ABILENE, Kan. — The operating season is ramping up for the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (A&SV). The same will apply to major work on the railroad’s former Rock Island branch — between Abilene and Enterprise — and its Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3415.
In a May 7 article by KSAL, the railroad’s board of directors recently chose one of three companies who submitted sealed bids to perform major track work along the 5.5-mile line. This will include installing 1,000 new ties, adding new ballast, and rebuilding switches in both Abilene and Enterprise. The railroad was awarded a $471,722 grant on Dec. 18, 2024, as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) $13 million Rail Service Improvement Investment program (RSIS).
“This is a major project that will improve the safety on the line and give our passengers a much smoother ride,” said A&SV President and General Manager Ross Boelling in a new release on the railroad’s website. “These are improvements that we’ve needed for a long time.”
KSAL reports the bid is pending approval and “the name of the company submitting the successful bid will not be released until KDOT reviews the A&SVs recommendations, an action that is expected soon.” Work can then begin immediately upon approval, taking place only on select weekdays when the railroad isn’t operating its scheduled excursion trains: Monday through Wednesday. It’s anticipated that track upgrades can conclude by early July.
Meanwhile at the railroad’s Abilene shop, 4-6-2 No. 3415, out of service since 2023, is in the midst of its federally mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and rebuild, currently estimated at $600,000 [See “Santa Fe No. 3415 headed for rebuild…” News Wire, Oct. 13, 2025]. The A&SV was awarded another grant of $79,152 in February 2025, this time from the Kansas State Historical Society.
The grant will help cover the cost of the locomotive’s boiler inspection while replacing flue and tubes, a process that’ll require outside consulting and skilled labor, according to the Feb. 3 news release. The overall rebuild is reported to include work on the drivers, engine truck, and bearings on the tender trucks. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad staff were present in January to assist in the initial teardown with the inspection and rebuild expected to pick up again this summer.
“We would like to have the engine back in service late this year,” said Boelling. “Santa Fe No. 3415 figures to play a major role in Abilene’s observance of America’s 250th birthday in 2026, so we need to get the engine up and running.”
Visit the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad website for more information.
Great news for this 106-year-old “Pacific” type rail veteran… Note that it is the only operating steam locomotive in Kansas and is one of four Santa Fe steam engines still operating in the States… Remember that the beloved Santa Fe 3415 was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 2012.
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