Texas & Pacific ended regular steam operations in 1952. When Red River flooding near Boyce, La., became too deep for diesels to wade through in 1957, T&P borrowed a 2-8-2 from the Fort Worth & Denver to haul trains in the high water. In January 1958, T&P bought a different FW&D Mike, No, 410, and […]
OWOSSO, Mich. — Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 is undergoing a full retube of its boiler, according to a May 12 news release by the locomotive’s owner, the Steam Railroading Institute (SRI). The Berkshire-type locomotive was taken out of service in November 2024, on the eve of its 2024 North Pole Express excursions, due to […]
MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. — The iconic coal-fired steam locomotives of the Mount Washington Cog Railway will see a temporary delay in their 2025 debuts. A May 12 post on the tourist railroad’s Facebook page states: “Recent pre-season preparations revealed the need for reduced steam pressure in locomotives MW2 and MW9, conditions that would result in […]
Steamtown National Historic Site, once known as Steamtown USA, has a captivating history. Its journey from one man’s vision in New England to a National Park Service railroad museum in Pennsylvania is marked by highs and lows, attracting both advocates and critics. The Vision of F. Nelson Blount Francis Nelson Blount Jr. was […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) recently announced that 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 is ready to return to excursion service, beginning May 9. The locomotive was sidelined during the 2024 season for extensive work on the pistons, cylinders, and running gear [see “Western Maryland Scenic No. 1309 nears reassembly,” News Wire, Jan. 22, 2025]. […]
ABILENE, Kan. — The operating season is ramping up for the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. The same is true for major work on the railroad’s former Rock Island branch — between Abilene and Enterprise — and its Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3415. Accoring to a May 7 article from KSAL radio, the railroad’s […]
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STRASBURG, Pa. — The Strasburg Rail Road wasted no time unleashing its workhorse, 2-10-0 No. 90 back onto the tourist railroad’s main line through the Amish countryside. The locomotive began 45-minute excursion runs by early April, mechanically fresh from a federally mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection that began in early 2024. Cosmetically, the gold numbers, lettering, […]
Louisville & Nashville RS3 150 passes “Big Emma” 2-8-4 1980 at Baileys, Ky., in July 1954. The Berkshire will couple to the rear of the RS3’s freight for the climb over Emanuel Hill. W. A. Akin Jr. photo […]
This reboot of The Roundhouse, an on-camera interview series established in 2013, welcomes host Brian Schmidt, Editor of Classic Trains Magazine, and guest Rob McGonigal, former (retired) Editor of Classic Trains Magazine, back to the roundtable. Just as the Summer 2025 issue of the now 25-year-old periodical is set for publication, Brian and Rob sit […]
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Reading Co. T-1 No. 2100 is nearing the finish line of its restoration at the hands of the American Steam Railroad Preservation Association (ASR). As part of the fundraising efforts to complete the project, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has partnered with the Cincinnati Scenic Railway (CSR) to offer 50 benefit […]
A massive Norfolk & Western class A 2-6-6-4 dwarfs workers in the road’s yard at Roanoke, Va., in 1954. W. A. Akin Jr. photo […]
