Any of you folks ever rode on one of these steam trains? I have been to the Dakotas, Colorado and Montana but never got to ride one of their trains. Awesome video on the work to maintain and keep a steam locomotive running 
Denver and Rio Grand Western railroad.
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Any of you folks ever rode on one of these steam trains? I have been to the Dakotas, Colorado and Montana but never got to ride one of their trains. Awesome video on the work to maintain and keep a steam locomotive running
I've ridden a few steam locomotive powered excursion trains over the years, but all were in the eastern US. My dad (96 yrs. old) was a locomotive engineer on the Seaboard Air Line RR many years ago. During his beginning employment, steam locomotives were the order of the day. By the time he retired, diesel locomotives had replaced steam entirely. The number of steam locomotive engineers still alive who worked for common carrier railroads, are very small indeed. Tourist type railroads operating steam locomotives are few , and there is a lot of expensive liability insurance involved, I would imagine. Some years ago a steam powered excursion train had a boiler tube crown sheet rupture due to operator error (let boiler get too low on water). Some serious burns resulted to crew members, but luckily, the boiler did not explode, which would have likely resulted in many fatalities.
Done the Durango and Silverton Railroad in Colorado twice. Georgetown Loop 3 times or so, including an in cab ride on a Shay locomotive. Fun and interesting pieces of history and machinery.
Of the two, the Durango and Silverton is much more of an all day experience. The loop is a interesting diversion for a bit...
Of the two, the Durango and Silverton is much more of an all day experience. The loop is a interesting diversion for a bit...
Durango & Silverton is definitely worth the time. I have several friends who aren't into trains who took the trip and raved about it.
If you're in the area, the Royal Gorge train in Canon City is also a good half-day trip. It's not steam but it was worth the time for me as well.
If you're in the area, the Royal Gorge train in Canon City is also a good half-day trip. It's not steam but it was worth the time for me as well.
I would love to see a Shay type locomotive in operation. Definitely a different cup of tea compared to a conventional side rod type steam locomotive.
Since I was very young, this is the only steam pulled excursion I've been on-and it tours all over the US, brought to railroad museums on a semi flatbed! Don't have to travel to ride it, it "Has Steam, Will Travel"! As seen on PBS, from Lexington KY in 2016 (my footage, even burning coal!)-
Enjoyed a delightful Labour Day ride on the Prairie Dog Central in 2019. Hoping to go again later this year.
https://www.pdcrailway.com/
https://www.pdcrailway.com/
We did the Texas State railroad in East Texas a couple weekends ago.
Nice trip about a 4.5 hour ride round trip, with a stop for boxed lunch.
If anybody is interested in going, there is a hotel I can recommend in Palestine.
There is not much happening in the area, so the Railroad is the main attraction.
Nice trip about a 4.5 hour ride round trip, with a stop for boxed lunch.
If anybody is interested in going, there is a hotel I can recommend in Palestine.
There is not much happening in the area, so the Railroad is the main attraction.
I've been pulled by one at Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad near Santa Cruz. They have several narrow gauge reduction geared locomotives including three Shays, a Climax, and a Heisler. They also have a couple of Baldwins that were used on sugar plantations on Oahu.
History of - Roaring Camp Railroads
Where History Comes to Life - The Story of Roaring Camp. The dream of preserving a piece of the 1880s and early California.
www.roaringcamp.com
This video shows Sonora #7, which is a 1911 Shay.
Another (oil burning) steam powered locomotive I've been on was at the California State Railroad Museum. They have Granite Rock #10 running on their Sacramento Southern excursion line. They always do a blow off before they decouple and turn around. For a while they stopped running it (used a diesel) when they needed a boiler rebuild.
Knott's berry farm in socal has a steam train. Been on that. Also rode one from filmore,Ca to Santa Paula ,Ca. Also rode one from the grand canyon to Williams ,az on our honeymoon
Knott's? There's the Disneyland Railroad. On top of that, they run on B98 using mostly the waste oil from their own restaurants. Walt Disney actually had a couple of locomotives custom-built by his own people, along with three used Baldwins.
Great America in Santa Clara used to have narrow gauge steam engines. The history is that they took it out in 1999 and sold off the locomotives.
We rode this one too. We rode the 1950's diesel one way then the steam back. http://www.fwry.com/#
Rode this on our honeymoon.
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Durango & Silverton is a great trip with unparalleled scenery. Cumbres and Toltec (also a remnant of the Denver and Rio Grande) is a terrific ride also, plus you get a tall bridge and a couple of short tunnels. Cass in WV is great, they run Shays (locomotives with special low range gearing)
