STEAM TRAIN DIARY - svsfilm.com/diary
Steam train events in US and Canada

Some entries are shown as To be confirmed . This indicates that early information has been learnt, but has not been verified by the proposed operating organisation!!

We would welcome any comments, corrections or updates by email ESPECIALLY if you are a tourist railroad, or operator of a preserved steam locomotive!

Credit to John Biehn for some of the details included below.

Diary for 2024

January 2024

January 13 Sugar Express. No. 148 will carry passengers from Lake Placid to Clewiston for a layover at the beloved Market on Bond Street featuring local farmers, fresh food, entertainment, and welcoming neighbors in downtown Clewiston.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

January 20-22 Sugar Express will operate its 'Rare Mileage Tour'. This three-day event beginning on January 20th will be powered each day by the former Florida East Coast Railway 4-6-2 No. 148. All trips will feature multiple photo opportunities, an onboard appetizer and non-alcoholic drinks service each day.
Details of proposed schedule and order tickets go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

January 27 Sugar Express. Departing Clewiston for Lake Placid, guests will enjoy a high-stepping passenger train ride behind Sugar Express steam locomotive No. 148 as it slips through the sugarcane fields and arrives for a two-hour layover in the historic town of Lake Placid.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

January 27th weekends until March 17th Cass WV. Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR 'Greenbrier Express Winter Special' trains will run from Cass to Durbin and return on Saturdays and Sundays.
For details: https://mountainrailwv.com/calendar/

February 2024

February 3rd and weekends until March 17th Cass WV. Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR 'Greenbrier Express Winter Special' trains will run from Cass to Durbin and return on Saturdays and Sundays.
For details: https://mountainrailwv.com/calendar/

February 10th Lake Placid Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Lake Placid to Clewiston and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

February 11th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

February 16 - 18 Ely Nevada, Nevada Northern Winter Spectacular. Details: https://nnry.com/winter-steam-photo-weekend-spectacular-hands-on-history/

February 18th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

February 24th Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Clewiston to Lake Placid and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

February 25th Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Clewiston to Moore Haven and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

March 2024

March 2nd and weekends until March 17th Cass WV. Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR 'Greenbrier Express Winter Special' trains will run from Cass to Durbin and return on Saturdays and Sundays.
For details: https://mountainrailwv.com/calendar/

March 2nd Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Steam Saturday' 9:30am train scheduled to be steam hauled with either 2-8-0 #29 or 2-8-2 #4960.
For details: https://www.thetrain.com/events/steam-saturdays/

March 2nd Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway celebration of 100 years #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T. Special event.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

March 3rd Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

March 9th Lake Placid Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Lake Placid to Clewiston and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

March 10th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

March 16th Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express. No. 148 will carry passengers on one hour trips at the Clewiston Sugar Festival.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

March 17th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

April 2024

April 13th Lake Placid Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Lake Placid to Clewiston and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

April 14th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

April 19th to 21st Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express #148 Photo Specials with passenger and freight consists. Loco in its Florida East Coast Railway 1940's markings.
For schedule and tickets on sale, go to https://sugarexpress.ticketspice.com/sugar-express-photo-charter

April 20th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Earth Day' 9:30am train scheduled to be steam hauled with either 2-8-0 #29 or 2-8-2 #4960.
For details: https://www.thetrain.com/events/steam-saturdays/

April 21st Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

April 24th and 26th/27th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816 event at Calgary Alta. Travels from Calgary to Medicine Hat on 26th April. Medicine Hat to Moose Jaw Sask.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/content/dam/cpkc/documents/english/pdfs/community/steam-train/Steam-Tour-Schedule.pdf

April 27th Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Clewiston to Lake Placid and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

April 28th Clewiston Florida. Sugar Express #148 excursion from Clewiston to Moore Haven and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

April 28th and 29th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816 event at Moose Jaw Sask. Travels from Moose Jaw to Minot SD on April 29th.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

April 30th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816 event at Minot ND.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

May 2024

May 3rd October 27th East Broad Top Railroad, Orbisonia PA. Steam locomotive #16 is under repair. The EBT website says: 'due to ongoing maintenance of Steam Locomotive, all train excursions from May 3rd through August will be pulled by our vintage diesel engine.'
For details: https://eastbroadtop.com/

May 4th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Steam Saturday' 9:30am train scheduled to be steam hauled with either 2-8-0 #29 or 2-8-2 #4960.
For details: https://www.thetrain.com/events/steam-saturdays/

May 4th Albuquerque NM. Santa Fe 4-8-4 #2926 in steam moving from its base to Tractor Brewing for fund raising event.
For details: https://2926.us/

May 5th, 6th and 8th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. Travels from St.Paul to Portage Wis on May 5th and Portage to Bensenville IL on May 6th. Event at Franklin Park IL on May 8th.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

May 9th, 10th and 11th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. Travels from Bensenville IL to Nahant Iowa on May 9th. Event at Davenport Iowa on May 10th, then travels from Nahant to Kansas City MO on May 11th.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

May 11th Duluth MN. Testing and steam up date for #332 DM&IR 2-8-0. North Shore Scenic Railroad.
For details: https://duluthtrains.com/steam/

May 11th Minersville PA. Night photo session at Minersville Station in Minersville, PA, benefiting Railway Restoration Project 113. Volunteers will pose for photo opportunities with CNJ 113 with continuous LED lighting. The engine will be fired up for the event and may move for some video opportunities.
For details go to https://steamcharters.com/

May 12th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

May 17th - 18th Durango CO. Night photo session on Friday. On Saturday join a work train to Needleton pulled by a K-36 or K-37 engine, with a Spring perspective on the Animas Canyon.
For details go to https://steamcharters.com/

May 18th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. Event at Kansas City MO.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

May 18th Minersville PA. Community Day featuring shuttle steam train rides with CNJ 113.
For details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1317551072251045/

May 18th and 19th Nelsonville, Ohio. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway will be operating the Hocking Valley Steam Train Special with their 0-6-0 no.3.
For details: https://www.hvsry.org/

May 19th Sunol CA. Niles Canyon Railway steam powered trips at 1030am and 1pm with #4 Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-6-2T.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.ncry.org/ride/2024-train-rides/

May 20th Golden CO. Experience the Colorado Railroad Museum in a new way, with a day of photo opportunities featuring RGS 20 and Rio Grande 491 plus a night photo session.
For details go to https://steamcharters.com/

May 21st 22nd and 24th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816 Travels from Kansas City to Heavener OK on May 21st, then from Heavener to Shreveport LA on May 22nd. Eevent at Shreveport LA on May 24th.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

May 24th, 25th and 26th Angola Indiana. Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 heads 'Indiana Ice Cream Train' trips.
For details: https://www.indianarailexperience.org/ice-cream-train/

May 25th Reading PA. 2024 Iron Horse Rambles. Reading and Northern 4-8-4 #2102 excursion from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/rambles

May 25th Angola Indiana. Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 heads 'Wine and Whiskey Train' evening excursion.
For details: https://www.indianarailexperience.org/wine-whiskey-train/

May 25th-October 19th Chama NM and Antonito CO. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad schedule is available. Regular trains operate six days a week, Tuesday-Sunday from May 25th until October 19th 2024.
For details: https://cumbrestoltec.com/

May 25th, 26th and 28th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. Travels from Shreveport LA to Kendleton TX on May 25th, then to Laredo TX on May 27th. Event at Laredo TX on May 28th.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

June 2024

June 1st Chattanooga TN. Tennessee Valley Railroad round trip excursion to Summerville Georgia with steam. Reported to be double headed with 4501 and 630.
For details: https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

June 7th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. Event at Mexico City.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

June 8th and 9th Duluth MN. #332 DM&IR 2-8-0 heads excursion from Duluth to Palmers and return on North Shore Scenic Railroad.
For details: https://duluthtrains.com/steam/

June 9th Antonito CO. Cumbres & Toltec 'Geology Train' departs Antonito 8:30am to Chama. Buses to/from Chama.
For details: https://cumbrestoltec.com/events/geology-train/

June 13th - 27th CPKC 'Final Spike 2816 Steam Train' headed by Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 #2816. June 13th Laredo to Kendleton TX. June 15th Kendleton to Shreveport LA. June 24th Shreveport to Heavener OK. June 25th Heavener to Kansas City MO. June 27th Kansas City to Daveport Iowa.
For details: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/final-spike-steam-train

June 15th Owosso MI. PM 4-8-4 #1225 'Freedom Flyer' excursion from Owosso to Ashley and return.
For details: https://michigansteamtrain.com/calendar/arsenal-of-freedom/

June 15th and 16th Edon Ohio. Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 heads round trip excursion to Hillsdale on Saturday 15th and to Jonesville on Sunday 16th June.
For details: https://www.indianarailexperience.org/tri-state-scenic/

June 22nd Nesquehoning, PA. 2024 Iron Horse Rambles. Reading and Northern 4-8-4 #2102 excursion from Nesquehoning to Tunkhannock and return.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/rambles

June 22nd Chattanooga TN. Tennessee Valley Railroad round trip excursion to Summerville Georgia with steam.
For details: https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

June 22nd and 23rd Clewiston Florida. On Saturday 22nd June Sugar Express No. 148 will run from Clewiston to Lake Placid. On Sunday 23rd June it will head two hour round trips from Clewiston.
For schedule and order tickets, go to https://sugarexpress.com/trips-and-events/

Cancelled June 29th Silvis IL. CPKC Canadian Pacific #2816 4-6-4 excursion from Silvis to Bureau Junction IL on Iowa Interstate is cancelled.
Initial info: https://www.trains.com/?s=2816+excursion

June 30th Cheyenne WY. UP 4014 'Big Boy' leaves Cheyenne bound for Roseville running via Evanston to Ogden, Salt Lake City and the WP route to Wells and via the Feather River Canyon.
June 30th Cheyenne to Rawlins, calling at Laramie. For details: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm

Earlier 'Steam Train Diaries':