EATONVILLE, Wash. — Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad will resume operation by offering a RailCycle attraction at its Eatonville site, and is finalizing negotiations to operate steam excursions this summer at the Chehalis Centralia Railroad and Museum, Mt. Rainier officials have announced. Mt. Rainier’s plan is to bring its steam engine, Polson No. 70, and several […]
Railroad: Tourist Railroad
Grand Canyon Railway No. 4960 steams up for Earth Day
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel provided an Earth Day celebration with some steam added to the mix in the form of their 2-8-2 No. 4960. The former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad steam locomotive, with assistance from F40 diesel No. 4128, pulled the railway’s round-trip excursion train from Williams to the […]
Reading & Northern sets dates for Iron Horse Rambles, diesel excursions
PORT CLINTON, Pa. – The Reading & Northern Railroad has set dates for its popular “Iron Horse Rambles” with former Reading 4-8-4 No. 2102. Trips will operate from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe, Pa. on July 1, Aug. 13, and Sept. 2. Tickets for the Rambles go on sale May 1 at 9:00 a.m. Seating […]
Classic Great Northern Railway Ranch Car moves to Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad
TREGO, Wis. – A former Great Northern Railway ranch car that was once part of the storied Empire Builder streamliner has been purchased and moved to the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Trego. The ranch car, No. 1244, named White Pines Lake, was purchased from a former conference center operation in Columbus, Ohio, in January […]
Indiana Rail Experience announces 2023 schedule, first day of ticket sales
The Indiana Rail Experience, the rail excursion partnership of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and Indiana Northeastern Railroad, will return for its second season with an expanded schedule of events beginning May 27-28 and continuing through December. Excursions will feature diesel locomotives as well as Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 on select occasions, […]
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to resume National Park Scenic, Explorer trips May 5
PENINSULA, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will resume its National Park Scenic excursions and its Explorer Program as of May 5, the tourist railroad has announced. The railroad through Cuyahoga Valley National Park has faced a series of limitations on operations or complete shutdowns because of erosion issues along its right-of-way, which follows […]
Greenbrier Express sets inaugural run, start of regular operations
ELKINS, W.Va. — The inaugural run of Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad’s Greenbrier Express operation is set for Saturday, May 13, the railroad has announced. The initial run on the recently reopened, 15-mile Cass-to-Durbin remnant of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad’s Greenbrier Subdivision quickly sold out. Regular service will begin the following Saturday, May 20. […]
Colebrookdale Trust will acquire locomotive from Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum will transfer ownership of former Canadian National 4-6-2 No. 5288 to the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust in Boyertown, Pa., the two organizations announced Friday, with Colebrookdale planning to eventually restore the locomotive to operation. The engine will move to Pennsylvania as soon as possible. Built by Montreal […]
Seven uses for cabooses
Looking for interesting uses for cabooses? If you’re of a certain age (myself included), you remember when a caboose was on the end of almost every train. Then, in the 1990s, cabooses began to disappear. Instead of a friendly wave at the end of a train, you were greeted by a blinking red light on […]
Wheelset, track problems led to Missouri theme park derailment, report says
BRANSON, Mo. — A series of wheelset and track issues led to the derailment of a theme-park railroad in October 2022, according to a report released by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office. One employee and six passengers were injured in the derailment on the 2-foot gauge“Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train” at the Silver […]
Cass Parade of Steam set for June 17
CASS, W.Va. — Cass Scenic Railroad operator Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad has announced that the 2023 Parade of Steam will take place June 17 at the Cass depot. In previous years, this increasingly popular event has featured five of Cass Scenic’s geared steam locomotives, in various combinations, under steam. However, if all goes as […]
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad Heisler No. 3
In October of 2022, restored former Craig Mountain Lumber Co. 2-truck Heisler steam locomotive No. 3 began operation along the rails of the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. Since its 1917 origins, No. 3 has journeyed from lumber hauls in Idaho to sites in Wisconsin to Arizona to Oregon. Now at home on the OCSR, No. […]