Roanoke, I’m thinking of making a trip down there this year. It doesn’t matter if 611 is under steam or on static display. As long as I get to see her, I’ll be happy. In regards to 765, I’m hoping the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s 2018 itinerary includes a return to Pennsylvania.
I’d like more info on how they plan to install PTC on a steam loco. It would seem to be a big job since electronics are kind of limited on steam. A secondary electrically operated emergency throttle valve installed between the existing throttle valve and the cylinders on the dry pipe might work, and I suppose electrically controlled valves etc. on the brakes would do the same. This will be interesting to watch in the coming years.
North east? Well, you will have tourist lines like Wilmington and Western, Strasburg, New Hope, Black River, Bel-Del, Valley Essex Steam Train, Arcade and Attica, Everett RR, Steamtown with #26, and Reading and Northern/Lehigh Gorge with 425 and 113, and maybe 2102. 611 will depend on NS’s permission, and there has been no official word from VMT or NS regarding 2018 excursions with 611. Word is that VMT might partner with Amtrak and go to more places outside VA and NC, but another source claims NS will not allow 611 excursions next year even with Amtrak, just ferry moves like to the NCTM. We have to wait and see what happens.
Any info on steam running in the north east?
any word on the norfolk and western 611 being amtrak certified yet ?
Roger – The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad recently announced that work on C&O 1309 has been suspended. They need approximately $580,000 to finish the restoration and do not have the funds to continue. I also hope to see it running, but it’s unlikely that will occur in 2018.