Sugar Express sets steam excursions for April 9-10

Train with steam locomotive crosses wooden bridge

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 […]

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Kentucky Steam, Pueblo Railway Foundation swap parts for steam locomotive restorations

Steam locomotive at museum

RAVENNA, Ky. — Part of a Santa Fe engine is heading East to help return a locomotive to operating condition, thanks to a creative collaboration between two unlikely preservation partners. Two non-profit organizations, the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. and the Pueblo (Colo.) Railway Foundation, will swap locomotive components, bringing one 78-year-old locomotive’s restoration closer to […]

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Washington state heritage railroad suspends operations

Logo of the Chehalis Centralia Railroad and Museum

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 […]

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Tourist railroads poised for a strong rebound in 2022: Analysis

Man on train taking picture with cell phone

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 […]

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Preserved Santa Fe SD45-2 restored to bicentennial scheme

A group of people pose in front of a red, white, and blue locomotive

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mid-America Car of Kansas City has completed the cosmetic restoration of former Santa Fe SD45-2 No. 5704 — donated to the Southern California Railroad Museum in Perris, Calif., in 2021 — to the eye-catching bicentennial paint scheme it wore in the mid-1970s. Mid-America’s craftsmen took several months to recreate the appearance […]

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Last Baldwin steams again in preview of 2022 season

Steam locomotive under large cloud of smoke and steam

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 […]

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Monticello Railway Museum adds IC switcher to collection

Blue switcher with painted-over company name

MONTICELLO, Ill. — The Monticello Railway Museum in Central Illinois is adding to its collection with the donation of former Illinois Central SW14 No. 1407. Following a career in private lease service, No. 1407 was graciously donated by GATX Locomotive Group. The unit, now GMTX No. 526, is currently stored in Lexington, Ky. No. 1407 […]

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East Broad Top sells out Winter Spectacular

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — The East Broad Top Foundation posted a sold-out Winter Spectacular celebration Feb. 18-19, with 10 internal-combustion-powered trips over its restored main line between Rockhill Furnace and Colgate Grove and tours of the roundhouse and station archives. This year’s winter event built on the success of the Foundation’s first Winter Spectacular in […]

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