Railroad Nation

Railmark’s iconic Star Clipper Dinner Train®, the first and oldest dinner train in North America, will begin its 26th season in the Orlando Florida market, moving from the Metro-Detroit Michigan market where it has been since 1985.

Railmark’s RAIL ENTERTAINMENT USA INC. subsidiary announced today that it has
acquired the assets and operations of Florida Rail Adventures LLC and commenced
operations on March 19th.

The Star Clipper Dinner Train made its debut run on August 4, 1984 in Osage Iowa and
since that time has entertained over 2,000,000 passengers. Railmark’s other branded
rail entertainment trains such as its family oriented excursion trains, adult entertainment
trains and its unique Pullman Palace Bed & Breakfast operation, will relocate to the
Eustis, Mount Dora and Tavares Florida area, all lake front communities along the
train’s primary route and located just northwest of Orlando.

The move puts the Mount Dora Scenic Railway,  which shut down  operations earlier this year, the Pullman Palace Bed & Breakfast, and what’s now called the Orlando Star Clipper under common ownership.

The company’s Florida based operations website is www.orlandotrains.com.

For more on Florida train rides, visit: www.scenicrailexcursions.com/florida_trainrides.php

NW 611 blasts out of Montgomery Tunnel

May 8, 2010 is National Train Day. The O. Winston Link Museum and the Virginia Museum of Transportation are inviting railfans and families from all over the world to attend a now yearly celebration of railroad heritage. The Link Museum will feature the famed J Class locomotive 611, a historic paint scheme Southern Unit 4610 locomotive railroad memorabilia and activities, model trains, railroad photography, children’s activities and more.

The Virginia Museum of Transportation will feature NS SD 70 EMD locomotive tours, Class J cab, railroad motorcar rides, handcrafted wooden models, kids’ activities. More information is available at www.vmt.org

For more on Virginia train rides and museums, visit www.scenicrailexcursions.com/virginia_trainrides.php

West Virginia Rails 2010 celebrates 100 years of the Railroad built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1910. Steam trains will once again whistle in the deep valleys. Three steam locomotives will be brought in. It has been nearly 50 years since a steam locomotive traveled these rails. This could be the only chance you will have to ride behind a vintage steam locomotive over this line.

Coming June 25-27, 2010, the sounds of steam whistles, the clickety-clack of steel wheels on rails, the smell of coal smoke and the excitement from children of all ages will take over Petersburg, WV. This quaint American town is located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Thousands of train lovers will ascend on Petersburg nestled in the heart of the Appalachia Mountains. The weekend theme will be Trains, Trains, Trains!

The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad will be offering a rare railroading experience through the lush mountains of West Virginia. Steam and Diesel Locomotives from around the country will be on display for visitors to tour the cabs, take photos, watch demonstrations and much more. Huge model train layouts will be on display. Railroad vendors from around the globe will have unique one-of-a-kind train items and mementos for purchase that you won’t find any where else. Families will be able to take an all day excursion or shorter one-hour train ride behind various vintage locomotives. For the thrill seeking visitor, you will even be able to pull the throttle and blow the whistle on one of these steam locomotives. Scaled down miniature trains will be hauling passengers around the grounds of the event as well.

The list of locomotives and events includes WM #734, Flagg Coal Company #75, and New Hope Valley Steam Locomotive #17,  along with vintage streamlined diesel locomotives. With a combined 40 day rail excursions and dinner train excursions over the three day event, there will be plenty of opportunities  for the whole family to ride the train. You may also want to try your hand at actually running a real coal fired steam locomotive.

Petersburg, WV is located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and is within a 2 hour drive from the suburban DC/Baltimore Area as well as a beautiful drive up from Roanoke Virginia.

For more on train rides in West Virginia, visit: http://scenicrailexcursions.com/westvirginia_trainrides.php

Sharpen your detective skills for the Florida Railroad Museum’s first ever murder mystery-dinner train.  The first Murder Mystery train, debuting in March, was a great success. Additional trains have been added to the museums weekend runs for April and May.
Passengers enjoy appetizers on the train as Sheriff Randi interviews suspects and finds clues on the murder of Mr. Blatherskite. The Murder Mystery-Dinner train will then make a stop for a great barbecue dinner while the Sheriff continues to piece the evidence together. Do you think you’ll be able to solve the mystery on the return trip? It’s an evening of western fun you’ll not forget!

The April 23 and 24 dates have already SOLD OUT. Two additional trips have been scheduled for April 30 and May 1 and these will sell out soon.

For more on Florida train rides, go to:http://scenicrailexcursions.com/florida_trainrides.php

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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Directions -How to Get There

West Virginia Rails 2010 will be celebrating 100 years of the railroad built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1910. Steam trains will once again whistle in the deep valleys. Three steam locomotives will be brought in. It has been nearly 50 years since a steam locomotive traveled these rails. This could be the only chance you will have to ride behind a vintage steam locomotive over this line so reserve your place in history by booking your tickets today!

Over three days rail excursions will be operated over the 51 mile long South Branch Valley Railroad through the World Famous Trough. Some trains will be pulled by vintage steam locomotives others by historic diesel locomotives.

Coming June 25-27, 2010, the sounds of steam whistles, the clickety-clack of steel wheels on rails, the smell of coal smoke and the excitement from children of all ages will take over Petersburg, WV. This quaint American town is located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Thousands of train lovers will ascend on Petersburg nestled in the heart of the Appalachia Mountains. The weekend theme will be Trains, Trains, Trains!

The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad will be offering a rare railroading experience through the lush mountains of West Virginia. Steam and Diesel Locomotives from around the country will be on display for visitors to tour the cabs, take photos, watch demonstrations and much more. Huge model train layouts will be on display. Railroad vendors from around the globe will have unique one-of-a-kind train items and mementos for purchase that you won’t find any where else. Families will be able to take an all day excursion or shorter one-hour train ride behind various vintage locomotives. For the thrill seeking visitor, you will even be able to pull the throttle and blow the whistle on one of these steam locomotives. Scaled down miniature trains will be hauling passengers around the grounds of the event as well.

The weekend will include day-long excursions on Friday and Sunday between Romney and Petersburg, hauled in one direction by Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s 1916 Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-8-0 No. 734. It will also include diesel-powered lunch and dinner trains between Petersburg and the eagle-laden trough area on Saturday, hourly shuttles between Petersburg and Moorefield behind New Hope Valley Railway 0-4-0T No. 17, and 20-minute runs during which passengers can run the privately owned ex-Flagg Coal Co. 0-4-0T No. 75 all three days. Festivities will include nighttime photo shoots of the steam and diesel locomotives on Friday and Saturday, cab tours, and rides on a 1/8-scale miniature train. Diesels will include ex-B&O passenger GP9 6604, ex-C&O GP9 6240, ex-CRR FP7 8016, and ex-B&LE F7 722.

Tickets for the Romney-Petersburg trips are $145 first class and $95 coach; dinner and lunch runs are $95 first class and $65 coach. The hourly shuttles are $18 for adults and $12 for children 3-16, and admission to the night photo shoots is $80. It will cost $85 to run No. 75. General admission to the show in Petersburg is $12 for adults and $9 for kids.

Tickets may be ordered on line at www.wvrails2010.com, or by mail from Potomac Valley Scenic Railroad, 2306 35th St., Parkersburg, W.Va. 26104.

EUSTIS, Fla. – Just when we need “shovel ready” projects to receive stimulus money to create jobs, this sure sounds like one to me.  The Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel has reported that Florida Rail Adventures is having to  shut down its Mount Dora Meteor  due to inadequate tie condition.  The train, which operates over Florida Central Railroad tracks, is shutting down in the middle of its tourist season.

Owner and general manager Neil Bagaus said at least 1,000 ties need to be replaced before the branch between Mount Dora and Tavares, Fla., could meet Federal Railroad Administration standards. Bagaus said the railroad replaced 400 ties at a cost of $30,000, but said it doesn’t have the money to replace the rest. So, let’s see. To replace  the 1000 ties, at $75 per tie, they will need about $75000. Almost sounds like a bargin.

“This is our season,” he said. Unfortunately, “we just cannot afford the cost.”

Trains over the main line between Eustis and Tavares and on to Orlando will continue to operate as normal. Those trains include the dinner train, rail rambles, Gunfight at the OK Corral, trips to the Orlando Magic games, and a lunch train.

Mount Dora Mayor Melissa DeMarco said the town plans to look for ways to assist Bagaus restart the train.

VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. —Faced with the ever rising costs of running and maintaining a steam locomotive these days,   Montana’s Alder Gulch Short Line has announced they will not be able to operate steam  on its railroad this year. Train rides will continue to operate using its  normal lineup of tourist trains. The decision comes as part of an effort to save money.

The tourist railroad normally runs the  30-inch-gauge 2-8-0 No. 12, a 1910 Baldwin product that came from Ferrocarril Mexicano RR, on its route. Paul Reichert, executive director of the railroad’s operator, the  Montana Heritage Commission, said the costs of keeping a steam locomotive in operation during a recession led to the decision.

Originally purchased in 1992, restoration of No 12  continued on for  several years.  The work took  four to six people full time on the engine, often ten hours a day, five days a week, and eight hours on Saturday. Beginning with the bare frame, every part was rebuilt to like-new specifications. Moorehead Boiler of Minneapolis, Minnesota rebuilt the steam boiler. Every bearing and wearing point was renewed. The cab was rebuilt with a beautiful polished mahogany interior, and outfitted with brass gauges, injectors, oil cups, and other parts whose polish would satisfy even the most critical army sergeant. When it rolled out of the Baldwin factory in 1910 it could not have been more beautiful than it is today.

The railroad will instead use a gas-powered vehicle to operate the 1.5-mile route, with a diesel-powered vehicle held in backup.

To see more on train rides in Montana, visit: http://scenicrailexcursions.com/montana_trainrides.php

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.

Coming in at #1,  Burt Lancaster plays a French train engineer during the waning days of the German occupation who tries to prevent Nazi colonel Paul Scofield from transporting a precious art collection back to Germany.
“Lancaster provides a veritable primer on the railroad craft:working an interlocking tower,.. running and hand-firing a 4-6-0,disassemble track fasteners. In all tasks, he is totally convincing.”

Filmed in the picturesque town of Acquigny in Normandy, just north of Paris. The line was scheduled for abandonment, so it was easy for the SCNF to give the director free rain.

The steam power was almost exclusively WWI era 4-6-0’s, with Belpaire designed fireboxes and were hand fired. The 4-6-0 in the first derailment was moving too fast, destroying three of five cameras. However, the result was one of the most exciting train action scenes in cinema history.

See if your favorite train movie made the list.