In the past, I think it was robertjohndavis who used to start a thread to review the past year in preservation, such as completed restorations, and other achievements in the preservation field.
Earlier today, I came up with a quick list. I haven't ranked them all, but will put them in numerical order based on my memory.
1.) Trainfestival 2009. A gathering of 8 standard gauge steam locomotives, several historic diesels and railroad cars, toy trains, various scale models and preservation projects swooped into Owosso, MI, delighting thousands of railroad fans and non fans. Short trips, long trips, the chance to run your own locomotive offered plenty of rail variety. What most impressed me is that many towns beyond Owosso took part in the event, even if they only got a thin slice of the pie. I was impressed by the railfans who went to Durand and Flint before/during/after the Festival. National media exposure helped our cause(s) too.
2.) Leviathan debuts! A true recreation (okay so she burns oil) of an 1860s 4-4-0 steam locomotive... with link-and-pin couplers! Fantastic woodwork, paint and machinery combined, and almost totally unknown until she was ready to run. Her public coming out was at Trainfestival.
3.) Diesel Preservation on the Delaware-Lackawanna. I'm sure other railroads have taken on a pet locomotive, to paint in a heritage scheme or otherwise, but with the D-L running 3 RS3s in regular freight service, plus huge 6 axle Alcos and MLWs, and everything in between takes the cake. The 3rd RS3 debuted in October, 2008, but regularly marched around Scranton with her mates for most of 2009.
4.) Steam to the Rescue! Brand new A1 steam locomotive Tornado ran a series of trips in her second year of service, but aided snow trapped electric trains just last week!
5.) NRHS quick change act. With almost no time to prepare, the National Convention Committee assembled a successful convention in Duluth, MN. This event stressed the importance of the railroad with the mines, shipping and community more than past conventions. Each element, working together, made Duluth a viable thriving city.
This location change came after the original plan for Orlando, FL fell through. Among the flaws of the Florida convention was timing. It would have taken place the same week as Trainfestival 2009.
6.) Snow and Ice for Steamtown's Ice Harvest train in January. The fifth outing of this winter train with help from Mother Nature, allowed people to see and take part in the ice harvest, storage and transportation of a necessary commodity a century ago. some years have had snow or ice or cold, but not at the same time. It was a sold out 7 car train, including Lehigh Valley business car 353.
7.) 180 continuous years of steam railroading in the USA. In November, Lionel donated an O scale model of the Stourbridge Lion to the Wayne County Historical Society, caretakers of the Lion replica, built by the Delaware & Hudson RR in the 1930s. Parts of the original Lion still exist, displayed in Baltimore's B&O Railroad Museum. Her first run was August 9, 1829.
8.) Southern Pacific 4449's Transcontinental run. In order to attend Trainfestival, this huge 4-8-4 had to cross several states (as many as 9?). This led to some states getting their first glimpse of a mainline steam locomotive in a generation.
9.) Nickel Plate Road 765. This 2-8-4, restored a few years back, had no place to go. Arrangements with several railroads over track alignment and bridge repair since her return to steam finally led to her return to the rails. She was a star of the Trainfestival and several photo charters/excursions with and without Pere Marquette 1225.

I'm sure there are others, and even more significant 2009 events I've missed. What can you add to the list?

I believe item 9 should refer to 765, as 759 is still up in Steamtown, with alas no plans that I am aware of to return her to service.....

You are correct. I meant the Fort Wayne Berkshire. Sorry.

The saving of 31 street cars from a possible torch in Cleveland, via an amazing coordinated effort between many groups that resulted in the movement of 42 cars between museums.

One of the greatest achievements was the successful organization of the combined trolley bid for the cars from Cleveland. Pure genius and an ironclad skin, probably........but the cats were herded and everybody won.

dave

Another achievement was the preservation of the Lost Engines of Roanoke.

Martin Moorefield

In the IRM Diesel Dept:
1) CNW SD40-2 6847 donated by the UP

2)CB&Q SD24 504 restoration completed

3)ATSF H12-44TS transfered from CSRM


Jeff

I'd add to the list:

The Nevada State Railroad Museum McKeen Car,

The resumption of service on the reconstructed V&T right of way.

The lend/lease arrangements between the Delaware-Lackawanna RR and the Anthracite RR Historical Society that will see 2 RS-3's returned to service in their historic paint schemes.

The test fireing of IRM's UP 2-8-0 and Monticello's Southern 2-8-0.

The completion of Mid Continent's Fish Car.

The Willamette at Mt Rainier.

Not nearly as grandiose, but the Conrail Historical Society is proud to have added signals from two important locations to its collection:

The Berea, OH Interlocking Heads:
http://thecrhs.org/preservationprojects ... ea-signals

The Milepost 242.7 Heads, from just around HorseShoe Curve:
http://thecrhs.org/preservationprojects ... ve-signals

These were coordination actions with local railroads, museums and scrap companies.

The Friends of the East Broad Top Railroad completed several projects in 2009:
- Restored the EBT shops' stationary steam engine to demonstration operation (under air power)
- Completed the reproduction passenger trucks after nearly 20 years of effort
- Completed restoration of the small garage (firehouse) in Rockhill Furnace yard

Apart from the FEBT, a group of railroad supporters completed their goal of clearing and regauging the main line south as far as the rt475 crossing for speeder operation.

http://www.febt.org
http://www.ebtrr.com

After over twenty years of work, FEBT's reproduction passenger car trucks have arrived at Rockhill Furnace.



After twenty years of being supported by cribbing, the main beam in the EBT machine shop was replaced.



After over 50 years of waiting, the EBT's stationanry shops engine returned to operation.



After all but five minutes of its expected lifespan, the Garage was given back many years of life.



plus lots more progress on may projects...

Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum moves Grasselli interlocking tower from East Chicago, Indiana to its museum site in North Judson, Indiana.

The Northwest Railway Museum has had a few notable achievements in 2009 which include the start of construction of the museum's new the Train Shed Exhibit Building as part of the museum's Railway History Center project. When completed the building will incorporate 25,000 square feet of indoor collection storage and display.

Another achievement was the placement of the 1898 Baptist Chapel Car Messenger of Peace on the National Register of Historic Places and also the King County Landmarks listing. Currently the car has received almost $350,000 in grants, including a $180,000 grant from Save America's Treasures for the restoration of the car.

Other notable projects in 2009 include the restoration of two Northern Pacific Railway wood boxcars, the restoration of a 1963 built Great Northern Railway Kershaw Ballast Regulator and the ongoing restoration of our 1912 Spokane Portland & Seattle Railway wood coach number 218.

Daniel

Restoration and display of LIRR Hack 60 at the NYC Transit Museum.

Not sure if this belongs in 2009 or 2008, but among the steam locomotives brought back to life, Santa Fe 3415 in Kansas.

How about the Willamette geared locomotive at Mt. Rainier Scenic?

Not as spectacular as a main-line steam train, but a positive step in preservation: In April, Orange Empire volunteers worked with a Silk Road trucker to move a dozen weather-beaten cars from isolated open track in the middle of the visitor-accessible part of the museum to covered storage in Barn 7.

San Francisco Muni streetcar 162 (Jewett 1913) returns to revenue service fifty years after being sold for preservation.