ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3415 and its home, the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, are in consideration for state recognition in Kansas. The locomotive has been out of service following the 2023 season for a federally mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and overall rebuild, currently estimated at $600,000 [See “Santa Fe No. […]
PERRIS, Calif. – After sitting dormant for more than 30 years, a rare Fairbanks Morse H12-44 switcher made its public debut on Saturday, Jan. 20, following a multi-year restoration at the Southern California Railway Museum. Built in 1956, ATSF No. 560 was part of an order of six H12-44s built for the Santa Fe. They […]
DURANGO, Colo. — Passenger excursions are the meat and potatoes for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad’s (D&SNGRR) overall business. However, logging has been another venture that has returned the former branch line of the Denver, Rio Grande & Western to its common carrier roots. Nearly six years after the 416 Fire [See “Fires […]
SALT LAKE CITY – Southeast Farmers Coop has donated former Denver & Rio Grande Western SW1200 No. 133 to the Promontory Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, according to the Facebook post by Derrick Klarr, Promontory Chapter preservation officer. The South Dakota-based D&I railroad assisted in the donation. Rio Grande No. 133 was built in […]
LINCOLN, N.H. — White Mountain Central Railroad, operated by Clark’s Bears (formerly Clark’s Trading Post), announced that front power-truck issues, which sidelined its two-truck Climax No. 6 last season have been repaired. The locomotive is scheduled to operate during July and August 2024. No. 6 is one of only four Climax geared locomotives still operating […]
PITTSTON, Pa. — In response to a scrapping scheduled on January 22, a GoFundMe campaign was recently launched to save a historic SW1 diesel switcher, former Boston & Maine Railroad No. 1127. Organized by Connor Maher of the Danbury Railway Museum, $65,000 total must be raised to purchase the first-generation locomotive at $50,000 from current owner […]
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – Expanded tours of the East Broad Top Railroad shops, roundhouse, and archives will be offered for the first time in 2024, the non-profit EBT Foundation, Inc., has announced. The narrow-gauge central Pennsylvania steam preservation railroad, a National Historic Landmark, will open new opportunities besides its existing one-hour tour of its circa-1910 […]
DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Railroad Museum has begun work to cosmetically restore Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern Railway Fairbanks Morse H-10-44 switcher No. 11. The museums plans to restore the cab, engine compartment, and locomotive exterior. It will be repainted into the MN&S 1960s-era paint scheme which featured large MNS billboard-style lettering. Earlier this […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has signed a long-term lease to acquire the Georges Creek Railway, a dormant short line in Maryland’s southwestern Allegany County, which the railroad plans to use for “passenger and potential freight opportunities,” according to a press release. The newly acquired line will be known as Western Maryland […]
PARIS — Four nearly 80-year-old, Baldwin-built diesel locomotives have been scrapped in France after preservation efforts failed. Two of the units were scrapped in December, following the scrapping of two similar diesels earlier in 2023. The locomotives were part of the effort to resupply French Railways (SNCF) following World War II, when it lost more […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has launched a fundraising campaign to return both its steam locomotives — 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 and 2-8-0 No. 734 — to operation, with No. 1309 newly sidelined after the discovery it needs its pistons and rods replaced. The former Cheaspeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 has been the heritage railroad’s […]
BALTIMORE — Beginning Wednesday, the B&O Railroad Museum will launch its “B&O Unlocked” series, a 12-month program offering limited access to locomotives and railcars in the museum’s collection not previously open to the public. One piece from the museum’s collection will be open for three days each month between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., beginning […]
