Prototype News

The Wichita Great Plains Transportation Museum is converting a former Santa Fe baggage car into a multi-use space to host meetings, parties and other events, providing the nonprofit with a new and consistent income stream.

The car was donated to the museum by Amtrak in 2020, and officials hope to have it available for events by the end of the year. The first order of business has been to replace the car’s roof; that project will be followed by the installation of an HVAC system.

“Providing the community with a railroad-themed venue downtown for various types of gatherings is mutually beneficial to the Great Plains Transportation Museum, the city of Wichita, Old Town and those parties seeking a unique place to hold an event,” museum President Heather Gatton said. “We’re excited about the prospect of adding value to the downtown area, especially amid ongoing investment in business, residential and commercial enterprises.”

The Great Plains Transportation Museum was established in 1983 to preserve the history of railroading in the region, dating to the 1870s.

The post Santa Fe Baggage Car Being Turned Into Multi-use Space appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

A partnership between a nonprofit railroad heritage group and an Ohio short line will bring a Norfolk & Western SD40-2 to home rails this spring.

The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. is leasing KSHX 6162 to Cincinnati Eastern Railroad, which operates the former N&W main line between Cincinnati and Plum Run, Ohio. Known locally as the Peavine Line, the route is famous for its winding curves and challenging grades and was historically part of N&W’s Cincinnati District. The locomotive left Kentucky Steam’s campus in Irvine, Ky., on March 5 and arrived in Ohio a few days later. It is expected to enter service in the coming weeks.

“This partnership has been several months in the making, and we’re excited to see it come together,” said Thomas Bookout, a board member of the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. “There’s something especially fitting about a former Norfolk & Western locomotive returning to work on a former N&W main line. The Peavine is known for its winding curves and demanding grades, and the SD40-2’s 3,000 horsepower will be put to good use hauling freight over that territory. Just as important, this lease allows the locomotive to generate revenue that will help fund its own maintenance while supporting Kentucky Steam’s long-term preservation mission.”

The post Kentucky Steam to Lease SD40-2 to Ohio Short Line appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

The Western Forest Industries Museum, operator of the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, has purchased a 3.6-acre plot and a more than 10,000-square-foot building that will serve as its new restoration facility and office space.

The St. Regis Paper Company built the facility in 1955, and it was later owned by the Muarry Pacific Corporation, founded by Tom Murray, who also founded the Mt. Rainier Scenic. The facility was used by other logging companies over the years, but is now owned by the nonprofit museum. The acquisition of the property, and particularly the building, will allow the railroad to move its heavy restoration and maintenance work into the new space, and turn the existing space into a public museum site. Currently, restoration capacity is limited, with work constrained to a single locomotive and critical materials stored in shipping containers. The new facility will provide space for multiple restoration projects, organized parts storage, a vehicle repair bay, machine and carpentry shops, and dedicated office and meeting space.

“This is a meaningful moment for us,” said Bethan Maher, Executive Director. “We are gradually bringing back together pieces of the landscape that defined Tom Murray’s logging operations, now with the purpose of preservation, education, and public access.”

—Justin Franz 

The post Mt. Rainier Acquires New Shop Facility appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.