Railnews from Railfan & Railroad Magazine

The Grand Canyon Railway has completed its restoration of 2-8-0 29, which had been out of service since 2019. The railroad announced on social media that the locomotive had made a successful test run on August 26.

Locomotive 29 was built by Alco in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1906, for Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad, an ore-hauling railroad in Michigan. After the locomotive was retired in the early 1960s, it was purchased along with several other LS&I steam engines by a new tourist railroad, the Marquette & Huron Mountain. Eventually, the engine was sold to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum. In 1989, it was sold to the Grand Canyon, along with three other ex-LS&I 2-8-0s, Nos. 18, 19, and 20. Locomotive 29 was returned to service in 1990 and became a mainstay of the railroad into the 21st century. It was later joined by former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 2-8-2 4960. 

The Grand Canyon, which operates on a former Santa Fe branch line to the famed national park, operates steam on special occasions. 

—Justin Franz 

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Specially painted Semiquincentennial locomotives from across America are gathering at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, N.C., this weekend for what is being billed as a once-in-a-lifetime event to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. The America 250 Locomotive Celebration opens Friday morning and runs through Sunday. 

More than two dozen railroads and organizations are represented at the event, including all six Class I railroads. Many of the locomotives are on display around the Bob Julian Roundhouse and will be rotated in and out of the shop area to provide different photo opportunities throughout the weekend. 

Locomotives from short lines and regional railroads on display in Spencer on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Otto Vondrak. 

The event is sponsored by Scale Trains, Virtual Railfan, Walthers, NCTM, Trains Magazine and White River Productions, publisher of Railfan & Railroad. 

“White River Productions is thrilled to participate with the North Carolina Transportation Museum to bring America’s 250th celebration to the forefront,” said Kevin EuDaly, owner of White River Productions and publisher of Railfan & Railroad. “This will be a rare opportunity to see a tremendous group of specially painted locomotives in one place.”

Virtual Railfan is livestreaming the event throughout the weekend. For more information, visit the event website.

 

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Each year, we ask our readers to submit their best shots for consideration in our annual Center Spread Contest. Our theme is the very broad category of “creative photography,” which presents challenges for photographers and judges alike. After sifting through hundreds of potential candidates, we narrowed it down to the few selections seen here. We think you’ll appreciate the creativity that our contributors have shown in capturing these exciting images.

Keep an eye on Railfan & Railroad Magazine online and in print for details about the 2027 contest in the future. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! —The Editors  Runner Up: David Grant

Flying through British Columbia’s Fraser Valley like a bat out of hell, all is peaceful aboard VIA Rail’s Canadian as the train heads east on time on August 22, 2025. Pictured looking out the curved glass window of a vintage Canadian Pacific dome car, Mount Cheam in Chilliwack towers above the valley floor.

Runner Up: David Honan

Near the top of Toltec Canyon in Colorado on September 27, 2018, Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-2 453 leads an eastbound positioning move for an upcoming Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic photo charter through the incredible scenery of the San Juans.

Runner Up: Al Crossley

VIA Rail FP9 6513 leads Train 75 at track speed through Burlington West, Ont., as VIA Train 686, a set of rail diesel cars, makes its station stop in the distance on May 28, 1989.

Runner Up: Timothy Tonge

BNSF SD70ACe 8457 leads a northbound coal empty through fresh spring snows at Castle Rock, Colo., on March 27, 2018. Snow had ended just hours before, with the skies clearing shortly before the train arrived.

Runner Up: Spencer Evans

A westbound intermodal breaks out of the shadows of Echo Canyon and into the afternoon light on Union Pacific’s Evanston Subdivision near Echo, Utah, on November 1, 2025.  The whine of dynamic brakes temporarily overcomes the noise of adjacent Interstate 80, in stereo and amplified by the walls of Echo Canyon hiding in the shadows.

Runner Up: Trevyr Schutz

On the frigid 14-degree night of February 1, 2026, Norfolk Southern Train 41N struggles up the grade as it passes Shawsville, Va. A particularly large winter storm exits the area, dropping a few last flakes of snow as the Dash 9 and SD70ACe pull hard.

Third Place: David Grant

Located near Ashcroft, B.C., Black Canyon and its rock formations posed an immense challenge to railway construction crews carving tunnels and building bridges for the train’s passage. Twisting through the gorge like fiery snakes, two trains can be seen lighting up the canyon walls. Like an artist with his brush, they paint light around the hills and curves as they cascade into the night on July 31, 2025.

Second Place: Todd Halamka

A late afternoon storm begins to clear across London, England, as the evening rush-hour parade of trains begins to fill the 10 feeder tracks leading into and out of Victoria Station on December 18, 2024. Four inbound trains and one outbound train navigate the S-curves leading to Grosvenor Bridge across the Thames beyond, while another six trains emerge from the shed to the left. In the next hour, another train will depart every 100 seconds. 

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The Norfolk & Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society announced on August 21 that it was raising money to acquire a former N&W power car from the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. The planned acquisition comes as the group, founded in 2019 to preserve N&W observation car 300, begins to expand its scope, with the eventual dream of assembling a complete business train. 

Bryan J. Lalevee, president of the group, said online that Power Car 409 will support the nonprofit’s expanded mission. The car was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1934 and then rebuilt as a power car in 1972. It was initially assigned to maintenance-of-way service before becoming the power source for Maintenance Instruction Car 401. The car also had a classroom area for air-brake instruction. 

While the nonprofit’s two other cars, Business Car 300 and sleeper Hollins College, have their own generators, they are noisy. Having Power Car 409 provide electricity to the other cars will improve the rider experience, Lalevee said. 

Norfolk Southern has already provided the nonprofit $15,000 for the purchase of the car, and the group needs to raise another $8,000. That will also help cover air brake work needed to move the car to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in Indiana. For more information, visit www.nw300.org/powercar.

—Justin Franz 

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After losing a Super Bowl bet, Maine’s Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum raised more than $3,500 for Washington’s Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Railroad.

Earlier this year, the WW&F made a friendly bet with Mt. Rainier on the outcome of the Super Bowl championship game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The railroad whose team lost had to display the winning team’s flags on a locomotive for a full day of operation. Unfortunately for the WW&F, the Patriots lost to the Seahawks 29-13. On August 22 and 23, the WW&F made good on the bet and operated 0-4-4T locomotive 9 with Seahawks flags. In addition, the money raised over the weekend was donated to Mt Rainier, which is rebuilding a trestle burned in a fire, and to the Whitewater Valley, which was recently impacted by a massive flood. 

—Justin Franz

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VIA Rail Canada has donated an LRC coach to Exporail (also known as the Canadian Railway Museum) outside of Montreal. Coach 3308 was delivered in August by CPKC. 

VIA is in the process of replacing its LRC cars, built in the 1980s by Bombardier. LRC stands for Light, Rapid, Comfortable. The low-profile cars were originally matched with a Bombardier locomotive with an Alco-designed 251 prime mover, making them among the last Alco/MLWs ever built. Those locomotives were retired in the early 2000s, but the cars have continued to serve VIA between Quebec City and Windsor, Ont. VIA is now putting new trains from Siemens into service. Exporail previously saved one of the LRC locomotives, 6921. A second one, 6917, is maintained by the VIA Historical Association. 

—Justin Franz 

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The U.S. Surface Transportation Board announced on Aug. 18 that the earliest it would make a final decision on Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern would be the second half of 2027. The board ruling came less than a month after UP and NS filed additional information with the federal regulator that will either approve or deny the largest railroad merger ever proposed in American history.

According to the timeline issued by the STB, those interested in participating in the review would have to state their intent by September 4. That would kick off a series of deadlines for comment, including from the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation. By March of next year, rebuttals would be due from all parties, and at some point after that a public hearing would be held. Final briefs on the proposed merger would be due on May 28, 2027. At some point after that, the record would close, and the STB would have 90 days to issue a final ruling, meaning it would likely be late summer 2027 at the earliest. The decision would not be issued, however, if the required environmental review were not complete yet.

If approved, the combined UP-NS would stretch more than 50,000 miles and touch 43 states. The merger was first proposed in mid-2025, but the STB rejected UP’s first application as “incomplete.”

—Justin Franz 

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Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Railroad has suspended operations after historic flooding caused numerous washouts and is likely to result in millions of dollars in damage.

In the early morning hours of August 13, the West Fork of the Whitewater River crested at an unprecedented 21.78 feet. As a result, floodwaters inundated the towns of Connersville, Laurel and Metamora. The railroad’s base of operations in South Connersville was inundated with 36 inches of water, and floodwaters reached 40 inches inside the shop building. Water submerged dozens of pieces of equipment, including every operating locomotive. While a full evaluation of the railroad’s 19 miles of track has yet to be completed, an initial assessment revealed “thousands of washouts.” One silver lining, however, is that the railroad’s major bridge at Laurel has apparently escaped unscathed. Two historic structures, the Dearborn Tower and the Rushville Depot, both survived with minimal damage.

The railroad has launched a recovery effort and is raising money to cover the cost of rebuilding. For more information, visit whitewatervalleyrr.org.

The Whitewater Valley Railroad was established as a nonprofit in the early 1970s and has been providing excursion service since 1974. It has an eclectic fleet of diesels from EMD, Lima, Baldwin and Alco.

—Justin Franz 

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A British Columbia excursion railroad has apparently escaped unharmed from a devastating wildfire that has killed at least one person and destroyed an unknown number of structures.

The Bald Range Fire began on Aug. 7 near Summerland, B.C., home to the Kettle Valley Steam Railway. The fire has burned more than 50,000 acres and came concerningly close to the railroad’s station and shops. When the fire broke out on the afternoon of Aug. 7, railroad crews began moving equipment down the line and out of harm’s way, including its primary motive power, Canadian Pacific N2b 2-8-0 3716. The fire also forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of homes, so railroad employees were not able to access the shops and station area for a week. Finally, on Aug. 15, the railroad shared an update stating that its buildings and track had survived. However, because the fire is still active, train service will remain suspended until at least September.

The Kettle Valley Steam Railway was founded in 1995 to provide excursions along the historic Kettle Valley Railway, a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific that ran from 1915 until 1989. Locomotive 3716 was built by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1912 and worked in southeastern British Columbia for much of its career, including on the Kettle Valley. From 1975 until 2001, the engine was part of the BC Rail steam fleet, along with “Royal Hudson” H1e 4-6-4 2860.

—Justin Franz 

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Why would a magazine called Railfan & Railroad focus on transit? Your image of the “railroad,” I wager, is something rather dramatic and maybe a little aggressive. Perhaps it’s a multi-track main line with deep ballast and welded rail, carrying long, heavy freight trains from coast to coast. Or maybe it’s an obscure branch line lost in the tall grass, served by a vintage diesel pulling one or two cars to serve a customer barely hanging on. Perhaps your mental image is something out of the past, like a beautiful streamlined steam locomotive running at full clip, with a dozen matching smooth-side passenger cars on the headpin.

Transit, though? Is that even real railroading?

Within the world of transit, the distinctions between different modes are often debated. Is the Kansas City Streetcar really a streetcar, or has it become more of a light rail line in the wake of its recent extensions? Is New Mexico’s Rail Runner commuter rail, intercity rail, or somehow both? And what about Buffalo’s Metro Rail, which uses light rail-style vehicles but runs underground for half its route? Is it light rail or is it a subway?

At times, these arguments can feel like little more than hair-splitting. Yet of all the debates surrounding transit, the least productive may be whether transit should be considered railroading at all.

First, consider the numbers. According to Amtrak, ridership reached 34.5 million in 2025. Impressive as that may sound, it pales beside the combined ridership of commuter rail, heavy rail rapid transit, light rail, and other rail-based public transportation. According to the American Public Transportation Association, more than three billion passenger trips were made on rail transit last year. Put bluntly, the average American’s first experience riding a railroad is probably not aboard an intercity train. It is on transit.

Let’s also consider some geography. The vast majority of commuter rail lines actively share tracks with freight and intercity passenger railroads, whether that is one of the numerous agencies operating over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor or something as small as California’s 22-mile-long Sprinter service that operates over a BNSF Railway branch line between Oceanside and Escondido. We can say the same thing about the numerous Metra services radiating out of Chicago or the Sounder system in Seattle, and both, I might add, operate with crews who are in the employ of the freight railways they travel over. Much of transit, then, is a direct part of the national rail network, operating over the same lines, with the same rules, and sometimes even the same personnel.

Then there are the many light rail and heavy rail services. Several of these operate over rights-of-way that were originally used by conventional railways or electric interurbans, from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Agency (with many former Pacific Electric routes) to Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s South Shore Line, which is a direct descendant of the vaunted Chicago, South Shore & South Bend interurban. Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority can likewise draw an unbroken line to the city’s original streetcar transit systems, as can San Francisco’s Muni.

The reality is this — the various modes of rail transit have far more in common than they do separating them, and the same is true when comparing transit with main line railroading. For most Americans, the first train they ride will be operated by a transit agency, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. These systems are part of daily life for millions of people, shaping how they travel, work, and experience their communities. That alone makes them more than worthy of our attention and appreciation.

—Alexander Benjamin Craghead is a transportation historian, photographer, artist, and author.

This article appeared in the September 2026 issue of Railfan & Railroad. Subscribe Today!

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by Gordon Lloyd, Jr./photos as noted

The 1970s were a dark time for the passenger train. Following years of decline and divestment, passenger railroading on the continent — both short- and long-haul — was at a low point. Freight railroads wanted out of the obligation to run passenger trains, and national, state, and local governments often had to step in to pick up the pieces to maintain service. Unfortunately for them, the equipment supporting those services was often outdated and in poor condition. Aging steam-era passenger cars hauled by worn-out first-generation diesels were the rule rather than the exception.

It was against that backdrop that a new locomotive hit the rails, one which would ultimately become the face of passenger railroading during the late 20th century and into the 21st — the F40PH. Between 1975 and 2007, EMD and its licensees built more than 500 F40PHs for long-haul operators like Amtrak and VIA Rail, as well as commuter rail agencies coast to coast. Simply put, the F40PH would become one of the most successful locomotive designs of all time, helping propel passenger railroading into a new, optimistic era.

The F40PH was not the first locomotive to carry an “F40” designation. In 1974, EMD built 15 F40C locomotives for Chicago-area commuter service on Milwaukee Road lines later operated by Metra. Unlike the four-axle F40PH, the F40C was a six-axle, cowl-bodied locomotive derived from the SDP40F/SD40-2 family, rated at 3,200 hp, and equipped for head-end power. Built for heavy commuter trains, the F40C remained unique to Chicago with the last examples retired from regular service in 2004 (though briefly revived in 2009 and 2012 before permanent retirement).

ABOVE: GO Transit 511 is at Mimico, Ont., on February 10, 1990. GO Transit acquired six General Motors Diesel Division-built F40PH locomotives in 1978. Numbered 510–515, they were the first F40PHs built in Canada and remained in service until 1990, when they were sold to Amtrak. —Peter Jobe, LTL

GP40s in Passenger Service
As soon as the first passenger car was coupled to a locomotive, there was both a desire and a need to provide power to the train itself for heating, cooling, lighting, and other onboard amenities. An early solution for heat was to use steam directly from the locomotive. Later, steam-powered generators or axle generators were installed on passenger cars to charge batteries for lighting and other needs. When diesel locomotives replaced steam locomotives in the 20th century, some had boilers to allow for the continued use of steam heat. In the mid-20th century, railroads like Chicago & North Western began to experiment with “head-end power,” or HEP, using generators on locomotives driven by a shaft extending from the air compressor (itself shaft-driven by the prime mover). Generators, housed in a boxy enclosure on the long hood, provided low-voltage 32-volt d.c. power for lighting and 240 volts for air conditioning.

In the late 1960s, Toronto’s commuter carrier, GO Transit, opted for an HEP-equipped version of the GP40, distinguished by its SD40-sized frame. The increased length was used to accommodate a GM 12V-149 engine, which drove a 500-kW alternator. The apparatus was housed in a boxy extension of the long hood. These GP40TC units were the first new-build HEP-equipped locomotives.

ABOVE: A trio of Amtrak F40PHR locomotives leads Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr, through Byers Canyon, Colo., on Denver & Rio Grande Western in July 1989. The “R” designation means these units were built from parts traded in to EMD from Amtrak’s short-lived SDP40 fleet which was plagued with problems in the 1970s. —James House

Other railroads also opted to purchase GP40s for passenger service, including Central Railroad of New Jersey (which purchased 13 GP40Ps in 1968) and Southern Pacific (which purchased three GP40P-2s in 1974). Interestingly, because of the old equipment they were being matched with, CNJ and SP’s versions were delivered with steam generators.

While all the units had unique visual differences due to the service they were in (extended long hoods), the front end looked like any other low-nose GP40 running in freight service. It wouldn’t be the last time the GP40 was adapted for passenger service. In the decades to come, commuter operators like Metro-North, New Jersey Transit, MARC, Connecticut Department of Transportation, and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority would all use variations of the GP40 for passenger service. That model would also be the basis for the locomotive that would come to define passenger railroading during the last quarter of the 20th century.

 

 

ABOVE: ABOVE: Regional Transportation Authority 100 is seen at Blue Island, Ill., on November 12, 1977. This would be the first of 115 F40 locomotives owned by RTA/Metra, making up the second-largest fleet. —Arthur H. Peterson, LTL

Amtrak Looks for New Power
When Amtrak cobbled together a national network on May 1, 1971, it predominantly received equipment the freight railroads no longer wanted. While some railroads, such as Great Northern, had invested in passenger equipment in the 1960s (like new EMD SDP40s), they weren’t about to give up a still-new locomotive to Amtrak, especially when it could easily be placed in the regular freight pool. Instead, Amtrak was left with what the Class Is didn’t want, mostly tired old F- and E-units.

Looking to modernize its fleet, Amtrak contracted with General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division for a new locomotive model. The SDP40F, created from established SD40-2 engineering and performance data, formed the basis for Amtrak’s first new locomotive purchase, and deliveries began in June 1973. The SDP40F utilized a 16-645E3 engine for 3,000-tractive hp, Dash-2 control system, HTC trucks, six D77 traction motors, and a 57:20 gear ratio; the engine, main alternator, auxiliaries, and steam generator were housed under an attractive FP45-like cowl hood.

ABOVE: Altamont Commuter Express F40PH-3C 3103 pushes a commuter train on Altamont Pass in California on March 8, 2012. The train originated in San Jose and is heading for Stockton. —Steve Barry

Problems began to emerge with the locomotives, however, most notably a series of derailments. The incidents often occurred when traveling between 40 and 60 mph through 2-degree curves. Typically, it was the first car (the baggage car) that ended up off the rails. After nearly a dozen incidents, speed restrictions were established for the locomotives on certain curves, and Burlington Northern even attempted to ban them from its routes. Exactly why the derailments occurred was never determined, but the issue was enough to make Amtrak reconsider how it wanted to build its roster. Its next locomotive order was a fleet of HEP-equipped P30CH locomotives from General Electric. It continued to work with EMD on a new locomotive design, though, specifically for routes that used its newly acquired Amfleet cars.

The result was the 3,000-hp F40PH, essentially a GP40 with a cowl carbody and with plenty of room for HEP. Following the path of the F40C, the F40PH employed a main-engine-driven alternator connected via a gearbox. The alternator was a Delco product, with 500kw, 480v a.c. nominal output. The geartrain increased the alternator RPM to 1800. Two takeaways from this type of application are a loss of traction horsepower when the head-end power alternator was producing power for the trailing train, and the need for the prime mover to operate at its highest throttle setting to produce electricity, even when stationary…

Read the rest of this article in the September 2026 issue of Railfan & Railroad. Subscribe Today!

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by Tim Doherty/photos by the author except as noted

The missed romantic connections of two Bostonians along the Blue Line in the 1998 film “Next Stop Wonderland” make an apt comparison to the one Boston subway line still seeking its own connections with others. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Blue Line leaves downtown Boston, travels beneath Boston Harbor, emerges in East Boston, passes Revere Beach, and ends at Wonderland. Assembled in the first half of the 20th century from former streetcar lines and the route of the nation’s busiest narrow gauge steam railroad, it is one of four rapid transit lines operated by MBTA.

Built from five original islands in Boston Harbor, East Boston became part of Boston in 1836. Maverick Square was named for Samuel Maverick, its first resident, who grazed cattle on one of the islands. East Boston remained largely rural until the 1830s, when a land development company acquired the property, laid out streets, and sold lots. Because East Boston has no land connection to downtown Boston, residents had to cross the harbor. The first ferry service began in 1835 with two boats, East Boston and Maverick. As development spread, new land filled the gaps between the islands, while horse-drawn streetcars connected residents with ferry slips for the trip into the city.

ABOVE: The three-foot gauge Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn was the only Boston-area railroad to electrify its main line. Always frugal, the railroad motorized its existing coaches for electric service, such as this train at Orient Height. Abandoned in 1940, the Blue Line uses the old right-of-way from Wood Island to Wonderland.  —Roy W. Bruce photo, Otto M. Vondrak collection

Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn
One of the more unusual public transportation systems serving Boston was the 13-mile, three-foot-gauge Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn. Promoted and built as a land development scheme, the railroad tapped the city of Lynn’s desire for a competing route to Boston and opened large sections of Revere land acquired by developers. Built to three-foot gauge for economy, it became known to generations of passengers simply as the “Narrow Gauge.” Using its own ferry boats between East Boston and downtown Boston, the railroad opened in 1875 with service through to Lynn. Its route survives today as the outer segment of the Blue Line.

Ferries from East Boston crossed the harbor to Rowes Wharf, where passengers landed on Atlantic Avenue and, after 1901, could connect with the Atlantic Avenue elevated. From the East Boston ferry slip at the base of Jeffries Point, the railroad passed through a two-bore tunnel, then crossed tidal flats on a series of trestles to Orient Heights. Those flats were later filled to build Logan Airport. The railroad served six stations in Revere, including four along Revere Beach, before crossing the Saugus River into Lynn. Its traffic included businesses and residential neighborhoods, along with the hotels, amusement parks, and beaches of Revere. In 1884, the Narrow Gauge leased two storm-damaged lines in Winthrop and created a loop connecting with the main line at Orient Heights.

ABOVE: Members of the Suffolk University softball team board the Blue Line at Airport Station on September 12, 2025. They are traveling from their practice fields in East Boston to the university’s downtown Boston campus. —Tim Doherty

Narrow gauge service opened the 4.5-mile sandy expanse of Revere Beach to day-trippers from Boston and surrounding communities. As publicly accessible beaches disappeared elsewhere, civic leaders persuaded the state’s Metropolitan Parks Commission to take responsibility for Revere Beach. Bathhouses, restaurants, and private shacks that blocked views of the water were removed, and the railroad, originally built along the edge of the beach, was relocated 400 yards inland in 1895–96 to the present Blue Line alignment. Revere Beach reopened in July 1896 to a crowd of 45,000 and claims the title of the oldest public beach in the United States.

Operating with the intensity of a rapid transit line, Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn was likely the busiest narrow gauge railroad in the country. Although the line needed investment to handle its heavy traffic, management was reluctant to spend until an ownership change in 1927.

Boston’s only large-scale commuter rail electrification project began in 1928, when the Narrow Gauge was converted to overhead wire. In keeping with the railroad’s frugal nature, the existing passenger cars were rebuilt as electric multiple units rather than replaced with new equipment.

ABOVE: A Bowdoin-bound Blue Line train approaches Wood Island Station in East Boston on December 31, 2025. The line’s 94 No. 5 East Boston cars were built by Siemens and delivered between 2007 and 2009. —Tim Doherty

The timing could hardly have been worse. The Great Depression began at the end of 1929, and the commuter and beach traffic the Narrow Gauge depended on fell sharply. In 1934, the Sumner Tunnel opened, providing the first automobile route under Boston Harbor. The railroad struggled through the 1930s, hoping a public takeover by Boston Elevated Railway — whose streetcars paralleled much of the route — might save it. The Narrow Gauge finally gave up in January 1940.

After abandonment, much of the railroad quickly disappeared. Ironically, three former passenger cars survive today on the narrow gauge East Broad Top. Built in 1882 by Laconia Car Company, East Broad Top coach 8 and combines 14 and 15 were purchased from Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn in 1916. The wooden cars remained in regular use on East Broad Top until their replacement by new steel cars in 2022…

Read the rest of this article in the September 2026 issue of Railfan & Railroad. Subscribe Today!

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Union Pacific and the City of Portland are butting heads over the resumption of rail service next to a burned-out waterfront warehouse that is at risk of collapsing. 

The eight-story Centennial Mills warehouse is located just north of Portland Union Station. On August 2, the building caught fire. While firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within a few hours, the roof and all eight floors inside the structure collapsed during the blaze, leaving just four fire-damaged walls that could collapse at any time. 

Right after the fire, UP and Amtrak suspended rail service on the line directly across the street from the warehouse over fears that vibrations from passing trains could bring it down. But a week later, on August 8, UP officials notified the city that it planned to resume freight operations. Shortly after, UP parked a cut of loaded ballast cars on the track closest to the building to act as a shield of sorts if the building came down while a train passed. Freight service resumed on August 11, much to the dismay of city officials who said it was a threat to public health and safety. 

“Passing trains could trigger the collapse of the building,” said City Administrator Raymond C. Lee III.

While UP has resumed freight service, the prospect of a building collapse continues to disrupt Amtrak service. Passengers aboard Amtrak’s Cascades trains are now having to take a bus between Portland and Seattle. Amtrak’s Empire Builder has been suspended between Portland and Spokane, Wash., as well. 

—Justin Franz 

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Pere Marquette 2-8-4 1225 will be staying close to home this fall after its owner, the Steam Railroading Institute, announced on August 13 that they would not be able to move the locomotive to Virginia for a series of fall foliage excursions. 

While the trips had not yet been announced, 1225 was slated to appear on the Buckingham Branch Railroad, which in recent years has hosted Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 611. SRI has been a partner in those trips by providing passenger cars, and there was a hope that 1225 would be able to stretch its legs on the main line, too. Unfortunately, the group was unable to secure an agreement with Class I railroads, specifically Norfolk Southern, to move the locomotive to Virginia. 

“Unfortunately, circumstances beyond SRI’s control have made it impossible to secure the necessary arrangements to move the steam engine, preventing us from planning and operating the excursions,” officials wrote. “While this is certainly disappointing news, we are not giving up on adding new opportunities to the calendar. We are actively working on other excursion options and hope to have some exciting alternatives to share soon.”

PM 1225 was built by Lima in October 1941, and restored for excursion service in the late 1980s. The locomotive is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the engine in the 2004 film “Polar Express.”

—Justin Franz 

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A Triple Crown RoadRailer has been preserved and put on display thanks to the Southern Michigan Railroad Society. 

The RoadRailer was created in the mid-20th century but took off in the 1980s. It allowed a trailer to be moved on the highway and railroad without being put on a flatcar, thanks to a wheelset that was placed between each trailer. Conrail and Norfolk Southern were among the largest users of the RoadRailer concept, but it eventually fell out of style. NS last used RoadRailer trains in 2024.

The RoadRailer at Southern Michigan in Clinton, Mich., includes the RoadRailer trailer, bogie, and CouplerMate. The group hopes to eventually put a display inside the trailer with artifacts and information about these innovative cars. 

The  Southern Michigan Railroad Society was formed in the 1980s to preserve and operate excursions on the state’s oldest branch line between Tecumseh and Clinton.

—Justin Franz

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The Illinois Railway Museum has restored perhaps the oldest bicentennial diesel locomotive in existence. Ingersoll-Rand 91 was the eighth production diesel locomotive ever built and was constructed in 1926 by a consortium of American Locomotive Company, General Electric and Ingersoll-Rand. The 300-horsepower diesel engine was perfect for low-speed switching and was sold to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western as its 3001. 

The boxy locomotive worked at the DL&W’s Brooklyn rail yard for a quarter century before being sold back to Ingersoll-Rand, which used it as a shop switcher in Phillipsburg, N.J., from 1951 until 1984. It was then donated to IRM. During its time at Ingersoll-Rand, the locomotive was painted in a special red, white and blue livery to celebrate the nation’s 200th birthday. 

As the only locomotive at IRM to have been given a special patriotic livery for the bicentennial, I-R 91 was selected by Diesel Department volunteers for cosmetic restoration during the nation’s semiquincentennial year. The locomotive is complete and largely in good condition. Restoration work in recent years has included rebuilding the trucks and replacing air tanks and piping, but significant funding is still necessary to rebuild the locomotive’s electric traction motors. The museum intends to eventually restore the locomotive to operation, which would make it the oldest operational diesel-electric locomotive in the country.

—Justin Franz 

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For the first time in 15 years, New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Alco RS-3 529 is expected to roll through Connecticut’s scenic Naugatuck Valley. Volunteers at the Railroad Museum of New England are feverishly working to complete an operational restoration of the locomotive, which includes returning it to its original orange-and-green New Haven livery. 

The 529 has been a staple at RMNE and the Naugatuck Railroad for 30 years. The engine was built by Alco in August 1950 and upgraded in 1959. It worked across the New Haven’s entire system, including the line between Waterbury and Torrington, which is now operated by the Naugatuck. The locomotive later worked for Penn Central and Conrail before being retired in August 1985. The following month, it was purchased by RMNE. The engine was later restored to its New Haven colors and has been working on the Naugy since September 1996. The locomotive is the sole survivor of the New Haven’s 62 RS-2 and RS-3 type locomotives. 

A number of cosmetic changes are currently being made to the locomotive, perhaps most notably, the restoration of its original headlight. Officials expect to have the locomotive ready for the Naugatuck Railroad’s 30th anniversary celebration the weekend of September 25-27. The event will feature night photo sessions and special excursions. For more information, visit RMNE.org. 

—Justin Franz 

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After six years with White River Productions, Associate Editor Justin Franz will be departing the staffs of Railfan & Railroad and Railroad Model Craftsman to accept a full-time position with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art. Justin will continue serving as a contributor to our monthly news columns.

During his time with R&R and RMC, Justin has helped develop engaging feature stories, manage our news coverage and regular contributors, support our online reporting, and bring the excitement of railroading to our readers each month. His knowledge of the railroad industry, strong journalistic instincts, and enthusiasm for telling meaningful stories have made him an important and valued member of our small editorial team.

While we are sorry to see Justin go, we are also excited for him as he begins this next chapter and continues his work documenting and sharing railroad history and photography. We are grateful for everything he has contributed to our magazines and wish him every success in his new role.

—Steve Barry and Otto M. Vondrak

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The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired Nickel Plate Road Business Car 1, a remarkably intact Pullman-built executive car that once operated at the center of one of the most influential railroad systems in American history.

Constructed in February 1929 by the Pullman Company at Calumet, the car was built for Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen, architects of a railroad empire that spanned the Midwest and East Coast. The car later operated as Chesapeake & Ohio 1 and Norfolk & Western 1, tracing a direct line through the consolidation and evolution of American railroading in the mid-20th century.

A comprehensive overhaul is planned to address deterioration and modernize the car’s critical systems, with restoration costs expected to begin at $300,000. Once complete, Business Car 1 will enter service alongside Nickel Plate Road business car 7, the Kitchi Gammi Club, which the organization acquired in 2025, operating behind restored Nickel Plate steam and diesel locomotives.

“Opportunities like this are exceptionally rare, and this is one we have pursued for over 10 years,” said Kelly Lynch, executive director of the Fort Wayne Railroad. “This car sits at the intersection of multiple major railroads and a defining era of passenger rail travel and locomotive development. Alongside our other Pullman car, it opens a fantastic way for people to experience the craftsmanship and culture of American railroading in motion. We are grateful to Powell Felix for his recent guardianship of the car, and to Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad for providing it a safe harbor after the closure of the Indiana Transportation Museum.”

In 1971, the car was acquired from N&W by J. Henry Kegley, a Bristol, Virginia, businessman, at a time when historic railroad equipment was routinely scrapped or dispersed. He maintained the car on a siding at his Tenneva Foods facility in a quiet yet decisive act of preservation, ensuring its survival. 

Following Kegley’s passing, the car was transferred from his estate in 1999, continuing its preservation. In the decades that followed, the car remained in the care of dedicated private owners, David and Eleanor Wilcox and Steve and Mary DeVoe. During this time, its use was donated to the Indiana Transportation Museum for the enjoyment and education of thousands of passengers through museum train trips, many special dinners, and special events.

Most recently, the car has been owned by Powell Felix, president of Indiana Boxcar Corporation. Through a special arrangement with Felix, the car has now joined the Fort Wayne Railroad’s operating fleet, beginning its next chapter in preservation and public interpretation.

Designed to accommodate up to 16 guests in its original configuration, the all-steel car includes private quarters for staff, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a lounge. Inside, polished wood interiors and period details reflect the environment in which railroad leaders operated — a space where business, hospitality, and mobility were seamlessly combined.

While the car remains remarkably intact and retains its original fixtures, furnishings, and much of its historic mechanical fabric, its mechanical, electrical, and HVAC systems date to the 1970s, and years of moisture intrusion have taken a toll on portions of the lounge and private suites, where ceiling and window seal repairs are now necessary. A comprehensive overhaul is planned to modernize critical systems and address deterioration. The car has recently been trucked over 109 miles to the Fort Wayne Railroad’s restoration shop in New Haven, Indiana.

Only five Nickel Plate Road business cars are known to survive, with others located in Lima, Ohio; New Bremen, Ohio; and Los Angeles, California. With this acquisition, the Fort Wayne Railroad now stewards one of the most significant collections of Nickel Plate executive equipment in existence.

—Railfan & Railroad Staff

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The Rockhill Trolley Museum has nearly completed the restoration of an Aurora, Elgin & Chicago interurban car built in 1909 by the Kuhlman Car Company. Among the finishing touches is hand-crafted gold-leaf lettering.

Car 315 has been at the museum since 1963, when it was purchased from the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago for $500. The car was made operable in 1967 and was used on special occasions from then until 2001, when it was taken out of service because of a deteriorating platform. Initially, the plan was to rebuild just the platform, but it eventually turned into a 25-year total rebuild (although not all at once).

Among the finishing touches is gold-leaf lettering and numbering. 

The museum has contracted with a local artist, “Hot Rod Jen” from Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, to apply the gold-leaf lettering and numbering. The Rockhill Trolley Museum was the first railroad museum to hire Jen, and she has since gone on to do work for the Strasburg, McHugh Locomotive & Equipment, Fox River Trolley Museum and others.

Volunteers are also working on reupholstering the seats inside, installing upper clerestory windows and interior trim.

—Justin Franz 

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