CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It is currently not uncommon for small businesses to be short of workers to cover basic functions. This is true in the tourist rail industry, which was drastically affected by the pandemic, where some railroads are struggling to fill jobs as their season approaches. According to the U.S. Travel Association, leisure and […]
TUCSON, Ariz. — The parent company of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is set to broaden its interests by taking over Old Tucson Studios, a tourist attraction which closed in 2020. The Arizona Daily Star reports that Pima County, Ariz., has recommended that American Heritage Railways receive an operating agreement for Old Tucson. […]
CHEHALIS, Wash. — The president of the Chehalis-Central Railroad and Museum has resigned as the railroad deals with its shutdown because of a lack of insurance, saying in an email that the “organization is doomed to fail and I will not be a part of that failure.” The Centralia Chronicle reports that James Folk, who […]
CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar’s Sugar Express will operate its restored Alco 4-6-2 steam locomotive, No. 148, on two days of train rides between Clewiston and Moore Haven in April. Two-hour round trips on April 9-10 will depart Clewiston at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. each day. Each trip will feature No. 148 […]
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — The owner of the Mount Washington Cog Railway is proposing stationing railcars near the summit of the mountain to serve as overnight accommodations and a restaurant. The Associated Press reports owner Wayne Presby’s project would cost nearly $14 million, and would station 18 cars at an elevation of about 5,800 feet […]
CHEHALIS, Wash. — Documents detailing more than $1 million in losses over a 6-year period led to the inability of the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum’s inability to obtain liability insurance, the heritage railroad’s insurance broker explained earlier this week at an emergency meeting of the railroad’s board of directors. The lack of insurance has forced […]
CHEHALIS, Wash. — An inability to obtain insurance has forced the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum to suspend passenger operations until further notice, and perhaps for good. The heritage rail operation posted a notification on its Facebook page Saturday that it would halt operations, saying it was “looking to resume operations as soon as we are […]
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has cancelled all National Park Scenic rides through May 1 because of erosion of a section of the bank of the Cuyahoga River, WOIO-TV reports. The railroad will offer a National Park Flyer trip from its Rockside station in Independence, Ohio. More information is available at the […]
ELMIRA, Ontario — A rare GMD1 locomotive donated by Canadian National to the Waterloo Central Railway in April 2021 has emerged in new paint. The former CN No. 1437 made its first appearance on the heritage railway on March 5, 2022, as WCR No. 1012. “It’s all because of the volunteers; they did an amazing […]
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — People are vacationing again, and travel spending is close to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. This means as more Americans travel in 2022, tourist and heritage rail attractions can focus on what is normal: selling seats and injecting much-needed cashflow into tourist rail and preservation. This year is likely to be the first season […]
DENVER — Some 30 miles of New York rail line formerly operated by the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad has been sold for $3.33 million to a couple whose company plans to ship titanium ore from a mine on the route. The Albany Times Union reports Doc N Duchess Rails LLC, owned by Carol and […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and Trains Magazine kicked off the 2022 steam season at the Cumberland, Md.-based tourist railroad with a three-day photo charter featuring former Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309, the last Baldwin built for domestic service and now the world’s largest operating Mallet. Some 100 enthusiasts were on hand […]
