Just wondering what is happening in the wonderful world of steam excursions. It has been a long time since I rode behind #4501, #611,or #1218. Now, I have been to several rail destinations such as The Great Smoky Mountain Railway and the Cass Scenic Railway. I have been on the Southern Railway Historical Society train from Salisbury, NC to Charlottesville, VA (diesel motive power). But, WHERE IS THE STEAM?[:'(]
I am lucky enough to have one within a few kilometers! The South Simcoe Railway offers rides between Tottenham and Beeton, Ontario. There is no turnaround so the return trip is done in reverse. They only operate during the summer thanks to our wonderful Canadian winter weather (not).
http://www.southsimcoerailway.ca/
Dave
Dave,
I might have to come visit you! The wife and I were thinking about a train trip to Canada next spring or summer. Would love to see some of that beautiful country.[tup]
Kalmbach guide to Tourist Trains: http://www.kalmbachstore.com/01209.html
There are lots of places where steam engines run, both in the US and other places in the world.
E.g. right here in my little home town of Sorumsand, Norway (pop about 4000). Here are some pictures I snapped in passing of a mixed train (pulled by a 2-6-0T) departing on my local museum narrow gauge railroad line a couple of weeks ago:
Smile,
Stein
I know the Union Pacific is still running 3985 (Challenger) and 844 (Northern) around. They even have a website dedicated to the two steam engines, including their schedules. http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/locomotives/index.shtml
The Prairie Dog Central runs a 4-4-0 built in 1887 every weekend in the summer from Winnipeg, Manitoba which is just about an hour drive north of North Dakota.
Also CP is still running their Hudson, 2816 out of Calgary. You can check the schedule on the CP website. I think it was going out to Vancouver this summer.
There is a CN Mountain class run out of Stettler Alberta and I think they also run a Consolidation.
There are also some steam running in central B.C. but perhaps that is a little far away from you.
CN Charlie in Winnipeg.
It is far away, but British Columbia has the 2-8-0 in Kamloops’ Heritage Railway. They do a series of fall excursions from east of Kamloops to Armstrong.
On Vancouver Island, the Alberni Pacific runs a 2-8-2T from Port Alberni to the McLeans Sawmill, the only steam lumber mill operating in Canada.
There is a 2-8-0 from the CPR running in Summerland, I think, along part of the old Kettle Valley Rwy.
The Royal Hudson from the BC West Coast Railway is cold, but operable. It is hard for the crew to get trackage rights granted in such a way as to make it worth firing the boiler.
Crandell
Aikidomaster:
Canada has some incredible scenery which can be viewed by train. ‘The Canadian’ passenger train runs from Toronto to Vancouver. It even has dome cars. The trip through northern Ontario along Lake Superior and the trip through the Rockies are priceless.
http://www.viarail.ca/en/trains/rockies-and-pacific/toronto-vancouver-canadian/
There is also the Agawa Canyon trip departing from Sault St. Marie if you just want to spend a day riding the trains. It is particularly popular in the fall when the trees are in colour.
http://agawacanyontourtrain.com/
I’m sure there are more but I can only speak about the two trains above as well as the South Simcoe Railway from personal experience.
By all means please pay us a visit.
Dave
In Cumberland Maryland there is the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, which has a nice steam excursion that runs from Cumberland to Frostburg Maryland.
They do a great Christmas train in December that the kids love.
Something fun about starting a trip in sunny, snow free, weather, and finding yourself slowly climbing into the snow.
Check the link for more info: http://www.wmsr.com/
The Strasburg Railroad runs day in and day out, almost all year.
Trains run every hour, sometimes every half hour, 7 days aweek in warm weather.
Only place left where a regularly scheduled steam train passes another regularly scheduled steam train.
All steam, all the time.
And vintage coaches as well.
And only 1 hour from my house.
Sheldon
i got a chance to ride the steam train for the grand canyon back in the early 90’s.
heres a link
http://www.thetrain.com/grand-canyon-railway-steam-7275.html
later
g
I am fortunate enough to live close to Steamtown to get a steam train fix.
I also Second Strasburg RR in Lancaster, PA down near the boarder and over from Harrisburg in PA Dutch Amish COuntry. Across the street is the RR museum of PA. It is aobut 4 hours away and while do-able in a day trip, we like to go and the remaining of the first day and watch them play with teh steamers. Then the second we ride all day, check out the museum,and ride the lunch or dinner train or wine’chees train to eat. The third day we leave sadly.
We WERE hoping to use Strasburg as a stopping half-way point to getting to Cass Scenic RR.
In PA there is the New Hope and Ivory {?}{or is it IVY} RR runing steam and another one above Kutztown PA also we keep for geting to check out whe in SE PA.
Buy the Trains magazine Tourist book, it will list all things trains including who actually runs trains and what trains they run! LOTS of info there!
Nickel Plate 765 just got done with Train Festival in Rock Island, and has been doing trains for North Judson for quite a month or so. I think they’re finally heading back to Ft Wayne for a nap.
A couple of emendations. The Kamloops Heritage Railway at present is just dong the regular short trips between Kamloops Jct over to Kamloops. The last Armstrong trip was back in 2008 when the Kelowna Pacific Railway decided it no longer wanted to host the train. And I think the Royal Hudson may have run out of boiler time again. The KHR has an informative website, and I think the same is true for the WCRA.
With luck, CP’s 2816 should be repaired and out running again next year. Recently they have often partnered with the Children’s Wish Foundation or a local charity to sell tickets for various legs when the locomotive is travelling for corporate events. I believe the charity sells the tickets and keeps the full amount. The catch is that they are generally one-way only and you have to make your own arrangements for the return (or outward) leg, usually around 50 miles. Check CPR’s website next spring.
John
It is called the New Hope and Ivyland RR. It runs an 8 mile route out of New Hope, PA. They run a Baldwin Consolidated. It is a fun trip and not expensive.
I will never miss a chance to sing the praises of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. The yard there is very well preserved, and they still run original equiptment that has ridden those same rails for over 100 years! The only problem is that they are literally 100 miles from nowhere!
sfb
The Michigan Steam RR Institute in Owosso, MI (http://michigansteamtrain.com/sri/) owns the Pere Marquette 1225, a Berkshire which unfortunately for now is in the shop for a major inspection. But for the steam tours, such as the upcoming fall color tours, they are borrowing NKP 765.
There’s also the Little River Railroad in Coldwater, MI runs a small Pacific that will be 100 years old in November. (http://www.littleriverrailroad.com/locomotives.htm)
George V.
The Monticello ILL Railway museum runs their Southern, 2-8-0, #401, on some weekends. This coming weekend 401 will be running and again Sep 17-18 for railroad days.
The 4501 is currently in restoration at the Tennesse Valley Railroad Museums shops. I don’t know exactly how much more work needs to be done to her, but I think she may be ready as early as early next year. They just finished restoration on the #630, which sat for something like 20 years. She is currently under steam and has been since April. The #610, which they ran for a lot of years is now sitting at the shops awaiting need maintenance, which likely won’t come for a while.
I keep up to date with them via Facebook: “Southern 4501” and Tennessee Valley Railroad 630". The 630 page has much updates.
Also, there is a new website just launched: www.21stcenturysteam.com
I CAN NOT WAIT until the 4501 is back under steam!
Actually, as of a few days ago the #630 is back in the shops to have her #2 and #4 drive wheels adjusted because they were overheating. Saw some pics of the wheels off the loco inside the shop yesterday. I think it is going to be a quick turn around.