Midweek photos 9/9/15

Thank you, Diesel Dan for getting the ball rolling this week.  I have a ton of photos from this past weekend's RailFest in Scranton, PA.  Steamtown National Historic Site has been hosting this event since 2007, and on Labor Day Weekend since 2008.  Here is my first group of photos. 

The event began on Saturday, September 5 with superintendent Debbie Conway welcoming everyone to the park, and introducing her initiatives for the upcoming year. 

Grand Marshal of the event is former Scranton mayor, James B. McNulty.  He served in 1982-86, and was instrumental in bringing Steamtown's collection to Scranton from Bellows Falls, VT.

Star of the event was Nickel Plate Road 765, still on her 21st Century Steam Program tour with Norfolk Southern. 

765 ran a train after the speeches going to Delaware Water Gap, PA.  We see her rounding the bend past the Scranton DL&W station, now a Radisson hotel.

More to come.

Good day fans,  Just some action from Die Parade Der Bahn, in Aug. 1985  Please enjoy, Bruce

Of course, 765 was only one of many stars for this year's RailFest at Steamtown.  Amtrak returned for the first time since 2012 by brining a brand new locomotive, ACS-64 number 642, which is an electric engine.  Power car 406, formerly a F40PH, assisted 642 on the turntable.

The Veteran's unit is posed between the POW-MIA flag and the US flag.

406 looks like she has "ghetto grilles" with the reflection of the railings above. 

Relocated from Jim Thorpe is Erie caboose C191.  This will be re-painted into Erie red in the upcoming year or so.

RailFest expanded into the Mall at Steamtown with art exhibits in some of the closed store-fronts.  Here is Mark Perry with one of his railroad paintings.

Fresh out of Steamtown's restoration shop is this B&M handcar. 

RailFest action begins earlier in the week with placement of some pieces, and a lot of shuffling around on Friday before the event kicks off.

One of the neater parts of Friday was watching Nickel Plate Road 759 leave the roundhouse and sit on the turntable for a few seconds.  The last time she was outside was 2011.

At the same time this was happening, the fire and steam were slowly being raised in 765 inside the roundhouse.

This track was 759's resting place for the weekend.

Now, time to get this Fest underway!

Spur of the moment trip to chase the last train of the day with CN #89 at the head end.

Trains of all sizes were seen this weekend.  Mike Passero put some of his toy trains and train related items on display in the technology museum.

The Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society had Nickel Plate sleeper 211 and DL&W Diner 469 on display, and open to the public.

Getting the 765 excursion consist together for the run to Delaware Water Gap.

The Scranton Limited with an all Jersey Central consist.  RS3 1554 and two suburban day coaches.

Mike Piersa and the National Museum of Industrial Heritage brought some steam engines to RailFest.  This keyboard operates the steam calliope.  This weekend, it ran on air.

The calliope.

A gandy dancer program let you take a whack at spiking in a short section of track.

Steamtown's Grand Trunk Western 6039 was also sitting in the sun for a few days, giving up her space in the roundhouse to 765.

A way to beat the heat was to stop in the Office & Storage building where the DL&W slides that are part of the collection were shown on a screen.  

Lehigh Valley RR 414 took to the rails to run the excursion to Moscow on Saturday.

Many of the track speeders appeared on the turntable around 1:00 for a demonstration and program on how they were used.

Coming back from Moscow.

The Electric City Trolley Station & Museum ran five trips instead of four these days.  Most of the time the car was full.

DL&W 426 along with a piggyback flat and DL&W caboose ran throughout the weekend on the Caboose Experience train.

The Reading Company Technical & Historical Society brought their parade Camelback to display near the bookstore.

 More about RailFest at Steamtown right here. Canadian Pacific Railway GP20 ECO began life in 1972 as Lehigh Valley GP38 312later to become Delaware & Hudson 7312, aka "B.C. O'Brien." This unit has made several visits to Scranton, and this may be its last appearance since the Canadian Pacific is selling the  Southern portion of the D&H to Norfolk Southern.  NS 9-1-1 sits to 2279's right.  Illinois Central 2-8-0 790 is a Steamtown resident.

Some of the Steamtown planning committee pose Sunday morning between the Berkshires.

Reading Company T&HS and Philadelphia Chapter, NRHS co-own these FP7s. They have been in Scranton since 2009.

Tri-State Chapter, NRHS and the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society co-own the F3 trio painted as Lackawanna units.  They sit next to Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 4012.

LEGO trains were on display in the history museum.

Darren Pitts and Thommy Petersen are helping to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VJ day, and the end of World War II in the history museum.  

Doug Lotten in the bowler talks about track repair equipment at the Steamtown track speeder which he took part in restoring.

Cab access to 765 on Sunday.  The lines stayed long.

Different pieces of machinery were employed over the weekend, such as this planer.

Stand back.  Time for another excursion to Moscow, PA.  Today, we have RS3 4118 on the point.  This is the first excursion of the year to be led by an RS3.

The photo runby  in Moscow makes this trip totally worth it.  

The day is ending and so is RailFest.  

Thank you for putting up with my posts on the event.  I have worked for several months on this with the committee, and it was probably our biggest weekend in 15 or more years.  Enjoy the rest of your Midweek!

I took several weeks off in August to go to Yellowstone National Park, and it took me awhile to sort through the photos!  I got a few nice ones, anyway.  When I go on vacation I generally avoid shooting trains (last year's train trip through Canada was an exception.)  Even with that, I still can't resist when I hear that air horn blowing in the distance.    I snagged a couple of choo-choo shots along the way to Yellowstone.  Meanwhile, now that I'm back home, it is getting dark earlier.  The D&I Railroad has been running at night due to track work during the day........

1. An oddball set of engines in southern MT.  These are SD-50P, originally from the CN way up north.  That's why they don't have very large vents along the sides.  The headlights aren't on but these were actually running.  A guy in a white truck was running them remotely.  These are owned by Montana Limestone Company and used to haul rock hoppers to interchange with BNSF.  Never know what you will find out along the back roads. 

2.  A heavy BNSF coal train makes it way through Moorcroft, WY.  I actually heard it before I saw it.

3. Castle Geyser, Yellowstone National Park.  This was one of the coolest things I've experienced in the past five years!  Imagine sitting alone under a starlit sky with something that sounds like a giant steam engine going up a grade for half an hour!   I went with two other guys, but they chickened out after only a mile down the trail.  Said they were afraid they might get et by a bear.  I never told my wife I ended up being out there alone........

4.  Grand Prismatic, YNP.

5. D&I train n/b at Baltic, SD.  It was a rare calm night!

Kent in SD

thanks for the great shots Kent. Excellent work as usual.  Moorcraft, Wyoming, where the jackrabbits are about as big as coyotes.

Thank you all for making these great pictures available!

I look forward to mid week now more than you know.

Our favorite Berkshire headed an excursion to East Stroudsburg on Labor Day. Here she is dropping off passengers.

Heading for a wye

East Stroudsburg Tower was open for us. We operated long levers that aligned switches, signals, and locks. When 765 returned, I framed her in two windows.

She was moving slowly. I aimed through the open window below and got a "rods down" pose.

East Stroudsburg Tower and 765 side by side.

I had read about this video on the Forum. I purchased two: one for me; the other, for a railfan buddy. It is outstanding. I highly recommend it. Rich was kind enough to autograph both on the inside cover. The case is black. We couldn't find a silver or a white marker, so he used a yellow one. His autograph shows up when the light is right.

Newly painted doors on the old freight station.

3015 in Seward on the rear of the Cruise Train.  It will be the 1st train out of Seward in 3 days - due to a wash out.

Princess Denali Express (DEX) gets the green light out of Whittier.

FRA is in Alaska.

My job ends this weekend, I won't have any new train pics for awhile - as I live hours away from the tracks.  I have lots of old stuff though.