On Monday July 15, 2019 the Union Pacific Museum will operate a one-way mainline excursion featuring recently restored Union Pacific "Big Boy" #4014, the largest operating Steam Locomotive on the planet. The passenger train consist will feature the all matching Union Pacific heritage fleet of coaches, dome cars, and lounges. 

The train operates one-way from Omaha, Nebraska to Boone Iowa on the Union Pacific Mainline. Passengers will return to Omaha by chartered bus. 

Tickets start at $400 for Coach and may be purchased through - www.uptraintix.com/index.html
 
Ticket Sales open to Members of the Union Pacific Museum on May 24, 2019 and are available on a first-come basis. Any remaining tickets will be released to the general public on May 28, 2019. 

If you want to ride this train, I highly recommend joining the museum and be ready to purchase tickets as soon as the site goes live for members on May 24. I'm expecting all tickets to sell out before May 28 when they are released to the general public. 

I'm not out there to see it in person, but the Union Pacific Big Boy is Alive and well traveling across from Cheyenne Wyoming to Ogden Utah to attend the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. That's right 150 years ago, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad met in Utah at Promontory Point. This weekend, Union Pacific will recreate the famous meet using steam locomotives from their heritage fleet including the newly rebuilt Big Boy, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world.

Mainline Steam has the schedule and more information on the Union Pacific Steam Program. 

Steam by State has information on the Promontory Point site, now a National Park (look under Utah). They operate full size replicas of the original locomotives that met in Utah. 

Also on the Steam by State page... Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, Nevada Northern Railroad in Ely, Nevada, and the Niles Canyon Railroad in California are all planning special events this weekend involving multiple steam locomotives in operation. 

For those of you who said "I don't care how much it would cost to ride behind the Big Boy" well here's your chance! Union Pacific has announced a very limited number of tickets will be sold for the May 12, 2019 double head run from Ogden Utah to Evanston Wyoming. Tickets are $3,000. for Coach and $5,000. for Dome Seats. The tickets include a VIP Guided tour of the train on May 11, as well as a return bus from Evanston to Ogden. 

Tickets go on sale April 15, 2019 at 10:00 AM MDT. Despite the high price tag, I'm guessing they will sell out within minutes as this is a possibly once-in-a-lifetime event. 

More information at - https://spike150.org/train-excursion/

Just updated the 2019 Mainline Steam Calendar with two more events -

Milwaukee Road #261 will be operating two excursions from Minneapolis Minnesota in June. The #261 is one of my favorite steam locomotives to see in operation and ride behind and the Friends of the #261 have a fantastic fleet of rolling stock including the "Super Dome" and "Cedar Rapids" Lounge cars. While this review was for a different route, check out this TrainChasers review for photos of the #261 and the fleet of cars they operate - 
review-and-travel-tips-for-261-minneapolis-duluth-excursion.html


Nickel Plate #765 has announced they will be returning to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for their annual "Steam in the Valley" event which will feature #765 pulling trains on 2-hour roundtrip excursions from the depots in Akron Ohio and Independence Ohio. The event will take place on the last 2 weekends of September, but tickets are not yet on sale and details are still to be announced. 

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The Mainline Steam Page has just been updated with some big announcements for the 2019 Season! 

In May, Union Pacific #844 and the newly restored Union Pacific "Big Boy" #4014 will operate separately from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Ogden Utah to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad together in Ogden. Following the event, the locomotives will double-head on their return to Cheyenne. 

In May and June, Iowa Interstate "QJ" #6988 will operate in Iowa and Illinois for local firefighter fundraiser events.

And last, but certainly not least, Norfolk & Western "J" #611 will visit Strasburg Railroad in Strasburg PA this September and October where it will reunite with N&W #475 for a series of special events and opportunities. 

Check out our Mainline Steam Page for links and to get more information. ​

Welcome to 2019 TrainChasers! 

I just finished updating the Steam by State Page with general updates for 2019 Schedules. 
It's never too early to plan this year's train watching and chasing vacations and I wanted to give a heads up to some news for 2019 - 

In Skagway Alaska, White Pass & Yukon #73 should be returning to operation in mid-season of 2019. The White Pass & Yukon Route was purchased in 2018 by the Carnival Corporation, and it's possible that we will see Locomotive #69 steamed up for the first time in a few years as well. 

In Niles California, the Niles Canyon Railway will host visiting steam locomotive the "Skookum" #7, a unique 2-4-4-2 articulated steam locomotive that was recently restored in Oregon. The Skookum will operate several weekends at Niles Canyon during the 2019 Season. On select days, the Skookum will be joined by the Niles Canyon 2-6-6-2T #4, meaning the rare chance to see TWO articulated steam locomotives working under steam. 

Also in California, Railtown 1897 in Jamestown California is nearing completion on the Sierra Railway #28, a Baldwin 2-8-0 Built in 1922 for the Sierra Railway making it a locomotive that is historically accurate for the former Sierra Railway roundhouse and rails of Railtown 1897 State Park. 

Moving to Narrow Gauge Country.... 

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is hosting visiting steam locomotive Southern Pacific #18, an oil fired 4-6-0 built by Baldwin in 1911. The #18 will be pulling a select number of regularly scheduled Cascade Canyon Winter trains, as well as participating in special Photo Excursions. This will most likely be the only time you will ever see #18 in Durango, so see it while you can! 

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is still hosting the visiting D&RGW #315, a 2-8-0 narrow gauge steam locomotive built by Baldwin in 1895.  This locomotive is expected to operate on a select few special events in 2019. 

Georgetown Loop Scenic Railroad should welcome back steam locomotive #40, a 2-8-0 narrow gauge steam locomotive built by Baldwin in 1920. This locomotive has recently been at the Colorado Railroad Museum. It is also probable that Shay #5 will leave Georgetown Loop and head back to her home at the Midwestern Central in Iowa, which means Georgetown Loop #12 will most likely be returning to Georgetown as well.  

Jumping over towards the East Coast - 

Essex Steam Train in Essex, Connecticut finished the full restoration of ALCO 2-8-0 #97 in 2018, bringing their roster of operational steam locomotives up to 3.

The Star Barn Village in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania is the new home for Kloke Locomotives 4-4-0 #63 the "Leviathan" completed in 2009. The Star Barn Village is a Wedding and Event Venue with many historic structures including it's namesake 1877 built "Star Barn." The Star Barn property includes historic 1832 era Railroad Right of Way. The Village hosts a number of public events and in April 2019 there will be a Lincoln Funeral Train Re-enactment featuring the Leviathan Locomotive and a replica of the Lincoln Funeral Train Car. 

In the Midwest - 

Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois finished up the full restoration of Shay #5 in 2018. It will be a treat to see this logging locomotive operating again in the 2019 Season. 

The Midwest Central Railroad in Mt. Pleasant Iowa will say good-bye to Georgetown Loop #12, which was visiting as part of a trade with Shay #9. No announcements have been made, but I think it's quite possible we will see Shay #9 operating at the 2019 Threshers Reunion. 

In Flint Michigan at the Huckleberry Railroad, 2018 saw the completion of a total restoration on Steam Locomotive #152, a narrow gauge 4-6-0 built by Baldwin in 1920 for use in Alaska. The Huckleberry Railroad did an incredible job on this restoration and it will be a treat to see her operate in 2019 along with D&RGW 2-8-2 #464.

In Ohio, the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio, has announced that 2019 will feature public tours of the roundhouse on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from May - October. This is the first time regularly scheduled public tours have been available at this fantastic fully operational steam locomotive roundhouse facility. 

And finally in Cass, West Virginia, The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad will be celebrating 2 major accomplishments in 2019. The return to steam of Climax #9, built by Climax Locomotive Works in 1919. This locomotive has been under restoration at the Cass shops for many years. 2019 will also see the re-opening of the Cass - Durbin portion of the former C&O Greenbrier Line. This will be the first time trains have traveled on this right of way since the 1980's. The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley will be hosting a Rail Heritage Weekend in September of 2019 and will feature special excursions and photo events.