Friday morning rail preservation news: Illinois Railway Museum sets two weekends of special events The Illinois Railway Museum, which reopened in July with special COVID-19 precautionary measures, is planning two weekends of special events in September. Labor Day weekend will feature night train operations until 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 5-6, and J. Neils Lumber Shay […]
Locomotive news in brief: Metra C&NW heritage unit debuts Chicago commuter railroad Metra has unveiled its latest heritage locomotive. Metra F59PHI No. 90 was released Monday from the company’s paint booth in a Chicago & North Western-inspired scheme. The design incorporates elements of C&NW’s paint scheme worn on early passenger diesel locomotives such as EMD’s […]
KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The CSX Santa Train, an Appalachian tradition for more than seven decades, will be sidelined this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in its traditional form. CSX and the Kingsport, Tenn., Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that the Santa Train, held annually the Saturday before Thanksgiving in Eastern Kentucky, Southwest […]
BNSF Railway has introduced the first of what it says will be 10 locomotives with special paint schemes marking the railroad’s 25th anniversary. On its Facebook page, the railroad posted four photos of GE ES44AC No. 5828, with a “25th Anniversary” label on the nose and side, as well as logos of predecessor railroads. BNSF […]
Cass Scenic Railroad reopened in June 2020 with a splash of geared steam. Climax No. 9 kicked off things with a photo charter, then lead a pack of Shays for side-by-side running and a five-chime whistle to let everyone know that steam is alive and kickin’ in the Mountain State! […]
Cass Scenic Railroad reopened in June 2020 with a splash of geared steam. Climax No. 9 kicked off things with a photo charter, then lead a pack of Shays for side-by-side running and a five-chime whistle to let everyone know that steam is alive and kickin’ in the Mountain State! […]
The phenomenal narrow gauge of the Northeast, the East Broad Top, is coming back. Nine years after it was closed and almost six decades since it shut down in the 1950s as a coal hauling railroad, the EBT has reopened and is on track to reopen in steam in 2021. Here’s a report from our […]
Crews from Hulcher and Diversified Rail Services worked to place Western Maryland Scenic 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 on its wheels on June 10, 2020. It was a major milestone in the restoration of the last Baldwin locomotive built for domestic service in 1949. This video shows the highlights. […]
DAYTON, Ohio – Two railfan events scheduled for summer 2020 are cancelled due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. The annual Carillon Park Rail Festival in Dayton is cancelled for 2020. The event, which features miniature train rides with live steam locomotives, historical exhibits, and a swap meet, is traditionally held the weekend after Father’s Day. […]
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad, shown in 2017, will resume operations on Saturday. TRAINS: David Lassen Thursday afternoon rail news: — The Grapevine Vintage Railroad in Grapevine, Texas, will resume operations Saturday after closing in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, the railroad will offer four 1-hour Mother’s Day excursions, departing at 10 a.m., […]
More Tuesday rail news: — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority expects lowered ridership to continue for much of the next year, but nonetheless is beginning to plan for a return to full schedules. The Boston Globe reports the agency will increase service to allow social distancing as Massachusetts begins to emerge from its stay-at-home order. […]
In August 1968, two years before author Dierks’ ride and when the Boise City mixed carried a combine instead of just a caboose, Santa Fe train 174 is at Elkhart, Kans. Joe McMillan This wasn’t my first rodeo, so to speak. I had ridden mixed trains in Utah and Idaho, and, just four days ago, one in Kansas. […]
