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 […]
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, […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 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. — 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 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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden in May operated all three of its restored steam power, the famous Rio Grande Southern 4-6-0 No. 20, 2-8-0 No. 346, and 2-8-2 No. 491 for a special weekend. […]
