WILLIAMS, Ariz. — The 2024 summer season has concluded at Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel, yet its steam season presses on with 2-8-2 No. 4960. The Mikado-type was at the head end on Sept. 7 for its seventh “First Saturday” excursion of the year — between Williams and Grand Canyon National Park. “Overall, No. 4960 […]
Train Topic: Preservation
News photos: UP Big Boy arrives in the Midwest
ROCHELLE, Ill. — The vast expanse of Union Pacific’s Ike Evans Global III terminal just west of Rochelle played host to a “Family Days” event for Chicago area UP employees today (Saturday, Sept. 7) prior to a public display featuring Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 on Sunday at the same location. It proved to be […]
News photo: Passenger cars make move to Indiana Rail Experience
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The newest additions to the Indiana Rail Experience passenger fleet are nearing the end of the journey to that operation. Heavyweight Pullman Kitchi Gammi Club and former Union Pacific sleeper Pacific Island are shown in South Bend this morning (Saturday, Sept. 7) on the rear of the Lake Shore Limited as […]
Steamtown resumes traditional Railfest schedule
SCRANTON, Pa. — The National Park Service’s Steamtown National Historic Site this weekend revived its traditional Labor Day Railfest event, operating steam and diesel shuttle trains, demonstrating machine-shop skills, and providing a festival venue for a wide array of rail-related activities. After cancellations and schedule disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic, the event returned to […]
Roger Williams: These Budds are for you, Providence
By the mid-1950s, the economic “Passenger Problem” was haunting U.S. railroads in a material way. In addition, older equipment continued to wear out and require replacement. Had this been a non-regulated business, that alone probably would have ended much of intercity passenger service, since there was no real prospect of making a return on investment. […]
Young Guns in Preservation: Cameron Stefan
Cameron Stefan serves as the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s operations mechanic with vast responsibilities: Diesel engineer, conductor, dispatcher, fireman and track laborer when out on the main line, plus craftsman at the shop facility in Ridgeley, W.Va. From this prosperous position at the tourist line has been growth in confidence and family for the 25-year-old. […]
East Broad Top 2-8-2 No. 16 is back in service
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – After being out of service for eight months, East Broad Top Railroad narrow-gauge 2-8-2 Mikado engine No. 16 (Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1916) will resume hauling tourist passengers tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 30). The engine will pull regularly scheduled EBT trains on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Oct. 27, plus additional special runs […]
Rebuilding the S-Line | Amtrak in North Carolina and Virginia
Rebuilding the S-Line | As detailed in the November 2024 issue of Trains magazine, the neighboring states of North Carolina and Virginia are up to something big! They are cooperating, collaborating, and even co-funding to create a 110-mph interstate passenger-train speedway dubbed, the “S-Line”. Watch this video to see some of the existing Amtrak trains […]
Big Boy’s ‘Westward Bound’ recap
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Union Pacific Railroad‘s Big Boy No. 4014 is en route for its second outing of the 2024 steam season. During its “Heartland of America” tour, the 4-8-8-4 will travel eastbound toward Illinois before pointing its headlight south to Texas. Before looking more into the fall trip, here’s a recap of both the […]
BNSF donates turntable to Railroad Heritage of Midwest America
SILVIS, Ill. — BNSF Railway will donate the turntable from its Cicero, Ill., yard to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America for use at the group’s Silvis, Ill., shop complex, RRHMA has announced. The 135-foot former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy turntable will become the largest preserved U.S. turntable in the U.S., and is needed to handle […]
Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 set for LA appearance in September
LOS ANGELES — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3751 will make 2024 public debut this September at the Rail Safety: Los Angeles event, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society has announced. The free, two-day event will be the largest rail safety event hosted in downtown Los Angeles in more than a decade. Taking place at […]
Noted Swiss steam railway closed by major storm damage
BRIENZ, Switzerland — The Brienz Rothorn Railway, a celebrated steam-powered tourist cog railway in central Switzerland, will be closed for the remainder of the 2024 season as a result of severe damage sustained in a storm on Monday, Aug. 12, the railway has announced. The railway normally operates from May to October. “Following a comprehensive […]