Summer season in full steam for Santa Fe No. 3415

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

ABILENE, Kan. — Steam locomotive No. 3415 turned in another weekend of successful operations on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. This comes after headlining the railroad’s 30th anniversary during Father’s Day weekend, which followed multiple sidelines to the locomotive due to unforeseen repairs in late May and issues with the injector in early June. […]

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Durango & Silverton sues insurance company over coverage for 2018 fire

Steam locomotive leads train onto dirt street

DURANGO, Colo. —Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is suing its insurance company over damage caused by a 2018 wildfire and subsequent floods and mudslides in the burn area, saying the insurance company should have paid for damages from the fire and flooding as separate incidents. The insurance company disagrees, saying the fire led to […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 headlines tourist railroad’s anniversary

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

ABILENE, Kan. — In commemoration of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad’s 30th anniversary, steam locomotive No. 3415 was in full operation on June 17 and 18. The Pacific was sidelined the previous Sunday due to feedwater issues with repairs completed last week in preparation for the Father’s Day weekend. “The feedwater issue last week […]

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News photos: Northern Central’s celebration

Passenger train with replica vintage steam locomotive and 0-4-0T engine.

NEW FREEDOM, Pa. — Northern Central Railway of York hauled more than 500 passengers on six trips during the weekend-long 10th anniversary celebration for the non-profit operation [see “Pennsylvania’s Northern Central Railway to mark 10th anniversary,” Trains News Wire, June 14, 2023]. Trips were powered by the railway’s Kloke 4-4-0 No. 17; Northern Central GP9 […]

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Five scenic highlights aboard Amtrak’s ‘California Zephyr’

While the California Zephyr name continues today under the Amtrak banner, much has changed since the final run of the streamlined predecessor in 1970. What hasn’t changed since the original 1949 debut is the premise from vintage advertisements to “look up, look down, and look all around” when taking the Chicago-Emeryville, Calif. trip. Especially when […]

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Pennsylvania’s Northern Central Railway to mark 10th anniversary

Modern recreation of 19th-century steam locomotive at wooden passenger station

NEW FREEDOM, Pa. — A 10th-anniversary “Ages of the Railroad” celebration is scheduled for this weekend, June 17-18, on the Northern Central Railway of York nonprofit tourist line in southeastern Pennsylvania. Highlights will include two operating steam locomotives and a diesel, with a range of passenger trips available over varying stretches of the railroad’s 17.5 […]

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New York tourist railway’s new flatcar has lengthy history

Flatcar with railings and seats added for open-air passenger use

CORINTH, N.Y. — The Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway has introduced its newest piece of equipment, a flatcar that proved to have an extensive and significant history. SC&H car No. 16151 was unveiled on June 3 for the Alco Historical & Technical Society’s annual “Alco Adventure” day. During restoration for use as an open-air excursion […]

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Santa Fe No. 3415 officially debuts for 2023

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

ABILENE, Kan. — Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3415 officially debuted for its 2023 operating season on June 10, heading the regular excursion and dinner trains on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. This comes after the railroad’s 104-year-old 4-6-2 was temporarily sidelined right before the Memorial Day weekend due to unforeseen repairs needing to […]

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Locomotive No. 4960 steams to the Grand Canyon unassisted

Two steam locomotives pulling passenger trains

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel’s 2-8-2 No. 4960 led a charter train on June 10, one week after its scheduled “First Saturday” excursion. The Williams-Grand Canyon National Park trip was part of the itinerary for last week’s National Model Railroad Association’s PSR Grand Canyon Special Convention, hosted by the Arizona Division. With […]

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Harold Borovec, significant steam preservation figure in Northwest, dies at 96

Man in engineer's cap looking out of steam locomotive

Harold Borovec, a significant figure in steam preservation in the Pacific Northwest, died June 10 at age 96. Borovec, born in 1927 in Chehalis, Wash., served as an engineer and mechanical officer for several steam tourist operations in Washington state, including the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie Railroad, the Camp 6 logging exhibit in Tacoma, the […]

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Texas budget includes funding for heritage railroad

Front view of red and yellow F unit

PALESTINE, Texas — The Texas State Railroad, a heritage railway in East Texas, will receive $10 million under the budget passed last month by the state legislature. The Palestine Herald-Press reports funding will go toward capital projects that could include tie and ballast work, replacement of 100-year-old rails, railcar maintenance, safety improvements, and other projects. […]

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society announces Cigar Train

PLEASANT LAKE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and Fort Wayne cigar and wine store Rudy’s Shop have announced plans for Rudy’s Rolling Smoke, a Cigar Train experience aboard vintage rail equipment to be offered on July 1. Tickets, starting at $199, are now on sale at the Cigar Train page of the […]

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