MINERSVILLE, Pa. — An excursion to raise funds for an engineer who has been a key part of the volunteer restoration of a former Central of New Jersey 0-6-0 has raised $12,000 to help with his medical expenses. Since 2012, when the all-volunteer non-profit Railway Restoration Project 113 of Minersville, Pa., began running its former […]
Type of Train: Steam Locomotive
Western Maryland Scenic now operating Amtrak’s last dome car
CUMBERLAND, Md. — As tourist railroads and museums emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, they are offering new experiences to attract the public. At the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, this effort has translated into the addition of Amtrak’s last dome car. The Ocean View, built in 1955 and retired by Amtrak in 2019, debuted earlier this […]
How does a hydrostatic lubricator work in a steam locomotive?
Use of hydrostatic lubricators Proper lubrication of the valves and cylinders of early steam locomotives was an iffy proposition. Many depended on the water content of the low-pressure steam to do the work. It wasn’t satisfactory. It was complicated by the fact that these parts of the machinery were not easily accessible. Primitive oil cups were devised, […]
Nickel Plate Road 765 to return to Ohio for Steam in the Valley
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 will return to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for Steam in the Valley on Sept. 3, 10-12 and 17-19. Each year, except for 2020, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad works with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society to bring the steam locomotive to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, […]
Trains Magazine, U.S. Sugar set photo charter with ex-FEC No. 148
CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar’s restored 4-6-2 No. 148 will star in its first outing for railroad photographers in an exclusive event sponsored by Trains Magazine on Jan. 29-30, 2022. The 1920 Alco-built Pacific-type locomotive will pull passenger and replica freight consists in locations chosen by Trains Editor Jim Wrinn and Videographer Kevin Gilliam for […]
Oregon excursion operator to add steam locomotive
LEBANON, Ore. — Santiam Excursion Trains, which operates on the Albany & Eastern Railroad in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, has announced it will begin operating with a steam locomotive this fall. Coming to the tourist operation will be Santa Maria Valley No. 205, a 2-6-2 built by Baldwin in 1924. Retired and placed on display in […]
Steam queen
Steam queen For a few years in the late 1930s, the steam queens of New Haven’s Shore Line were 10 class I-5 4-6-4s. The handsome Hudsons’ wheel-balance woes prompted NH to begin acquiring a fleet of 60 DL109 diesels in 1941. Here, an I-5 roars west with the Merchants Limited at Sharon, Mass. Wayne Brumbaugh […]
San Jose, Calif., group plans to move locomotive, roundhouse to Niles Canyon Railway
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A San Jose rail historical group has announced plans to relocate a Southern Pacific steam locomotive, roundhouse, and turntable to the Pacific Locomotive Association’s Niles Canyon Railway in Sunol, Calif. The California Trolley and Railroad Corp. will move partially restored Southern Pacific 4-6-2 No. 2479, along with the roundhouse and its […]
Black Fork Gorge
Black Fork Gorge Seven Western Maryland 2-8-0s — two up front, three at midtrain, and two ahead of the caboose — urge a 78-car eastbound train up the twisting grade through the Black Fork Gorge toward Thomas, W.Va. Edward Theisinger photo […]
Williamsport-bound
Williamsport-bound At Fassett, Pa., just south of the New York state line, I1 4315 gets a roll on a Williamsport-bound freight. Rugged, simple, powerful, and compact, the I1’s served for four decades. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
How to lubricate your locomotives
In this Workbench Minute video, CTT editor Hal Miller shows the basics of locomotive lubrication with O gauge diesel. The techniques are also useful on steam engines and locomotives in S gauge, too. He shows what to use (and where to get it), where to use it, and reinforces the idea that less is more […]
How to lubricate your locomotives
In this Workbench Minute video, CTT editor Hal Miller shows the basics of locomotive lubrication with O gauge diesel. The techniques are also useful on steam engines and locomotives in S gauge, too. He shows what to use (and where to get it), where to use it, and reinforces the idea that less is more […]