yes, i'm able to look at the website and facebook as well. They have not run steam all year, and currently don't have any steam operational. That's why I asked the question. haha.

What happened to the 93? and the 81?

Well, they did run steam this year, in March, as the photo above attests. Are you sure that 93 is not operable? It could be that they are only using it occasionally a la Grand Canyon. I don't know that that makes financial sense, but it may enable them to stretch out the service time.

Sorry! I guess I said that in a confusing way.

Yes…. That’s the question I’m asking. What is the status of the 93 and others.

It's well documented in other posts, but ARR #557 had a "burner test" conducted on November 8, when the rebuilt boiler was brought to operational pressure for the first time in about 50 years. Many overhauled parts were tested under steam for the first time including burner, injectors, air pump, and whistle, and the safety valves were set. Everything operated just as it should have.

The Three Rivers Rambler in Knoxville, TN returned Washington and Lincolnton 2-8-0 203 to service a few weeks ago. Southern 154's boiler time ran out at the end of last year. 203 went out of service in 2015 and will return to the Rambler's Christmas trains this Sunday.

**not my video**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXlRrcPp1XU&t=635s

The Texas State Railroad 2-8-2, known as both "400" and "30", and ex-Magma Arizona 7, is back in service after the five-year inspection and running Polar Express this season. There were things like an approved federal waiver on axle temp monitoring and some significant waist sheet repairs, but the shops came through. Should be good until the next 1472.

Nevada Northern just posted that "it's been a tough year" and that all 3 steam locomotives are down. They also have a museum member who is donating up to $250k in matching donations as a challenge to raise $500k from now until the end of the month.

Here's a video update from a day ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4dB-3DMSF8 . (This ten month old video has around 45 seconds of work on the running gear starting at 1:04 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbVVeBV1wu0 )

Reposting on behalf of Ed Lueck whom finds himself perpetually unable to log in:

I haven't been very active on this thread this year because this has been one of the hardest years (if not the hardest year) I've ever had to deal with. That being said, 2026 already looks encouraging and promising, so I figured I would quickly go through everything I could and give an update before 2025 comes to an end.

(As it has been A LONG TIME since my last post here, I'm mainly focusing on the major updates I could find, but I admit I might have missed some. In addition, some of these updates are far from new, but they still deserve to be said. If I missed a major update, or if there has been a major update in a restoration that I didn't mention, please feel free to post about it after me.)


Long overdue announcement

- East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie) 10 class 4-6-0 #12 was taken out of service in August 2024 for her 1472 SDI. Hopefully, it won't be long before she is running alongside #190 again.


2025 updates

- Chesapeake & Ohio (Western Maryland Scenic Railroad) H-6 class 2-6-6-2 #1309 returned to service and has been pulling trains at WMSR. Great job!

- Chesapeake & Ohio H-6 class 2-6-6-2 #1308 has been acquired by the Age of Steam Roundhouse and has already been moved over. Will AoSR ever stop acquiring more steam locomotives? This is likely not an operational restoration, but, given the size of the locomotive, I felt it deserved to be mentioned (just like Bessemer & Lake Erie H-1g class 2-10-4 #643).

- Great Western (Strasburg) 2-10-0 #90 returned after an overhaul and her 1472 SDI earlier this year. Great job, Strasburg!

- Chesapeake & Ohio J-3a class 4-8-4 #614 has been moved over to Strasburg and has started her restoration for her 3rd lease on life. Best of luck, everyone!

- Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis J3-57 class 4-8-4 #576 has successfully passed her hydrostatic test. Well done, Nashville Steam! It shouldn't be much longer now.

- Spokane, Portland & Seattle E-1 class 4-8-4 #700 has been steamed up and run in May of this year.

- Canadian National U-1-f class 4-8-2 #6060 appears to have made a lot of progress on returning to service with them finishing boiler work and nearing a hydrostatic test. Keep going, guys. https://6060.org/donations-page

- Denver & Rio Grande Western {Cumbres & Toltec Scenic} K-37 class 2-8-2 #492 is currently being restored back into operation. Keep going, C&TS!

- China State Railways {New York, Susquehanna & Western} SY class 2-8-2 #142 has returned to operation and has begun pulling trains again. Welcome back, #142!

- East Broad Top 14 class 2-8-2 #15 will be the next steam locomotive that the EBT brings back into service, and funds are being raised for the restoration. Good luck, EBT!

- Owen Oregon Lumber Company {California Western} 3 class 2-8-2 #45 is currently undergoing restoration to operation. Hopefully, it won't be long before the "Skunk Train" runs again.

- Polson Logging 101 class 2-8-2 #70 will be going down for her 1472 SDI on New Years Day 2026. Hopefully, it won't be too long before she is running again alongside #5 (once she is up-and-running).

- Port of Grays Harbor (Carlton & Coast) 2-8-2 #5 is being restored to operation by the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. Here's hoping that this massive H.K. Porter-built steam locomotive will be running again soon. https://www.wfim.org/porter5

- Alaska Railroad S160 class 2-8-0 #557 has successfully completed a test fire and sounded her voice for the first time in a VERY long time. Phenomenal job, guys! She looks and sounds fantastic, and it's not much longer now.

- Buffalo Creek & Gauley 4 class 2-8-0 #4 is currently having its new boiler built and is still trying to raise funds to finish her return to operation. Let's continue to give this ol' girl another chance to live. https://www.steamthe4.com/?flow=507014

- Denver & Rio Grande Western C-16 class 2-8-0 #223 has gotten a major new breath of fresh air with her restoration to operation, and she will eventually join the motive power at the Colorado Railroad Museum. I'm so glad she will get her chance to run again.

- Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern/Frisco {Alberta Prairie Railway} 40 class 2-8-0 #41 has been returned back into operation. Well done, everyone!

- Lake Superior & Ishpeming {Grand Canyon Railway} SC-3 class 2-8-0 #29 has passed her hydrostatic test and inspection. Congratulations! Hopefully, it won't be long before she is running alongside Chicago, Burlington & Quincy O-1A class 2-8-2 #4960.

- Lancaster & Chester {New Hope & Ivyland} 40 class 2-8-0 #40 has just gone down for her 1472 SDI. Here's hoping it won't be long before she is steamed up again.

- Soo Line F-21-S class 2-8-0 #2425, previously purchased by Mineral Range Railroad in Michigan, has now been acquired by the Big South Fork Scenic Railroad and will operate there once she is returned to operation. Here's hoping this ol' girl gets some much needed TLC.

- Southern Ks-1 class 2-8-0 #722 has had its boiler work done at Strasburg, and the boiler has been sent back to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. It'll be so wonderful to see her once she's finished and running again.

- West Side Lumber Company 3' gauge 3-truck Shay #9 has been returned to service at the Midwest Central Railroad. Great job, everyone.

- Chicago & North Western R-1 class 4-6-0 #1385 has been steamed up and "cleared her throat" for the first time since she went down in the late '90s. Keep going strong, guys. You're almost there.

- Sierra Railway {Prescott & Arizona Central} W.N. Kelley class 4-6-0 #3 has finished her 1472 SDI and returned to service again. Welcome back, #3!

- New Hope Valley (Cliffside) 2-6-2 #110 is getting a far more intensive effort to restore the locomotive to operation. Here's hoping this new effort bears fruit. https://locomotive110.com/donate

- Central Railroad of New Jersey B-7 class 0-6-0 #113 has gone down for her 1472 SDI. Here's hoping it won't be long before she's running again.

- Granite Rock 0-6-0T #10 has returned back into service. Fantastic job, guys!

- Meadow River Lumber Co. 2-truck Shay #1 is being restored to operation at Steamtown to take the place of Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-6-0 #26 when she goes down for her 1472 in 2027. Good luck, Steamtown.

- Northern Central Railway 4-4-0 #17 “York” went down for her 1472 SDI and has already returned back to service. What a turnaround! Fantastic work, everyone!

- Kiso Forest Railway 0-4-2T #9 is in the middle of raising funds for an operational restoration by 2029 (for the locomotive's 100th birthday). Here's hoping The Railroad Museum of Ardenwood is able to raise the funds and return another steam locomotive to service. https://spcrr.givingfuel.com/the-kiso-9 ... estoration

- E.B. Eddy 0-4-0T #2 has been acquired by the Bytown Railway Society and has been moved to the Canada Science & Technology Museum with plans to restore the locomotive to operation. Best of luck, everyone.

- Mount Washington Cog Railway 0-2-2-0 #9 "Waumbek" has returned to service on her home rails again. Hopefully, steam will always run on Mount Washington.

Well, it looks like I missed 1 other rebuild.

- Cass Scenic Railroad 3-truck Heisler #6 returned to service in April 2025. Well done, guys. I can't wait to see what is to come from Cass next.

- Chesapeake & Ohio H-6 class 2-6-6-2 #1308 has been acquired by the Age of Steam Roundhouse and has already been moved over.

Only the tender has been moved so far.

"Nevada Northern Railway 2-8-0 81 is returning to service after spending more than two and a half years in the shop. On February 3, the engine was fired up, and the following day it successfully ran in the East Ely yard." https://railfan.com/nevada-northern-2-8 ... o-service/

Great to see the 81 back just in time.

Deleted (I was intending to post in the 2026 edition).