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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Riverbank issues lead Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to cancel some trips (updated)

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad logo

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has cancelled all National Park Scenic rides through May 1 because of erosion of a section of the bank of the Cuyahoga River, WOIO-TV reports. The railroad will offer a National Park Flyer trip from its Rockside station in Independence, Ohio. More information is available at the […]

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Waterloo Central GMD1 locomotive debuts in new paint scheme

Diesel locomotive with green and gold paint scheme

ELMIRA, Ontario — A rare GMD1 locomotive donated by Canadian National to the Waterloo Central Railway in April 2021 has emerged in new paint. The former CN No. 1437 made its first appearance on the heritage railway on March 5, 2022, as WCR No. 1012. “It’s all because of the volunteers; they did an amazing […]

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Tourist railroads poised for a strong rebound in 2022: Analysis

Man on train taking picture with cell phone

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — People are vacationing again, and travel spending is close to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. This means as more Americans travel in 2022, tourist and heritage rail attractions can focus on what is normal: selling seats and injecting much-needed cashflow into tourist rail and preservation. This year is likely to be the first season […]

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Former Saratoga & North Creek trackage sells for $3.33 million in bankruptcy auction

SNC

DENVER — Some 30 miles of New York rail line formerly operated by the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad has been sold for $3.33 million to a couple whose company plans to ship titanium ore from a mine on the route. The Albany Times Union reports Doc N Duchess Rails LLC, owned by Carol and […]

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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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2022 steam locomotive list spring update

photo of black steam locomotive pulling a short freight, Spring 2022 steam locomotive list

2022 steam locomotive list spring update: It’s time for the active steam list update. Since we debuted the list last fall, we’ve gotten great feedback, updates, and added to the list. New to the list is Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 154 at the East Tennessee tourist carrier, Three Rivers Rambler, a part of Gulf & […]

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New Mexico’s Sky Railway to operate original Super Chief lounge

Car interior with 1930s decor.

SANTA FE, N.M. — Sky Railway, the tourist railroad between Santa Fe and Lamy, N.M., on the former Santa Fe Southern, is adding an original Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Super Chief lounge car for operations beginning this spring. The Acoma, which made its debut in 1937, is the last operating car from the original […]

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Cumbres & Toltec’s 2021 was good by most measures, and 2022 is shaping up nicely

Two steam locomotives leading train through fall colors

CHAMA, N.M. — After weathering the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns of 2020 and 2021, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad ridership rebounded to within 11% of 2019 ridership, railroad President Scott Gibbs tells Trains News Wire. With most restrictions lifted by July 1, 2021, the railroad carried 37,735 riders for the year versus 42,451 in 2019, Gibbs […]

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California railroad to fire up steam locomotive for tourist-train test

Black steam tank engine

FOLSOM, Calif. — For the first time since a 1957 farewell excursion, a steam-powered locomotive will operate in the community of Folsom. The Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad, a non-profit organization based in Folsom, about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento, Calif., plans to fire up Santa Cruz Portland Cement No. 2, an oil-burning 0-4-0T locomotive […]

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News photos: Nevada museum picks up former Fillmore & Western equipment

Locomotive without trucks on low-boy trailer

FILLMORE, Calif. – Former Fillmore & Western Alco S6 1059, a heavyweight passenger car, and a detrucked Pacific Fruit Express wood-sheathed refrigerator car left Fillmore on Tuesday by low-boy trucks for their new home at the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Virginia City, Nevada. The diesel, former Southern Pacific No. 1059, was numbered 1229 in […]

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Cumbres & Toltec Scenic commission votes to restore Rio Grande K-37

Steam locomotive sitting on track in need of work

CHAMA, N.M. — We may yet see a Rio Grande K-37 climb Cumbres Pass once more. On Saturday, the two-state commission that oversees the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad voted to restore a Rio Grande K-37 2-8-2, returning that model to the 64-mile narrow gauge railroad for the first time since 2002 when No. 497 […]

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