By Aaron Isaacs, HRA editor
At the HeritageRail Alliance fall conference I presented my annual slideshow of the equipment restorations and other large capital projects completed during the last 12 months. Some appear in yesterday’s post of the HRA awards. Here is the rest of the list.
The Reading & Northern started an ambitious new tourist train operation, 120-mile weekend round trips between Reading and Jim Thorpe with RDCs and occasional steam. They depart Reading from the newly opened Outer Station.
Black River & Western reopened 2.5 miles of the Flemington branch.
Yakima Valley Trolley reopened the interurban line through Selah gap, closed several years ago when copper thieves stole the overhead wire.
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad installed its first turntable at Bryson City. Another is proposed at Dillsboro.
Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington Railroad Museum completed its carbarn.
Illinois Railway Museum acquired the big sign from Santa Fe’s former Chicago headquarters and installed it at the museum.
Alberta Railway Museum overhauled Canadian National 4-6-0 1392.
Cars Scenic Railroad overhauled Shay 11.
Lake Superior Railroad Museum restored Duluth & Northeastern 2-8-0 28, which hadn’t run since the mid-1960s.
The Carson & Colorado restored Southern Pacific narrow gauge 4-6-0 18, seen in service at Laws.
The Museum of Transport cosmetically restored New York Central 4-8-2 2933 and (below) Wabash 2-6-0 573.
Calgary Heritage Park restored their big hook.
Museum of Transport restored St. Louis PCC car 1743.
Illinois Railway Museum completed four traction restorations.
Northwestern Elevated 24
Milwaukee streetcar 972
Charles City Western steeple cab 300
Lake Shore Electric interurban box trailer 810
Boone & Scenic Valley returned South Shore Line 106 to service for the first time in 20 years.
Great Northern coach 3261 at Mid-Continent Railway Museum.
Black River & Western restored this Jersey Central coach.
National Railroad Museum restored Burlington dynamometer car 30.
Durango Railroad Historical Society restored Rio Grande narrow gauge flanger OT.
I try to keep track of all the ongoing restorations (see the Progress Reports section of this magazine). If you see any that are missing or have updates, let me know.
