Why dont the class 1 railroads regularly run public excursions?
i know the bnsf had the EAS a few years back and the UP runs 8444 all over creation, but what else is there?
There are many reasons. One is the high cost of liability insurance. Another is they get in the way of freight operations that pay the bills. They do happen from time to time. When I lived on the Columbia river george the BNSF hosted several steam trips with SP 4449 and SP&S 700. Just last month the 4449 took a short trip to Salem from it’s home in Portland.
I believe I read on BNSF’s website a few months ago that they are doing an employee excursion sometime this summer. It might already have occurred.
Last summer, BNSF ran employee excursions at Sioux Falls, S.D.