Owner of Beech Mountain Railroad prepares to close mine

Blue Alco end-cab switcher moves hopper cars in forested area

ALEXANDER, W.Va. — The Carter-Roag Coal Co. plans to close its Morgan Camp mine, the last coal mine in Randolph County, W.Va., as well as the Star Bridge coal preparation plant, likely spelling the end of the company’s Beech Mountain Railroad. Local news reports say Carter-Roag, a subsidiary of United Coal Co., announced last week […]

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EBT opens its first steam-powered season in 12 years

Steam locomotive and train at station

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – The East Broad Top Railroad opened its first steam-powered season in 12 years with the return of regularly scheduled excursion trains for weekend operations Friday, May 5, through today, May 7. EBT 2-8-2 engine No. 16 (Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1916) easily handled its six-car train.  Freshly overhauled, the 81-ton engine broke […]

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King of the Maine two-footers

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In 1934 on the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes, largest of the Maine two-foot-gauge railroads, a gasoline railcar and baggage trailer are ready to depart the depot at Strong, while 2-6-2 No. 24 prepares to follow with a freight. Peter Cornwall coll. […]

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Major 2020s steam locomotive restorations (so far!)

View from inside roundhouse of locomotive sitting outside

Major 2020s steam locomotive restorations (so far!) will take a look at five locomotives that returned to service in the early part of the decade. Even in these challenging times, the restoration efforts show no signs of slowing down. Check out our list: U.S. Sugar No. 148 Restoration completed in 2020: Built in April 1920 […]

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East Broad Top steam returns to revenue service

Steam locomotive with four passenger cars and caboose

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — East Broad Top Railroad’s freshly restored 2-8-2 Mikado locomotive No. 16 delighted admirers over the weekend by pulling a full schedule of eight passenger trains and two photo freights for the road’s annual Winter Spectacular. All trains were sold out. The event was a landmark in several ways. First, No. 16 […]

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East Broad Top No. 16 set to operate at Winter Spectacular (updated)

Steam locomotive on turntable

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — Steam-powered excursions will highlight the East Broad Top Railroad’s upcoming Winter Spectacular, the railroad said in a press release today (Thursday, Feb. 2), with the return of 2-8-2 No. 16 to operating condition. The railroad, which posted a video of the 1916 Baldwin-built locomotive on its Facebook page on Wednesday, confirmed […]

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Standard-gauge East Broad Top 0-6-0

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The 3-foot-gauge East Broad Top had two standard-gauge 0-6-0s to switch the dual-gauge yard at Mount Union, Pa., where EBT interchanged with the Pennsylvania. Here, EBT’s Three-Spot moves a PRR hopper in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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White Pass & Yukon to resume service into Canada in 2023

WhitePass_Diesels_Johnston

SKAGWAY, Alaska — The White Pass & Yukon Railway will resume trips into Canada this summer, the first such operations since before the COVID-19 pandemic, KHNS Radio reports. One-way passenger service to Fraser, British Columbia, will run daily from early May to early October, with return or continuing service by bus. Service to Carcross and […]

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Year in review: Preservation stories from coast to coast

Three-stall roundhouse building under construction

Trains News Wire continues our review of the top stories of 2022. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Dec. 26. As a prelude, we’ll be looking at major stories that didn’t make that list. Today: Preservation. While some preservation stories did […]

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