Donald Young retires after 60 years on 8 tourist railroads

Chris Webster · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am **Posts:** 1090

An August 23, 2026 article on WFMZ.com:

Quote:

PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. - After six decades of working on tourist railroads, Donald Young is stepping away from the locomotive cab at age 89.

Young has served as a volunteer locomotive engineer for the Delaware River Railroad Excursion in Phillipsburg since 2009.

His railroad career began around 1966 and has included work on eight different tourist railroads.

Link to the full story: 89-year-old volunteer engineer retires from Delaware River Railroad Excursion

The story includes a 2:15 long television news segment.

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2026 6:19 am

Is this the Don Young I was on a trip to China with in 1987?

Wowak · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:21 am

PaulWWoodring wrote:

Is this the Don Young I was on a trip to China with in 1987?

I know Don has chased steam in China, so it's likely.

Don was one of my mentors at Steamtown, and if I hadn't had my own train to run that day I'd have been down at the Bel-Del for sure. Dons Steamtown license expired last year and he chose not to renew it; I was his fireman on his last run at Steamtown. Sadly that was shortly after Baldwin 26 was pulled from service when a defect was discovered in the crown sheet (since repaired mostly by dedicated Steamtown staff, with a little help from Strasburg for the welding,) so his last run was at the throttle of F-3 #664.

Scranton Yard · **Joined:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:08 am **Posts:** 734

During my brief time in Scranton, Don was always a first-class guy. Gave my son one of his first (maybe his first) steam locomotive cab rides. Don is intelligent, smart, good-humored, and enthusiastic about railroading. My interactions with him were always a positive experience for me. I hope he enjoys his retirement from the footplate. I'm sure he has many interesting adventures planned.

superheater · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:54 pm **Posts:** 2608

Don has an engineering degree (Drexel, I think) and worked for Bethlehem Steel and whoever had the plant in Steelton. Three cheers for him to keep himself physically and mentally able to keep doing this well into his 80's.