Illinois Railway Museum to restore ‘Centennial’ diesel to operation

Yellow diesel locomotive on display

UNION, Ill. — The Illinois Railway Museum has announced ambitious plans to restore its Union Pacific DDA40 “Centennial” No. 6930 to full operational status. The “Revive the Centennial” campaign was publicly unveiled on Sept. 17 via the museum’s social media channels. This significant undertaking will involve extensive upgrades and repairs, including the crucial acquisition and […]

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Woodstown Central 0-6-0 No. 9 returns to service

Black and gray steam locomotive with large smoke plume running in woods.

WOODSTOWN, N.J. — On Saturday, Sept. 20, steam locomotive No. 9 of the Woodstown Central Railroad will re-debut to the public, following an extensive period of repairs. In April, the Alco-built 0-6-0 was sidelined by an overheated journal on its central axle during an excursion, necessitating repairs beyond the capabilities of the tourist railroad’s South […]

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Maryland DOT awards grants to five rail projects

Maryland Department of Transportation logo

HANOVER, Md. — The Maryland Department of Transportation has awarded $1.2 million in funding as part of the inaugural awards under its Freight Rail Grant Program launched this year. Five projects have received funding under MDOT’s Office of Rail and Intermodal Freight as part of a program to help preserve railroad corridors, support economic development, […]

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News photos: East Broad Top honors Kovalchick family

Plaque mounted on locomotive driving whel

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — The family responsible for saving the East Broad Top Railroad has been honored by the EBT Foundation for its role in preserving the narrow gauge line. In a Saturday ceremony, the EBT dedicated a monument to Fannie and Nick Kovalchick and their family. The Kovalchicks, who operate a scrap metal firm, […]

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East Broad Top: America’s Oldest Narrow Gauge Railroad

A steam locomotive sits inside a roundhouse

Time capsule When construction of Pennsylvania’s iron ore and coal-hauling East Broad Top began in 1872, more than 150 years ago, its builders decided it would be a narrow gauge line, with rails set 3-feet apart instead of the North American standard gauge of 4-feet, 8.5-inches. Narrow gauge offered significant advantages, as the smaller locomotives […]

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Discover the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Sideview of an old steam locomotive being looked over by a crewman wearing bib overalls

Steam over Cumbres Pass On a sunny June morning in Antonito, Colorado, Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad’s 4-6-0 No. 168, built by Baldwin in 1883, is readied for another run over the mountains. Its relatively tall 46-inch drivers made it suitable for fast passenger service. Carl Swanson The 64-mile-long Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is […]

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East Troy Railroad Museum receives financial donation from CN

Orange trolley operates on a cloudy day

EAST TROY, Wis. — The East Troy Railroad Museum recently announced a $10,000 donation from the Canadian National Railway’s Community Giving Program. The funding will support vital infrastructure improvements, specifically the replacement of wooden ties along the museum’s main line between East Troy and Mukwonago, Wis. “This 7-mile line is the last remnant of an […]

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Conway Scenic Railroad founder Smith dies

Three men in front of locomotive

TILTON, N.H. — Dwight A. Smith, founder of the Conway Scenic Railroad, has died at age 100. Smith, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in World War II, had been living at the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton since 2020. The Conway Scenic said in a statement that it “mourns the passing of its […]

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