Emery Trust awards $350,000 in rail preservation grants

Emery Rail Heritage Trust logo

The John Emery Rail Heritage Trust has will award 22 grants totaling $350,000, for rail preservation projects in 2022. The list of grants selected comes from 34 applications requesting more than $1 million. The trust, the largest in the U.S. that makes 100% of its awards solely for rail restoration projects, was founded by long-time […]

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California’s Railtown 1897, museum foundation acquire Sierra Railway locomotive

Black and white photo of 2-8-2 steam locomotive

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation have acquired historic Sierra Railway No. 34, the only surviving Sierra steam locomotive never to have been in service on another railroad. A ceremony to mark the acquisition, made possible through a donation by railroad enthusiasts Chris Baldo and Marion Hatch, will […]

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Age of Steam Roundhouse, Trains Magazine offer exclusive photo event May 20

Small steam locomotive in clouds of steam outside roundhouse

SUGARCREEK, Ohio — Age of Steam Roundhouse and Trains Magazine will sponsor an exclusive day of photography May 20 at the venue that houses the late Jerry Joe Jacobson’s extensive steam locomotive collection. The day will begin with the operation of Moorhead & North Fork 0-6-0 No. 12 and then move inside, where locomotives ranging […]

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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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A 1930s-era garden railroad set in the western countryside

Two model trains at a model station

The railway at a glance Name of railroad: Virginia & DACS Railroad Size of railroad: Approximately 14′ x 36′ Scale: 1:22.5 and 1:20.3 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Theme: Pre-diesel, western countryside Era: 1930s-40s Motive power: LGB and Bachmann steam-outline engines Length of mainline: Outer loop, 90′; inner figure-eight with spur, 120′ Maximum gradient: 3.5% Minimum […]

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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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Southern Pacific locomotives remembered

Southern Pacific locomotives: Small steam locomotive rests adjacent to larger streamlined diesel

Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history, heritage, and style of the Southern Pacific Lines all through February 2022. So, please enjoy this photo gallery of Southern Pacific locomotives selected from the archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. Southern Pacific locomotives were among the most distinctive in North America. The SP was one of the only […]

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B&O Steam DVD review

B&O Steam DVD cover

You’ll relive the glory years on the Baltimore & Ohio steam operations in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. A wide area of the B&O is covered during the steam era including Cincinnati to North Vernon, Ind.; Cincinnati to Pittsburgh via Columbus; and around Wheeling, W.Va. Also shown are scenes at Cincinnati Union Terminal, including […]

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