Nevada Northern acquires Baldwin prime mover for restoration project

Black crane lifting diesel engine off trailer

ELY, Nev. — The Nevada Northern Railway has acquired a Baldwin VO diesel prime mover to be used in restoration of the railroad’s VO1000 locomotive built in 1942. In a series of posts on the Nevada Northern Facebook page, the railroad says it found the engine, built in 1945, at a New Jersey firm that […]

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Nevada Northern to celebrate 35th anniversary of tourist operations

Steam locomotive at speed with tall plume of smoke.

ELY, Nev. — The Nevada Northern Railway Museum will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the launch of its excursion operations on Memorial Day weekend with a series of special events as well as its regular schedule of excursions. The celebration from Thursday, May 26, to Sunday, May 29, will include guided tours of the museum, […]

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Nevada Northern fundraising drive seeks to keep 4-6-0 No. 40 in operation

Two steam locomotive lead a freight train upgrade through a hilly valley with snow-capped mountains in the background.

ELY, Nev. — Nevada Northern Railway is beginning a fundraising drive to raise the more than $1 million needed to continue operation of Baldwin 4-6-0 No. 40, built for the railroad in 1910, and will double donations through a one-for-one matching grant. The locomotive is facing its 1,472-day boiler inspection, last undertaken in 2004, and […]

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Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1

Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1! No force of nature or pandemic fears could keep Trains.com Producer Kent Johnson from pressing ahead with his Amtrak victory lap across America in the summer of 2021. There’s no better way to reveal the highlights and highjinks of present-day rail travel, than to document the ride along routes of notable […]

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Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1

Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1! No force of nature or pandemic fears could keep Trains.com Executive Producer Kent Johnson from pressing ahead with his Amtrak victory lap across America in the summer of 2021. There’s no better way to reveal the highlights and highjinks of present-day rail travel, than to document the ride along routes of […]

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Grand Canyon excursion honors late Trains editor

Side view of black steam locomotive

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Arizona’s Grand Canyon Railway honored late Trains editor Jim Wrinn during a Saturday, April 23, excursion to mark Earth Day, adding a message, “Steam on, Jim Wrinn,” to the tender of 2-8-2 No. 4960. The locomotive is an appropriate one to use for an Earth Day event because the locomotive, built by […]

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Nevada’s Great Western Steam Up to feature nine operating locomotives

Ornate steam locomotive

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada State Railroad Museum will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad July 1-4 with the “Great Western Steam Up,” slated to include 17 steam locomotives, with nine operating locomotives representing six Nevada railroads. “We are excited to offer a lineup of historic steam locomotives unlike anything […]

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Owner of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2-8-0 seeks restoration funding

woman stands next to black steam locomotive

When Lori Lindsey bought The Mineshaft Tavern in Madrid, N.M., in 2007, she acquired the restaurant, museum, and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe No. 769. After consulting with restoration experts, Lindsey is seeking funding to restore the 2-8-0. With encouragement from Santa Fe, N.M., resident Andrew Delgado, Lindsey consulted with steam restoration experts. She has […]

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Santa Fe New Mexico branchline service

A lone diesel locomotive pauses in an arid landscaped rail yard.

Santa Fe New Mexico branchline service epitomizes a long-gone era of U.S. railroading — the kind where locals and shuttles move rural freight (and passengers) in unhurried ways. True, this photo gallery from the David P. Morgan Library collection offers dedicated copper-mine running. But there are no “hot-shots”, high-priority merchandise freights, or even an intermodal […]

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Durango & Silverton owner to take over Arizona tourist attraction

Logo of American Heritage Railways

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. […]

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NTSB report details fatal 2021 Arizona accident involving Union Pacific track worker

Aerial view of site of rail accident

WASHINGTON — The failure of an operator to stop a tie tamping machine — with the operator admitting he was in a panicked state because the machine did not appear to stop when he expected —  led to the death of a track worker struck by the tamper, the National Transportation Safety Board determined in […]

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