Railroad Nation

For the first time in 12 years of hosting the Day Out With Thomas event, Essex Steam Train & Riverboat will kick off its 2010 season with a Spring event, Day Out With Thomas: The Celebration Tour 2010- - May 8-9 & 15-16.

All Aboard for the Best Birthday Party Ever! Day Out With Thomas: The Celebration Tour 2010 marks the 65th Anniversary of everyone’s favorite storybook engine, Thomas the Tank Engine. All Thomas fans are invited to come to the birthday bash and celebrate with their #1 engine. In addition to a 25-minute train ride aboard a real, vintage train lead by Thomas, anniversary highlights include:

* The opportunity to meet and be photographed with Sir Topham Hatt(TM), Controller of the Railway

*A special display celebrating 65 years of Thomas the Tank Engine

*2010 commemorative merchandise and giveaways, including a mini-view finder giveaway that tells the story of Thomas’ upcoming adventure, Misty Island Rescue

* A Thomas & Friends Imagination Station; featuring stamps, temporary tattoos, hands-on arts and crafts activities and coloring sheets.

* Storytelling, video viewing and live music Tickets on Sale February 8th! Tickets for Day Out With Thomas: The Celebration Tour 2010 go on sale Monday, February 8th by calling toll-free, 866.468.7630, or link from essexsteamtrain.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102981838551&s=28419&e=001Wm_2Ns29UmSrGWritPez7sEjdm3Q9UYu2cJaSmh6PQ_8GnReqLHyjhZmdL2A_vTues5u59dAiZgTuyZfAUJsWRB9YD6c2H-p9opU_0j-4B06Lv1mh1GNsA==]. Tickets are $18 plus tax for ages 2 and up. Spread the Word . . . Essex Steam Train will host the only Day Out With Thomas event in Connecticut in 2010!

For more information and directions contact Essex Steam Train & Riverboat at 800.377.3987 or visit essexsteamtrain.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102981838551&s=28419&e=001Wm_2Ns29UmS2SvKsvCrBbhn39_KvtVH6kVxjdKx6Yk6fGfmU7u838uKsRLauLCcHqbzNOzDx0Bwkr3-0wWxoyKEuntBI4uAx6REZU7Lwr_DNG6Up1gpafpAyghNd0rxa] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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OMAHA, Neb. — Historic locomotives from Union Pacific’s steam program will make six outings between April and November this year, including a ceremony marking the program’s 50th year. The schedule is available at http://www.uprr.com/.

Both UP steam engines 844 and 3985 serve as rolling ambassadors for the nation’s largest railroad. In addition to the usual Denver Post/Cheyenne FrontierPost Days Special exhibit on July 24, stops this year will include most of the month of April in  Harlingen, Texas.   June 25-26 they will be in Milliken, Colo. and Sept 8-24 in Pendleton, Ore. Then it’s  back across  country to Sedalia, Mo. from Sept 30 to Oct 15 and  returning to  Council Bluffs, Iowa in November 10-14 for the 50th Anniversary.

Sweetheart Casino Train Ride to the Soaring Eagle Casino

will help the rebuilding of the “Polar Express”.

– Mt. Pleasant Michigan

Saturday, February 13th, 2009

Train departs Owosso at Noon and returns at 10pm

Roll the dice and take a spin with thousands of slots & table games and high stakes bingo. Your luck is about to change! Join the Steam Railroading Institute on February 13th on a leisurely train ride to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where you’ll be greeted with a shuttle to Soaring Eagle Casino. Players will receive $20 in comp dollars and a $5 dining credit. Leave the driving to us and WIN BIG! Reserve your seat today by visiting our online ticket system or by calling 989.725.9464.

Proceeds to benefit the rebuilding of the Pere Marquette 1225 and The Steam Railroading Institute.

See more on  Michigan train rides.

Steamfest II will hold two events, the first one  will be held on March 14 and a weekend event will be held on March 20-21,2010 in Fremont California.

Sponsored by the Niles Canyon Railway and the Pacific Locomotive Association, these weekend  events will feature train rides with three to four participating steam locomotives  .

The Pacific Locomotive Association has been collecting rare and unusual railroad equipment since the early 1960s in an effort to preserve the Pacific Coast railroading history for the enjoyment of future generations. The PLA was recently awarded TRAINS  2009 Preservation Award of $10,000  for its restoration of the 1924-built Clover Valley Lumber Co. 2-6-6-2T No. 4 for operation on the Niles Canyon Railway in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Planned Steamfest Participants include:

Niles Canyon Railway’s Quincy Railroad #2 , a 1924 Alco 2-6-2T and the  Robert Dollar #3, a 1927 Alco, also a  2-6-2T.  California State Railroad Museum’s Granite Rock #10, a 1942 Porter built 0-6-0T and the  Roots of Motive Power/Chris Baldo’s Mason County Logging #7, a 1910 Baldwin built 2-6-2T will also be there.

The railroad will be running a double-headed steam-powered freight March 14.

For more on Bay Area and California train rides, visit http:/www.scenicrailexcursions.com/california_trainrides.php

F

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge steam train’s 52 mile round trip winter excursion travels through the breath taking back country winter wonderland of the San Juan Mountains in the comfort of heated coaches. The wilderness destination of Cascade Canyon Pavilion is the perfect setting for a fire-side lunch, photo opportunities, or a walk along the Animas River.

Lunch items are available for purchase on the concession car. You may also pre-order Tamale lunches, which feature locally grown, organic ingredients. These $10 Tamale lunches may be ordered up until 4:00 pm the day before your ride by calling 888-872-4607.

For reservations, visit http://www.durangotrain.com/ride-us

For more on Colorado Train Rides, visit: http://scenicrailexcursions.com/colorado_trainrides.php

Take the family on a magical train ride to the North Pole! Ride behind
 Pere Marquette 1225 Steam Locomotive for an evening of Christmas fun
for the entire family. Riders depart from the Steam Railroading Institute
in Owosso, Michigan behind the locomotive selected by Warner Brothers
as the image for the Polar Express animated movie. This four-hour journey
includes a visit with Santa, live entertainment, hot cocoa and indoor
carnival rides at the North Pole.
This roundtrip excursion is only $70 per adult and $40 per child
(12 and under).
Dates and times are limited so book your tickets today and help create
a lifetime of magical memories by visiting www.michigansteamtrain.com
or calling the Steam Railroading Institute at 989.725.9464.

               

For more on train rides in Michigan, visit: 
http://www.scenicrailexcursions.com/michigan_trainrides.php

NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad will operate its 6th Annual Fall Foliage Excursion along the Hudson River on Oct. 24. The private Metro-North train will run from Grand Central Terminal to Cold Spring, N.Y. The trip takes 70 minutes one way and will be narrated by car hosts from Group Travel. The train departs the station at 10:15 a.m. and will leave Cold Spring at 4:15 p.m. Additional stops will be made at Harlem-125th Street and Tarrytown.

Adult fare is $40 and $10 for children 11 and under. Tickets may be purchased on Metro-North’s Group Travel Web site at www.mta.info. Tickets may be purchased through Oct. 19. For more information, contact the Group Travel Office at 212-499-4398 or groupsales@mnr.org.

For more on New York Train Rides, visit:

http://www.scenicrailexcursions.com/newyork_trainrides.php

MINNEAPOLIS — After being in storage since August in Minneapolis, Southern Pacific “Daylight” 4-8-4 No. 4449 will stretch its legs again this weekend with sold-out round trip excursions from Minneapolis to Winona and La Crescent, Minn., on Oct. 10-11. The trips over Canadian Pacific’s ex-Milwaukee Road route are sponsored by the Minneapolis-based “Friends of the 261” and the “Friends of SP 4449.”

The “Daylight” 4-8-4 is based in Portland, Ore., but traveled east to Owosso, Mich., in July to participate in TrainFestival 2009, which featured several steam locomotives and drew over 30,000 people. The engine departed Michigan on July 31 and arrived in Minneapolis on Aug. 3. Since then the Minneapolis Junction shop crew has performed minor repairs to 4449. The shop is also home to No. 261, which has been out of service since its last trip on Sept. 14, 2008. At that time, 261 was due for its mandated federal inspection and overhaul. However, work has been delayed until the 261’s owners, the National Railroad Museum of Green Bay, Wis., and the non-profit “Friends of the 261,” come to a conclusion on their new lease agreement. The 4449 trips are being operated as a fundraiser for the 261’s eventual overhaul.

After the weekend excursions, No. 4449 will begin a ferry move on BNSF back to Portland. The schedule for the ferry move is:

Oct. 13: Minneapolis - Fargo, N.D.
Oct. 14: Fargo - Minot, N.D.
Oct. 15: Layover Minot
Oct. 16: Minot - Havre, Mont.
Oct. 17: Havre - Whitefish, Mont.
Oct. 18: Layover Whitefish
Oct. 19: Whitefish ­- Spokane, Wash.
Oct. 20: Spokane - Portland

Tickets are still available for the ferry trips and can be ordered at www.trainfestival2009.com/tickets.

The Steam Railroading Institute along with the Friends of the 261 and the Friends of SP 4449 are offing a “Once in a Lifetime” trip from Minneapolis, MN to Portland, OR behind the “World Famous” Daylight. The special train will leave Minneapolis on October 13 and arrive in Portland on October 20. Travel at mainline speeds behind steam while viewing some of the most scenic landscapes in the World. You will see the wonderful colors of the Fall and fresh snow caps on the mountains. Fresh mountain streams hug the train and provide a wide variety of wildlife. Ride in luxury dome cars  while enjoying a specially prepared meal by one of the trains many chefs.  You will see the steam locomotive pulling the train while the mountains and streams pass by your window.

You can purchase tickets to ride in first class or coach for the whole trip or just one day. Tickets start under $200.

If you or someone you know would like to ride behind a historic train that will most likely never be repeated visit www.westbound4449.com for more information.

This three-day Rail Fest 2009 event celebrates the railroad history of Nebraska’s North Platte,  home of Bailey Yard, the world’s largest railroad classification facility,  at the Golden Spike Tower.

The Rail Fest is a unique event that embodies many facets of the world of Railroading, including preservation, education, safety, entertainment, and many other rail oriented activities. Rail Fest also incorporates many dynamic exhibits, programs and displays designed to entertain and educate the public.

At Rail Fest, attendees can get an up-close view of how Union Pacific processes more than 150 trains and 10,000 rail cars a day. Free bus tours of Bailey Yard will offer the ultimate rail fan experience – the opportunity to see the scale and the efficiencies involved in processing so many trains a day. There is only one place in the world this happens and it’s Bailey Yard at North Platte.

Displays include  the UP Heritage Steam Engine, No. 844 and a Union Pacific miniature train along with live entertainment and fun for the whole family.

The Original Town Association sponsors  this  annual festival to recognize the contributions the Union Pacific Railroad and its employees have made in shaping North Platte, Nebraska into the extraordinary community it is today.

For more information, visit www.nprailfest.com