Everett RR Gets Two Fillmore & Western Heavyweights

NJDixon · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:36 pm **Posts:** 328

PRR8063 wrote:

Ed Kapuscinski wrote:

It makes sense. I can think of no place east of Chicago that's better located to take advantage of rail focused tourism.

Ever heard of a little town called Strasburg?

All joking aside, Pennsylvania in general is really becoming a hot bed of rail tourism:

- Everett over the past 5 years has grown their tourism exponentially
- EBT on the rise again
- PRR 1361 project making (true) progress again
- Reading and Northern not only bringing back 2102 within weeks, but also has been continually adding new pass. cars and offering different types of trips
- Colebrookdale RR bringing steam on-line in the near future (this RR has become a strong local draw)
- New Hope going Strong, has even been invited to run excursions on SEPTA within last 5 years
- Strasburg never ceases to draw a crowd, 611 has a massive hit in both 2019 and 2021
- I believe WK&S is restoring their 0-4-0T (?)
- Allentown and Auburn are solid runners, more of a niche operation
- Mr. Levin still is active (hopefully his E8's will make a return someday, even if not mainline)
- Steamtown.... still exist.... (we'll leave it at that.) - but the Big Boy cos. rest. looks great!
- And of course the "landmarks" like Horseshoe Curve, Rockville Bridge, Nicholson Viaduct etc.

Additionally, Western Maryland Scenic and Wilmington and Western both very close to PA border.

As someone who lives in Central New York, a bit of a desert for railroad tourism, I'm very grateful that PA is what New York isn't. I can hop in my car and drive a couple hours south and have a wealth of options to chose from. Just last year I went to Strasburg to take the throttle on #611 (stayed in the caboose motel, of course), visited the RR Museum of PA and took some photos of #611 in operation the next day, then swung up to Altoona and visited Horseshoe Curve and rode behind Everett #11 the day after and headed home.

I'd also like to add that that was my first experience with the Everett Railroad, which I hadn't ever really heard a lot of people talk about, and I came away highly impressed. The #11 is a charming little engine, and I had a great time hanging out the baggage car door behind it.

NJDixon · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:36 pm **Posts:** 328

bigjim4life wrote:

NJDixon wrote:

So, two new passenger cars, plus that baggage car, and the #11's conversion to oil. Big things afoot at the Everett.

Especially since they have the 2-8-0 under restoration as well, it sounds like they definitely need more coaches... :D

Speaking of which, are there any noteworthy updates on H&BTM #38?

choodude · **Joined:** Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:58 am **Posts:** 318

PRR8063 wrote:

Ed Kapuscinski wrote:

It makes sense. I can think of no place east of Chicago that's better located to take advantage of rail focused tourism.

Ever heard of a little town called Strasburg?

All joking aside, Pennsylvania in general is really becoming a hot bed of rail tourism:

- Everett over the past 5 years has grown their tourism exponentially
- EBT on the rise again
- PRR 1361 project making (true) progress again
- Reading and Northern not only bringing back 2102 within weeks, but also has been continually adding new pass. cars and offering different types of trips
- Colebrookdale RR bringing steam on-line in the near future (this RR has become a strong local draw)
- New Hope going Strong, has even been invited to run excursions on SEPTA within last 5 years
- Strasburg never ceases to draw a crowd, 611 has a massive hit in both 2019 and 2021
- I believe WK&S is restoring their 0-4-0T (?)
- Allentown and Auburn are solid runners, more of a niche operation
- Mr. Levin still is active (hopefully his E8's will make a return someday, even if not mainline)
- Steamtown.... still exist.... (we'll leave it at that.) - but the Big Boy cos. rest. looks great!
- And of course the "landmarks" like Horseshoe Curve, Rockville Bridge, Nicholson Viaduct etc.

Additionally, Western Maryland Scenic and Wilmington and Western both very close to PA border.

Don't forget Northern Central Railway - formerly known as Steam into History - near York PA

https://www.northerncentralrailway.com/

Also the Harrisburg Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad at the Stone Gables Estate near Elizabeth PA

https://stonegablesestate.com/harrisbur ... lancaster/

Both of these attractions have replica 1800's 4-4-0 steam locomotives.

Brian

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6471

choodude wrote:

PRR8063 wrote:

Ed Kapuscinski wrote:

It makes sense. I can think of no place east of Chicago that's better located to take advantage of rail focused tourism.

Ever heard of a little town called Strasburg?

All joking aside, Pennsylvania in general is really becoming a hot bed of rail tourism:

- Everett over the past 5 years has grown their tourism exponentially
- EBT on the rise again
- PRR 1361 project making (true) progress again
- Reading and Northern not only bringing back 2102 within weeks, but also has been continually adding new pass. cars and offering different types of trips
- Colebrookdale RR bringing steam on-line in the near future (this RR has become a strong local draw)
- New Hope going Strong, has even been invited to run excursions on SEPTA within last 5 years
- Strasburg never ceases to draw a crowd, 611 has a massive hit in both 2019 and 2021
- I believe WK&S is restoring their 0-4-0T (?)
- Allentown and Auburn are solid runners, more of a niche operation
- Mr. Levin still is active (hopefully his E8's will make a return someday, even if not mainline)
- Steamtown.... still exist.... (we'll leave it at that.) - but the Big Boy cos. rest. looks great!
- And of course the "landmarks" like Horseshoe Curve, Rockville Bridge, Nicholson Viaduct etc.

Additionally, Western Maryland Scenic and Wilmington and Western both very close to PA border.

Don't forget Northern Central Railway - formerly known as Steam into History - near York PA

https://www.northerncentralrailway.com/

Also the Harrisburg Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad at the Stone Gables Estate near Elizabeth PA

https://stonegablesestate.com/harrisbur ... lancaster/

Both of these attractions have replica 1800's 4-4-0 steam locomotives.

Brian

I'm a little bit surprised that, in a compilation of railroad attractions in Pennsylvania, no one has mentioned the Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association in Williams Grove. They operate 0-6-0 # 643, built for the Pennsylvania Railroad and the only former Pennsy steamer running today.

Les

NH8218 · **Joined:** Wed Jul 17, 2019 8:19 pm **Posts:** 33

The Stourbridge Line excursions, now operated by the Delaware, Lackawaxen & Stourbridge Railroad, can not be overlooked. In addition to a scenic route through the northern Poconos, and that they are based out of the town where the first steam locomotive ran in the US, they have amassed quite the interesting collection of equipment over the last several years.

Mark Hedges · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:30 pm

Just saw a clip of these on flatcars on Virtual Railfan - looks like they are on the way!

Alan Maples · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:07 pm

Alan Maples wrote:

It's been a long wait for UP to furnish flat cars but hopefully these will be heading east soon.

"Powhatan" is Pullman, 1928, RF&P Cafe-Parlor, later Royal American Shows no. 56 "Tampa".

"Rancho Sespe" is Pullman, 1922, Colorado & Southern coach 553, later Trinity Valley Railfans "Armstrong Creek".

Alan Maples
Everett Railroad

Yes, the cars are finally on the move.

Updating my earlier post above, it appears likely that the "Rancho Sespe" is actually ex-Fort Worth & Denver no. 205 while the former C&S no. 553 is the "Rancho Camulos" - which Fillmore & Western sold to the Virginia & Truckee. Both cars were repainted numerous times in connection with movie shoots and being essentially identical no real effort was made to keep track of which was which.

- Alan Maples

Mark Hedges · **Posted:** Fri Apr 29, 2022 11:02 pm

Have they made it to Hollidaysburg yet?

Ed Horan · **Joined:** Fri Dec 18, 2015 8:30 pm **Posts:** 88

They made it to Altoona.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4fZRgrrzQk

TheAnimeRailfan · **Joined:** Thu Sep 02, 2021 2:40 pm **Posts:** 45

Both cars are now at Hollidaysburg, PA.

https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/loca ... -on-track/

According to the article, they will "be overhauled, refurbished, painted the original “Pullman green” and added to the Everett Railroad’s excursion trains."

"The new additions will become a parlor car, expected to be ready to roll by November, and a dining car, with plans for it to be in operation sometime in 2023."

Judging from this, it appears that the Rancho Sespe Coach will be turned into a parlor and Powhatan into a dining car, if not a dining-lounge later next year.

Everett RR Gets Two Fillmore & Western Heavyweights

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