Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum debuts rare EMD BL2 (with video)

Blue and gray locomotive on bridge

EMD BL2 NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — On a cloudless Saturday, Sept. 2, Todd Flanigan smiles in the cab of BL2 No. 52 and draws on his cigar. It is a celebratory smoke, since Flanigan, president of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, is minutes from operating the rare Electro-Motive Division locomotive on its first run following […]

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society acquires seven NYC passenger cars

Group of stainless steel passenger cars

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired seven cars built in 1941 for New York Central’s Empire State Express from New York’s Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum for use in its Indiana Rail Experience operation and future excursion use. Estimated cost of restoring the entire fleet of cars is […]

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Initial ticket sales strong for upcoming N&W 611 fall excursions

Streamlined steam locomotive with train passes through field

ROANOKE, Va. — Strong sales have followed Tuesday’s release of tickets for the upcoming fall excursions with Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 on the Buckingham Branch Railroad. The Shenandoah Valley Limited will offer twice-daily, 60-mile round trips during October and November weekends between Goshen and Staunton, Va. Traffic was high on the website […]

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Patriot Rail acquires New Hampshire tourist railroads

Hobo and Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroads logo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Shortline holding company Patriot Rail has acquired two New Hampshire tourist railroads, the Hobo Railroad and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. The railroads operate a combined total of 54 miles of state-owned former Boston & Maine trackage. The Hobo Railroad is based in the White Mountains tourist town of Lincoln, while the Winnipesaukee […]

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Grand Canyon No. 4960 celebrates centennial

Black steam locomotive pulling passenger train around curve

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway’s No. 4960 completed three consecutive Saturdays of round-trip excursions from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 5, 12, and 19. The 100-year-old 2-8-2 commemorated its centennial year with an official celebration as part of the Aug. 12 run. The locomotive “ran like a […]

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Western Maryland Scenic adds former California Zephyr dome (corrected)

Stainless steel dome car with red stripe along windows

CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has added dome-lounge Silver Palace, a well-traveled car built by the Budd Co. in 1948 for Western Pacific for use on the California Zephyr. Following completion of maintenance, inspections, and upgrades, the car will enter excursion service, replacing dome-lounge Stampede Pass, which the heritage railroad had previously […]

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Indiana Rail Experience concludes summer schedule out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind.

Steam locomotive sits on bridge during ceremony.

SOUTH MILFORD, Ind. — The summer schedule of the Indiana Rail Experience’s 2023 season concluded on Aug. 19-20 with two excursions operating out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind. The Experience is a multi-year partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. The society’s Nickel Plate Road steam […]

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Berkshire Scenic to lease surviving ‘Roger Williams’ equipment, two other RDCs

RDC car with locomotive-style nose in yard of museum

LENOX, Mass. — The three remaining cars of the Roger Williams, the all-RDC passenger train built for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in 1957, are among five Budd Rail Diesel Cars the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum is leasing from the Budd RDC Foundation. Also included in the agreement announced Friday is an […]

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Young Guns in Preservation: Andrew Nawn

Young volunteer working on a trolley car.

The importance of a quality guest experience when visiting public rail preservation sites – such as a railroad museum – can sometimes be overlooked by those in the industry, but certainly not for Andrew Nawn, who serves as the founder and leader of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum’s Beautification Committee. With a dedicated team of fellow […]

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FBI offers $10,000 reward for information on attempt to derail train on New York tourist railroad

FBI flyer with "seeking information" in large white"

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who attempted to derail a train on the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson tourist railway, the Albany Times Union reports. At a press conference today (Aug. 16), Janeen DiGuiseppi, […]

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OmniTRAX to take over operations of South Branch Valley Railroad in West Virginia

Logo of short line company OmniTrax

WASHINGTON – OmniTRAX will take over operations of the South Branch Valley Railroad, a 52.4-mile state-owned short line in West Virginia, on or after Sept. 13, the shortline holding company said in a regulatory filing this week. The former Baltimore & Ohio line is currently owned and operated by the West Virginia State Rail Authority. […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 at halfway point of its final operating season

Steam locomotive with passenger car and gondola for riders in field with trees in background.

ABILENE, Kan. — Steam locomotive No. 3415 is halfway through its 2023 operating season on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, the final year before the locomotive is slated to be taken out of service for its federally mandated 1,472-day inspection. Though the start of the season saw multiple sidelines to the 4-6-2 due to […]

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