Trains.com

Steam in every state?

6131 views
20 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2009
  • 277 posts
Steam in every state?
Posted by Thomas 9011 on Friday, November 9, 2012 2:09 AM

One thing I have noticed recently is that it is a great time to be a railfan. I don't think we have had so many active steam locomotives since steam has ended. Since we have people from all over the United states in here, what states do not have active steam locomotives (if any). I live in the mid west and I don't believe Montana has any active steam. I know Colorado, Wyoming, New mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Kansas all have active steam. 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Rhode Island
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by carnej1 on Friday, November 9, 2012 11:06 AM

There are no steam locomotives either operational or displayed in Rhode Island but the other New England states have some..

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Friday, November 9, 2012 4:35 PM

California - at least at Jamestown (Sierra RR.)

Chuck

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, November 9, 2012 7:10 PM

No steam here in Virginia.  I don't count the Norfolk-Southern revitalized steam program as it's really a "traveling roadshow" as opposed to a permanent resident.

  • Member since
    July 2011
  • From: Trade City, Pa
  • 121 posts
Posted by Rikers Yard on Friday, November 9, 2012 9:24 PM

Check out steamlocomotive.com. Lots of good info there.

  In some ways I agree, and some ways I disagree. Steam on HSC( thanks NS), 261 is back under steam, there are now 2 Mallets operating. Those are all very good things, I'm sure there are other things too. But unfortunately, the EBT did not operate this year, not sure about next year, 1225 is still down and short of funding, the economy is still slow so it will be hard for museums and other org to raise money. Every thing is more expensive leaving less disposeable income to go these orgs.

   So like all things, there are 2 sides. It is getting better, but it will take hard work and lots of support to keep what is out there and make headway on new projects. Things are looking up and it is a good time to be a railfan!

                     Tim

 

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • 277 posts
Posted by Thomas 9011 on Saturday, November 10, 2012 12:33 AM

I have checked out steamlocomotive.com but their website is terribly outdated.

I know there is a mallet on the Black hills railroad but where is the other one? Is there any steam in Hawaii? No steam in Virginia? That is terrible.

 

  • Member since
    July 2011
  • From: Trade City, Pa
  • 121 posts
Posted by Rikers Yard on Saturday, November 10, 2012 6:21 AM

See Trains News Wire,August, 28. It's in Ca.Pacific Locomotive Ass.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Iowa
  • 3,293 posts
Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, November 10, 2012 8:02 AM

Thomas 9011

I have checked out steamlocomotive.com but their website is terribly outdated.

I know there is a mallet on the Black hills railroad but where is the other one? Is there any steam in Hawaii? No steam in Virginia? That is terrible.


Yes, there is steam in Hawaii!  I have only been there via Google Earth's 'Street View' where you used to be able to sort of pace the "Sugar Cane Train"  (Lahaina Kaanapali RR) in Lahaina on Maui by going to Malo Street.  But I just checked Street View and the present image no longer show the train.

I don't know if it has run recently, but it WAS there within the last few years. 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 59 posts
Posted by jumper on Saturday, November 24, 2012 8:47 PM

Sacremento has an ex army tank engine that I rode on just last June at the state rr museum

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • 166 posts
Posted by upjake on Sunday, November 25, 2012 9:03 PM

Thomas 9011

One thing I have noticed recently is that it is a great time to be a railfan. I don't think we have had so many active steam locomotives since steam has ended. Since we have people from all over the United states in here, what states do not have active steam locomotives (if any). I live in the mid west and I don't believe Montana has any active steam. I know Colorado, Wyoming, New mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Kansas all have active steam. 

It really is a credit to those involved in preservation and shows the huge interest in preserving U.S. railroad heritage.  To actually have them operate, instead of just sitting in a museum, is amazing.

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,475 posts
Posted by overall on Monday, November 26, 2012 8:43 AM

Railfan and Railroad magazine publishes a comprehensive list every year. There are 150 active steam locomotives in North America, if I am remembering right.

George

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 160 posts
Posted by bing&kathy on Monday, December 3, 2012 10:01 PM

Thomas 9011
Is there any steam in Hawaii?

Yes there is steam in Hawaii. On Maui they stll run the Sugar Cane Train several times a day as a tourist train. It's schedule is such that there are some people that ride it between work and home. They get a special rate. BTW they have one young lady who is an engineer on the road. Neat train, but you get to see some of the bad sides of the buildings in town and get to travel across a golf course. Turntable on the depot end and a wye on the shop end. It's oil fired and I bet they get plenty of it from all the islands. Great way to dispose of it in such an environmentally sensitive local.

P.S. We were there in '08

God's Best & Happy Rails to You!

Bing  (RIPRR The Route of the Buzzards)

The future: Dead Rail Society

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • 4 posts
Posted by fire box stoker on Thursday, December 13, 2012 4:41 PM

there is a very active steam train out here in Grapevine Texas huls passenger some times an old diesle pulls it if the steam breaks down

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 2 posts
Posted by dopey on Monday, December 17, 2012 6:30 PM

Other than DisneyWorld in Orlando I do not know of any others in Florida..

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Columbia, SC
  • 51 posts
Posted by Joe the Photog on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 3:15 PM

There is no regular steam in South Carolina, though the South Carolina Railroad Museum gets the Flagg Coal #75 and or her sister every year now. The #630 did come through en route from Georgia to North Carolina, but that's not the same thing either.

"As the world gets dumber and dumber, I feel more and more at home." -- Peter McWilliams
  • Member since
    August 2012
  • 3,727 posts
Posted by John WR on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 3:43 PM

You are right about the lack of a steam locomotive in Rhode Island.  But there was a time....

Check out this link:  http://blogs.providencejournal.com/arts-entertainment/lifestyles/time-lapse/2012/11/know-trains-an-old-steam-locomotive-pulls-into-what-ri-station-when.html

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Big Blackfoot River
  • 2,788 posts
Posted by Geared Steam on Thursday, December 27, 2012 12:14 PM

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    July 2012
  • 26 posts
Posted by O5 Hopeful on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 12:31 AM

Iowa has that Chinese engine in Boone and there is a narrow gauge railroad in Mt. Pleasant Iowa with 3 operating steam locomotives.

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 168 posts
Posted by LNER4472 on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 11:11 AM

Thomas 9011
I know Colorado, Wyoming, New mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Kansas all have active steam.

Arizona's only full-sized active steam is at the Grand Canyon Railway, and that steam is effectively "on hiatus"--only for special events, and I'm not sure they could even get one out right now on short notice.

Wyoming's only "active steam" is Union Pacific's, and that falls under the same "traveling show" constraints as NS/Virginia mentioned elsewhere in this thread. 

Virginia does have a steamable locomotive in Richmond, owned by the Old Dominion Chapter NRHS, but I don't know its current "legal" status.

Active steam in Idaho?  Where?  Nebraska seems to also lack active steam.....

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 5:37 PM

The Old Dominion NRHS chapter's 0-6-0 is only steamed for special events in their private yard, it doesn't go "on the road"  so to speak.   The yard's not  at the museum site in Richmond, however. I was there once but don't remember where it is.

  • Member since
    August 2012
  • 3,727 posts
Posted by John WR on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 6:41 PM

Joe,  

I understand a replica of the Best Friend of Charleston is on exhibit at Columbia, SC.  

John

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy