Trains to Sponsor C&O 1309 Charter

Trains magazine and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad will offer a photo charter for Chesapeake & Ohio No. 1309 in late September.

The restored locomotive will pull a freight train with 14 to 18 cars on Sept. 26 to 28, stopping at several locations on the 17-mile railroad.

Among the photo locations will be Helmstetter’s Curve. No. 1309, which was built in 1949, will wear its C&O markings and at times have Western Maryland lettering.

The event will also include a night photo shoot, cab access, and an audio-visual program detailing the restoration of the locomotive.

Tickets are $495 apiece and only 80 will be sold.  Tickets may be purchased at 800-TRAIN-50 or at wmsr.com.

Everette RR to Start Excursions in October

The Everette Railroad in Pennsylvania expects to begin operating steam-powered passenger excursions in October.

The initial trips will operate on Oct. 18, 24, and 25 to a pumpkin patch. Santa trains will run on Nov. 27, 28 and 29 and on the first three weekends in December. All trips will leave from Hollisdayburg.

The 23-mile short line located near Altoona, Pennsylvania,  has constructed a station and restored a former Bessemer & Lake Erie combine car.

The motive power is expected to be a 2-6-0 Mogul-type that recently underwent a successful steam test.

However, railroad president Alan Maples in an interview with Trains magazine stopped short of promising that the steam locomotive would pull the first trains.

“You can’t say when it will be ready, so when it’s done it will be on the train,” he said.
Everette railroad workers are also working to overhaul two former Central of New Jersey open window heavyweight coaches for use in excursion service.

Also in the fleet are a pair of former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western electric multiple unit cars that have been converted to coaches.

A red former CNJ caboose will be on the rear of the trains.