The only place on steam where you can get information about railroads!

If you want information on railroads, or your a railfan/train buff, or even just support railroading history, this is the group for you! If your a Rail Fan, this group isn't just right for you, it's perfect.

VIEW ALL

POPULAR DISCUSSIONS

VIEW ALL (30)

RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

First update in forever

30 May, 2016 - Zero | 0 Comments

With a little free time, I find myself here giving a pointless update. Anyway, in the many months since the last update, a lot has happened. I've joined up with a steam railroad, and am learning to fire a steam locomotive. I have learned a lot in my one year with the railroad, and look forward to learning more and helping ot preserve our railroad heritage in any way that I can. On a more broad note that more of you will care about, Steamtown's Baldwin 26 has finally returned to service, as has Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington Railway's No. 9. Everett Railroad 11 returned to service in October, 4501 is back, and just a few days ago, Cass Scenic Railroad Shay 2 returned to service. Reading T-1s 2100 and 2102 are being restored, C&O 2716 is being restored, and 611's second year of excursions after restoration is well under way. But, what would steam preservation be without a bad note or two? You didn't think it was all good out there, did you?

WMSR's famous 2-8-0, number 734, which many of us have come to know and love as "Mountain Thunder" has exited service for an indefinite hiatus. After 23 years of service on the WMSR we have lost an icon of steam railroading in the 21st century. Now, we can't say we didn't know this was coming, it was a known fact that the engine was due for it's federally mandated rebuild for a while now, and when the WMSR announced the restoration of C&O 1309, anyone with a brain knew they would not be rebuilding 734, it is simply too expensive and too time consuming to maintain two massive steam locomotives. It is speculated that 734 has a fractured frame, meaning if the WMSR does intend to rebuild 734 eventually, they may not be able to because of the high cost and labor of building a new frame, in addittion to all the other things the engine would need done to operate again.

Many of us hope to see 734 thunder up the mountain once again one day, but for now, we'll just have to wait and hope for the best - and maybe, just maybe, one day some of us will be fortunate enough to help bring 734 back to life.

Ahead of Schedule, dead, on the market, and on the road to restoration.

16 August, 2014 - Zero | 0 Comments

Unable to sleep, and without my external harddrives with all my footage on them to edit, I find myself with this thing called spare time, so why not waste it here? Here is a general update on some of what has been going on in the steam railroading community in the US and Canda. The N&W J #611's restoration is about 10 weeks ahead of schedule (unheard of, right?) and if they keep up the current pace, she will be done by December, but realistically, she will be done in January-February 2015. The Kamloops ex. CN 2-8-0 #2141 should be back in June or July 2015 according to the most recent word I received from the railroad. Efforts to bring back the sleeping East Broad Top Narrow Gauge Railroad are still underway, and the EBT Preservationa Accosiation is trying to buy another section of track, I believe the excursions section. The Arcade & Attica Railroad in Arcade New York is on the market for a 3rd diesel to help power their freight trains, yes I know I said this would be about steam, but the A&A runs a 1920 ALCo 2-8-0, and hopes to restore a 1917 Baldwin 4-6-0 in the future, the aquisition of a larger and more efficient diesel for freight service would mean they would save money, which could (potentially) eventually be funneled into the 4-6-0 #14's restoration. The Strasburg Railroad and the Long Island Railroad Museums joint effort to restore and operat ethe ex. LIRR 39 on the SRC is going slow, about 100K/ 1Million has been raised for the engines restoration, the other 1 million that is required has been provided by the SRC. The 39 is the largest and most powerful 4-6-0 ever built, it is stronger than the SRC's 4-8-0 #475 of the N&W, and nearly as strong as SRC's 2-10-0 #90.

Well thats all I can think of for now, this has been another pointless announcement, till next time, whenever it may be.

VIEW ALL (26)

GROUP MEMBERS

Group Player of the Week: