SCRANTON, Pa. — The Steamtown National Historic Site has received what it terms as “a generous donation” from the estate of rail enthusiast Eric J. Yankovich to help fund the restoration of SW1 locomotive No. 1901, an Atlantic Coast Line diesel switcher build by Electro-Motive Corp. in 1939. Steamtown is one of six railroad museums […]
ABILENE, Kan. — Steam locomotive No. 3415 is halfway through its 2023 operating season on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, the final year before the locomotive is slated to be taken out of service for its federally mandated 1,472-day inspection. Though the start of the season saw multiple sidelines to the 4-6-2 due to […]
THOMASTON, Conn. — Former 20th Century Limited observation car Hickory Creek and New York Central tavern-lounge car No. 43 will return to Connecticut’s Naugatuck Railroad for a series of upcoming holiday excursions including this year’s Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express trips. Tickets for those trips are now on sale; information is available at the […]
PLEASANT LAKE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired the 141-year-old railroad station in Pleasant Lake to serve as headquarters for the Indiana Rail Experience, the tourist rail partnership of the society and the short line Indiana Northeastern Railroad. The acquisition was made possible through a grant to develop a station and […]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 2926 is scheduled to return to the Tractor Brewing Wells Park for a fundraising event on Aug. 26. The first visit was May 6 and marked the 4-8-4’s first public operation away from its restoration site [see “News photos: Santa Fe 2926 takes a short trip,” Trains […]
If you’re planning a visit to Texas, make sure to include these tourist railroads, museums, and displays as part of the itinerary. They’ll be the highlights of your adventure in the Lone Star State, as recommended by Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook. Texas Tourist Railroads and Museums Central Texas Austin Steam Train Association – 401 […]
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. — The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society has begun a fundraising campaign to return historic C&O office car Chessie 29 to operation, organization president Mark Totten has announced. The society will sell a custom, limited-edition, 11-by-17-inch poster of the car from Base Camp Printing of Charleston, W.Va., to fund the hiring of […]
From the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports, Minnesota’s tourist railroads, museums, and displays preserve a vast history of iron and steel that crisscrossed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” With help from Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook, let’s explore the Gopher State’s must-visits. Minnesota Tourist Railroads and Museums Minneapolis-St. Paul Minnesota Transportation Museum – 193 […]
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Oklahoma Railway Museum has taken delivery of a historic alternative fuel testbed locomotive, donated by BNSF Railway after use as a hydrogen fuel cell switcher in Southern California. Built as Canadian Pacific GP9 No. 8637 in 1957, the unit was rebuilt by CP in the mid-1980s and utilized in regular […]
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel’s 2-8-2 No. 4960 returned to service after a month-and-a-half absence to lead the “First Saturday” steam excursion from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 5. The scheduled July 1 trip was canceled due to high fire danger in the area, according […]
NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — The Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society has donated Monon business car No. 2, also known as the Lynne, and Monon wide-vision caboose No. 81532 to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, the two organizations have announced. Plans call for operating the business car in excursion service as an upscale experience, with a portion […]
Norfolk & Western No. 611 has a new place to run. The Virginia Museum of Transportation and Virginia Scenic Railway — the excursion operation of the short line Buckingham Branch Railroad — have announced the Class J 4-8-4 will run weekend excursions this fall on the Virginia Scenic Railway. The steam-powered Shenandoah Valley Limited will […]
