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| 31 December 2001 Germany Pressnitztalbahn | (Christmas Trains) Thomas Kreitmair calls the area "Germany's Christmas Country." The Erzgebirge on the German-Czech border is mining territory, and the old tradition of miners hanging their lamps in the shape of a bow above the mine entrance on Christmas Eve is carried on through the brightly lit homes and businesses of the area. And there's usually lots of snow here in the winter. The Erzgebirge is also home to two steam railroads: the line from Cranzahl to a ski resort at Kurort Oberweisenthal, and another 750mm gauge line from Johstadt to Steinbach. The "Pressnitztalbahn" is the partial reconstruction of a line to Wolkenstein, abandoned in the waning days of the Cold War and rebuilt since 1990 by a group of volunteers. It's become well-known among steam fans for its December trains in the snow featuring authentic motive power. Santa is often aboard, as you can see below. If you're ever planning a Christmastime trip to Europe, you could do much worse than to spend a day or two in this area. The Christmas Market on the square in Annaberg-Buchholz is something to behold, as is the Annenkirche. Meyers and 2-10-2Ts in the snow - what could be better? (Thanks to Thomas Kreitmair.) | |
 Santa changes trains at Schmaltzgrube on the Pressnitztalbahn. Photos by Thomas Kreitmair. Copyright 2001 Thomas Kreitmair, all rights reserved.  | ||
| 31 December 2001 Canada CPR's Holiday Train | (More Christmas Trains) For three years now, Canadian Pacific has dispatched a "Holiday Train" tarted up with lights and other Christmas decorations, working with on-line food banks to gather donations. On 5 December, this year's train originated in the New York area with a special ceremony honoring the victims of the 11 September attacks, then headed north to Montreal and west to the Vancouver area. On 10 December, the train staged a meet where the CPR crosses over the South Simcoe railroad; CPR veteran 4-6-0 1057 did the honors. South Simcoe also worked with local food banks to raise over CA$20,000 and ten tons of food donations. Our Santa hat's off to you guys - that's the way to show community spirit. (Thanks to Edward Wakeford.) | |
 Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train gets a salute from ex-Canadian Pacific 4-6-0 1057. Photo courtesy the South Simcoe Railway. | ||
| 31 December 2001 USA | (ex-Mount Emily Lbr. Co. Shay No. 1) The City of Prineville Railway's Mount Emily Shay made one last trip in 2001. Was this the last steam-powered movement in the USA in 2001? (Thanks to Martin Hansen.) | |
 Mount Emily Shay 1 at Prineville, OR. Photo by Martin Hansen. Copyright 2001 Martin E. Hansen, all rights reserved. | ||
| 31 December 2001 USA Strasburg Railroad | (Thomas) Is it steam or isn't it? It really doesn't matter - more kids may see these four "locomotives" than will see all other US steam locomotives combined in the next few years. The Strasburg Railroad has begun delivering the four "Thomas the Tank Engine" replicas, with one already delivered to the Illinois Railway Museum and three more destined in January and February for the National Railroad Museum and the Durango & Silverton NGRR (getting one narrow gauge and one standard gauge model). Jokingly described as "cabooses with side rods," much effort has actually gone into making the replicas as accurate as possible - fitting, since Rev. Willard Awdrey based "Thomas" on a real South Eastern & Chatham Railway 0-6-0. Will the kids know the difference? Maybe. But they'll be trackside, and these replicas can be trucked to more locations more easily than Strasburg's existing ex-Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal stand-in. (Thanks to Wayne Eissle.) | |
 Thomas wheelsets on the erecting floor at Strasburg, PA. Photo by Wayne Eissle. Copyright 2001 S. Wayne Eissele, all rights reserved. | ||
| 31 December 2001 United Kingdom Flying Scotsman plc | (ex-LNER 4-6-2 4472) Quick, call your broker! For a mere 55 cents you can buy a piece of "Flying Scotsman!" Without a doubt the most interesting IPO of 2002 (at least to us steam buffs) will be on 25 January, when "Flying Scotsman plc" goes public at an offer price of 38 pence per share. The company's most important asset is, of course, the world-traveling ex-BR, exx-LNER, nee-Great Northern 4-6-2 "Flying Scotsman" designed by Sir Nigel Gresley. Commemorative certificates will also be available to shareholders, and the resulting capital - as much as GBP 2 million if the offering is fully subscribed - will be used to improve merchandise marketing, and the company also hopes to build a permanent home for the locomotive in the center of Edinburgh, which they hope will become a tourist attraction. Company revenue is expected to increase from GBP219,000 in 2001 to GBP 7.2 Million in 2004. While we don't recommend investments of any sort here, much less individual stocks, if you view this as something fun to hang on the wall how can you go wrong? | |
| 31 December 2001 USA Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR | (ex-Moore-Keppel Climax 3) The Moore-Keppel Climax offered for sale earlier this year by the Connecticut Electric Railway Museum (see the archive) has arrived at the home of its new owner, the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad. (I guess someone was listening to our plea, eh?) No. 3 joins an interesting collection of equipment on the D&GV's ex-C&O Greenbrier River route, not physically connected to the ex-Western Maryland trackage. Add another destination to your list when you next head for the hills of Cass. (Thanks to Ben True.) | |
 No. 3 arrives in Durbin West-by-God-Virginia, November 16, 2001. Photo by Ben True. Copyright 2001 Benjamin J. True, all rights reserved. | ||
| 5 December 2001 United Kingdom Eddystone Restoration Report | (ex-BR 4-6-2 34028 "Eddystone") When last we saw "Eddystone" (here), the "West Country" 4-6-2 was being hauled through the streets of Corfe Castle on its way to the Southern Locomotives Ltd. shop near Swanage. The 20-year quest to return this locomotive to service continues. (See a full, and hilarious, restoration report at the link.) | |
 The frames and boiler for "Eddystone" at Herston works, near Swanage. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2001 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved.  "What? Harry Potter? Right, mate, I never heard THAT one yet . . . get out of my firebox!" Dave Mitchell displays a firebox patch for "Eddystone's" combustion chamber. Note also the siphons are being patched. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2001 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 December 2001 Kenya | (ex-EAR 5918) Well, let's just say that 5918's trip could have unfolded a bit better. No mechanical problems to note - just organizational and financial ones. | |
 EAR 5918 crosses the Tsavo River en route from Nairobi to Mombasa. Photo by Nick Lera. Copyright 2001 Nicholas M. Lera, all rights reserved. | ||
| From the departure (two hours late, with only a quarter-load of fuel oil) to arrival in Mombasa (which took eight days instead of the advertised three out and three back), long waits in sidings and additional expenditures by the passengers (who stumped up for fuel out of their own pockets) characterized the trip. The general review of the trip? The engine's a keeper, but look a bit askance at future offerings by the organizer. Still in Mombasa, a new consortium is trying to interest Kenya Railways in operating day trips from Mombasa to Voi and return for visitors to the game parks in the area. In a meeting on 29 November in Mombasa, management was understandably non-committal. We'll keep you posted. (Thanks to Nick Lera, Ad Van Sten, and Rob Dickinson.) | ||
| 1 December 2001 USA | (ex-USA 0-6-0T 5019) Old Dominion Chapter NRHS fired up their ex-US Army, ex-Albemarle Paper (Porter 1942) and switched some of their rolling stock as a demonstration on 10 November. No word on future plans for the locomotive. (Thanks to Greg Scholl, Russell Underwood, and Peter Pisczczek.) | |
 Uhh, Bob, doesn't the tender go on the BACK? . . . (sorry, couldn't resist ;-) ex-Albemarle Paper 5019 switches for the public at Hallsboro Yard near Richmond, VA. Photo by Peter Pisczczek. Copyright 2001 Peter Pisczczek, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 December 2001 USA Friends of 4449 | (ex-SP 4-8-4 4449) Word is filtering in that 4449 will soon be back in "Daylight" paint, and that an excursion from Portland to Sacramento (with overnight stops in Bend, OR, and near Quincy, CA) is being planned for late March, with a similar return trip. It's not firm yet, but we'll post it in the Schedules when it is. (Thanks to Martin Hansen.) | |
| 1 December 2001 Canada 6060 web site | (ex-CNR 4-8-2 6060) Canadian National 6060 put nearly 900 miles on the odometer, most of it unassisted by the diesel protection in the consist, on its 10-day October trip to haul an excursion from Hinton, Alberta, to Jasper. It's the first time the 4-8-2 has stretched its legs like this since its 1986 return from SteamExpo in Vancouver, an ambitious excursion with ex-CPR 2860 and 3716 that was infamous for delay, derailments, and hours-late running. It's good to know this trip went better, and that Canadian National (now owner of Wisconsin Central) was open to allowing the trip. (Thanks to Al Watch, Geoff Sowrey, Don Totten, and Rob Sterne.) | |
 Canadian National 6060 en route from Stettler, Alberta, to Jasper. Photo by Geoff Sowrey. Copyright 2001 Geoff Sowrey, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 November 2001 Kenya | (ex-EAR 5918) East African Railways 59th Class 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt 5918 is back in service. The locomotive put on a performance in the Nairobi, Kenya, railway station on October 26 as people were heading home at the end of the day. No. 5918 will power a six-day tour to Mombasa and return beginning on November 6; further tours may be sponsored by EcoFarm Holidays as demand warrants. (Thanks to Ngugi Mbugua, Trevor Heath, Tom Schultz, and Ad Van Sten.) | |
 East African Railways Garratt 5918 in August 2001, being shunted to the works for overhaul. Photo by Trevor Heath. Copyright 2001 Trevor Heath, all rights reserved."  East African Railways Garratt 5918 at Nairobi station. Photo by Ngugi Mbugua. Copyright 2001 Ngugi Mbugua, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 November 2001 USA | (Kettle Moraine Railway) The Kettle Moraine Railway made its last runs over the weekend, with both 2-6-2 no. 9 and Heisler no. 3 fired up and putting on a show. Equipment is being collected and delivered to interchange in anticipation of the tracks being lifted soon, and rumors are flying as to where individual pieces of equipment will end up. Once the fate of the locomotives is known for sure we'll let you know. (Thanks to Jeff Terry.) | |
  Kettle Moraine 2-6-2 nos. 3 and 9 on 28 October. Photo by Jeff Terry. Copyright 2001 Jeff Terry, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 November 2001 United Kingdom Swanage Railway | (UK Steam) Oh, to be in the UK in October. The world of Steam has been especially active this month, with photographer specials, preserved railway galas, and new heights for main line excursions. On 2 October, the locomotives normally used to power the "Jacobite" steam excursions from Fort William to Mallaig took a turn on three of the five daily passenger services between the two towns, the first "Plandampf" on the Scottish line. On 6 October, "Black Five" 45407 powered an excursion over the West Coast Main Line, including for the first time since the 1960s a "banker" (pusher) from the helper station of Tebay up to Shap Summit. Eight days later, another passenger excursion got a banker, this one on the infamous "Lickey Incline" from Bromsgrove to Blackwell. While 2 miles of 2.7% might not seem much to some, express trains with a "Hall" in the lead and a "Jinty" working with a Pannier Tank on the rear was right impressive in the days of steam. In the south, tracklaying on the Swanage Railway is rapidly reaching a connection to the national network, and "Merchant Navy" 4-6-2 35027 "Port Line" made a test run on the new rails on 20 October. A gap of only 520 yards now remains before through trains from London are again a possibility. (Thanks to Martin Creese and Andrew P. M. Wright.) | |
 BR "Black Five" 4-6-0 45407 (running as 45417 "The Glasgow Highlander") and BR 2-6-0 76079 at Scout Green, between Tebay and Shap. Photo by Martin Creese. Copyright 2001 Martin Creese, all rights reserved.  "Merchant Navy" 4-6-2 35027 "Port Line" near the end of track at the A351 bridge. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2001 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved. | ||
| 15 October 2001 USA East Broad Top RR MPG - 54 sec., 4.8MB | (EBT 2-8-2 17) So here I am in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, faxing a 38-page document from Staples, and since I'm here I might as well update you on the day's events. East Broad Top put on a fine charter today for a small group of photographers, allowing Jim Gunning to black out the white and brass trim, and rounding up an authentic consist. A day of fine runbys ensued. Thanks to Jim and his cohort, and Stanley Hall and all the EBT crew for a fine day. Rather than bore you with an ode to the pleasures of driving on PA 641 on a perfect fall-color day, let me just leave you with a photo . . . | |
 EBT 17 heads south with empties bound for . . . Robertsdale?, October 15, 2001. Photo by John Craft. Copyright 2001 John A. Craft, all rights reserved. | ||
| 10 October 2001 USA Durango & Silverton NG RR MPG - 54 sec., 4.8MB | (ex-D&RGW 2-8-2 478) Greetings from Narrow Gauge country, where a "Sport Model" is running in Rio Grande paint and doubleheaded K36s are already encountering snow. The Durango & Silverton NG RR operated a two-day charter train for a small group of photographers last weekend, painting K28 2-8-2 478 in authentic D&RGW and assembling a 50s-era mixed consist. All involved put on a fine show, and on Monday 478 led the 8.15 to Silverton, looking for all the world like the Rio Grande of the 1960s and 1970s without those awful fake stacks. Thanks to Dave and Jean Gross for organizing the trip, Kristi Nelson Cohen and Mary Jo Rakowski at the D&S for being so generous, and the D&S crew for a great weekend. Two hours east on the Cumbres & Toltec, the season is winding down as snow begins to fall on Cumbres Pass. After a "Perils of Pauline" summer in which funding from the States of Colorado and New Mexico has been given and taken away numerous times, things finally seem to be in place for an extensive winter's work on locomotives and passenger cars. The railroad will meet its ridership goal of 55,000 despite a dropoff in ridership resulting from the September 11 attacks. | |
 Durango and Silverton 2-8-2 478 on a photo special at Rockwood, CO, October 6, 2001. Photo by Danah Craft. Copyright 2001 Danah C. Craft, all rights reserved. | ||
| 10 October 2001 Canada CNR 6060 | (ex-CNR 4-8-2 6060) More on the CNR 6060 trip reported earlier: 4-8-2 6060 will be ferried from Stettler, AB to Hinton, AB, on 22 October, on a schedule yet to be determined. It will operate from Hinton to Jasper, AB, on Friday, 26 October, leaving at 10am and arriving 12.45 for the rededication of the Grand Trunk Pacific station there, which has been restored by Parks Canada. 6060 will be doubleheading with CN 9000, the first Canadian National diesel. Seats on the train are available for a donation of $100 or more. 6060 will return to Hinton on the 27th, then on to Stettler (schedule to be determined). (Thanks to Don Totten and Rob Sterne.) | |
| 3 October 2001 Canada | (ex-CPR 2860, 3716) After all the good news coming out of Canada lately, it's a shame to have to report some bad news. Mark Mudie, President of BC Rail, has confirmed that the Government of British Columbia will not provide CA$4 Million to fund overhauls of "Royal Hudson" 2860 and 2-8-0 3716, both out of service with boiler problems. The decision (taken by the current Liberal Party government elected in June) reverses an earlier commitment to fund the overhauls by the previous New Democratic Party leadership, and effectively ends the hope of regular steam operations between Vancouver and Squamish, BC, for the near future. Hudson 2860 was retired by CPR and donated to the City of Vancouver, BC, in 1964. A planned railroad museum never materialized, and the Province purchased the locomotive in 1972. It entered service on the provincially-owned BC Rail in June 1974. The 5-days-weekly excursions were immediately popular, and have continued since. During its operating career it traveled as far south as California, and eastward to Quebec promoting British Columbia. 3716 was one of two locomotives overhauled in 1974-75 to operate a museum train for the Province, and was initially lettered "Provincial Museum." It has operated sporadically since, most recently on BC Rail substituting for 2860 before its own boiler problems sidelined it. Will 2860 and/or 3716 come back? It will be an uphill fight. Mudie is said to be interested in ending all passenger service on BC Rail with the exception of trains to Lillooet. Al Broadfoot, head of BC Rail's steam department, may be going to CPR to look after 2816. If either is true it could not only prevent the return of steam, but it may also end nearly 30 years of regular excursions to Squamish. | |
| 1 October 2001 USA Kettle Moraine Railway | (Kettle Moraine Railway) As Jim Wrinn mentions in his "Crystal Ball" column, this is the last year for the Kettle Moraine Railway and its beautiful 2-6-2. Ridership has never been earth-shattering, and ridership has declined to the point that the line, which opened in 1972 with daily service, operated Sundays only through much of the 1990s, and in 2001 scheduled only 5 days of summer operation. The family-owned line's only full-time employee, Steven Butler, will be moving to Chama, New Mexico, where he will become the Chief Mechanical Officer of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The 2-6-2 and the line's other equipment will be sold. Congratulations to Steven, and best of luck. | |
| 1 October 2001 USA Ohio Central RR | (ex-GTW 4-8-4 6325) The weekend of September 22-23 was a very good one for steam here in North America. Ohio Central's 6325 debuted in style on the 22nd, hauling a trainload of passengers from Dennison to Columbus under sunny skies. A lot of hard work by the crew working on this engine has paid off handsomely. Congratulations to all of you for a great restoration. | |
 Ohio Central 6325 makes its first passenger run. Photo by James A. Gunning. Copyright 2001 James A. Gunning, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 October 2001 Canada Canadian Pacific Railway | (CPR 4-6-4 2816) It's like Robert Ritchie is channeling Graham Claytor. From the pride in company history, to the acquisition of a home-road locomotive for public relations purposes, to the images captured by the chasing photographers, from the distance of a few thousand miles Canadian Pacific Railway looks a lot like the Southern Railway of the late 1960s and early 1970s. And that's a good thing. No. 2816 returned to Calgary last week just in time for a meeting of the Canadian Pacific Limited board that split the company into 5 separate entities, and will go into service promoting the railway's safety, service, and productivity goals. Alberta's Premier Ralph Klein joined Ritchie for a ride in the cab as the locomotive entered Calgary. Now dubbed "Empress," 2816 will be headed out on tour soon before being stored in Calgary for the winter. Next year she may also be seen from time to time on the Royal Canadian Pacific luxury train. | |
 CPR 2816 at Ozada, Alberta, on her inaugural runs. Photo by Steve Brown. Copyright 2001 Steven J. Brown, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 October 2001 Canada CNR 6060 | (ex-CNR 4-8-2 6060) As 2816 was making its way through the Rockies, Canadian National 6060 was operating a pair of sold-out excursions on the Central Western from Stetler to Big Valley and back. One more trip will operate October 7. There are also reports that the Rocky Mountain Rail Society is planning an excursion from Hinton to Jasper on 26 October, which would be 6060's first jaunt on home rails in several years. We'll offer more details as we get them. | |
 6060 on the Central Western Railway on September 22. Photo by Chris Jacks. Copyright 2001 Jacks, all rights reserved. | ||
| 1 October 2001 USA East Broad Top RR | (EBT Winter Spectacular) This weekend the big steam event will be the East Broad Top's annual Fall Spectacular. Truly an irreplaceable treasure, the EBT has slowly but surely decayed over the 46 years of its closure, from the condition of its marvelous shop complex to the locomotives themselves. There are always rumors swirling around: this is the last year, they won't open next summer, etc. Yet somehow the EBT always manages to soldier on. Will that change this year? The railroad has taken the position that they are not subject to FRA jurisdiction, and no announcement has been made about the railroad's future. But many people in the tourist railroad community believe that they are, and that the conditions of 49CFR230 will apply to the EBT's locomotives, effectively shutting down the railroad next year. We all hope it doesn't happen this way, and that this year's rumors will be just as wrong as all the others. But if you've never seen the EBT, get your bum on a plane or in a car this weekend. Buy the $50 all-day pass and put some money in the coffers. And hope you can make the same trip next year. | |
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