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

This listing is maintained for personal use and is not intended to be a complete diary of steam train events in the USA and Canada. SVS Film will not be responsible for any errors or omissions, nor will be responsible for any expenses or other costs incurred as a result of the information printed here. All schedules are subject to change without notice. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS SCHEDULE TO MAKE TRAVEL PLANS WITHOUT CHECKING WITH THE RAILROAD/OPERATOR FIRST.

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.

Featured SVS Film YouTube video.
Watch at: 261 Full Throttle

261 Full Throttle
Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 makes a spectacular full throttle departure from Red Wing during its 2006 excursion from Minneapolis along the scenic Mississippi Valley.
For more about the 261 locomotive go to https://261.com/
As well as trackside views, we watch Steve Sandberg, president and chief operating officer of the Friends of the 261, the engineer in charge of locomotive 261 gives the 'Highball' command. With speed increasing, both fireman tend to the fire by manually topping up the fire and adjusting the flow of coal via the mechanical stoker.
The Friends of 261 is now incorporated as the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America which owns a fleet of railroad passenger cars including the Skytop glass-backed observation car 'Cedar Rapids' and the Milwaukee Road full length 'Super Dome', both of which can be seen bringing up the rear of the train in this video.
Copyright © John McIvor 2020/2026

[Jan] [Feb] [Mar] [Apr] [May] [Jun] [Jul] [Aug] [Sep] [Oct] [Nov] [Dec]

Diary for 2026

NEW Updated May 1st 2026.
#4501 May 9th trip now diesel hauled. Big Boy Eastern Tour dates announced

January 2026

Febuary 2026

March 2026

April 2026

From March 29 to April 24 Cheyenne WY. Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 #4014 western tour ends in Cheyenne on April 24.
For more details go to https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

April 25, 26 Cumberland MD. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 'Allegheny Winter Express' trips due to be headed by 2-6-6-2 #1309 departing Cumberland at 9am and 1pm.
For more details go to https://wmsr.com/western-maryland-train-schedule

May 2026

Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays Cumberland MD. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad trips due to be headed by 2-6-6-2 #1309 departing Cumberland.
For more details go to https://wmsr.com/western-maryland-train-schedule

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

May 2nd and 3rd Cass WV. Cass Scenic Railroad operator Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad. The "Titans of Logging" Photography Weekend will take place on May 2-3, 2026. Photographers and videographers will have exclusive access to remote, scenic locations, with multiple runbys and carefully planned photo opportunities throughout the weekend.
For more details go to https://mountainrailwv.com/train-rides/

May 9th Cass WV. Cass Scenic Railroad operator Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad. Greenbrier Express "Geared Titans" Special Join Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad for a first of its kind train ride along the Cass to Durbin Line! This historic passenger excursion will feature all three major geared locomotive types, the Shay, Heisler and Climax as they work in tandem pulling the train to Durbin.
For more details go to https://mountainrailwv.com/train-rides/

May 9th and 10th Portland OR. Oregon Rail Heritage Center's annual National Train Day. SP 4449 and SP&S 700 under steam. Cab tours of these legendary locomotives. Turntable demonstrations
For more details go to https://orhf.org/blog/national-train-day-returns-may-9-10-2026/

NEW May 23rd, 30th Chattanooga TN. 9th May trip will now be diesel hauled. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

May 16th Sugar Express locomotive 148 will head Lake Placid Limited. Departing mid-morning from Clewiston, the train is led by a U.S. Sugar diesel to Lake Placid, and historic steam locomotive No. 148 will operate the train on the southbound leg.
For more details: https://sugarexpress.com/lake-placid-limited/

May 21st Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Memorial Day Celebration' 9:30am train scheduled to be steam hauled either 2-8-0 #29 or 2-8-2 #4960.
For details: https://www.thetrain.com/events/steam-schedule/

May 23rd Reading, PA. 2026 Iron Horse Rambles. Reading and Northern 4-8-4 #2102 excursion from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe and return.
For more details go to https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/rambles-jimthorpe

Commencing May 23rd Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. 2026 Season Dates: May 23rd to October 25th.
For more details go to https://cumbrestoltec.com/

NEW Commencing May 25th Cheyenne WY. Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 #4014 eastern tour starts in Cheyenne on May 25. Full details now announced. Reaches Boone Iowa on May 31st via North Platte, Grand Island and Omaha.
For more details go to https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

May 30th Sugar Express locomotive 148 will head Lake Placid Limited. Departing mid-morning from Clewiston, the train is led by a U.S. Sugar diesel to Lake Placid, and historic steam locomotive No. 148 will operate the train on the southbound leg.
For more details: https://sugarexpress.com/lake-placid-limited/

June 2026

NEW Commencing June 1st Boone Iowa. Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 #4014 eastern tour continues. Full details now announced. Departs Boone on June 1st and reaches Scranton PA on June 14th.
For more details go to https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

June 5, 6, 7 and 12, 13, 14 Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio will feature the return of the Steam In The Valley excursions headed by Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765.
For more details go to https://www.cvsr.org/excursions/steam-in-the-valley/steam-in-the-valley

June 6th 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-schedule/

June 6th and 20th Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

June 12th, 13th, 14th Staunton VA. Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 heads excursions on the 'Saunton Route'. 611 will heaad the train outbound on the 40 mile round trip.
For details: https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/summer-of-steam/

June 19th, 20th, 21st Staunton VA. Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 heads excursions on the 'Saunton Route'. 611 will heaad the train outbound on the 40 mile round trip.
For details: https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/summer-of-steam/

June 19th and 20th Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 heads Tri-State Steam Excursion train. These trips depart Edon, Ohio at 9:00 a.m. and returns at 6:00 p.m.
For more details go to https://www.indianarailexperience.org/tri-state-steam-excursion/

June 21st Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 heads Fox Lake Limited Excursion train. These trips depart Pleasant Lake Indiana to Montgomery Michigan.
For more details go to https://www.indianarailexperience.org/fox-lake-limited/

June 22nd Staunton VA. Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 heads excursion from Saunton via Crozet, Ivy and Charlottesville on the way to Gordonsville. 611 will heaad the train outbound trip. The return to Staunton will be diesel hauled.
For details: https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/summer-of-steam/

June 25th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 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-schedule/

June 26th, 27th, 28th Louisa VA. Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 heads excursions on the 'Louisa Route'. 611 will heaad the train outbound on the 40 mile round trip. The return to Louisa will be diesel hauled.
For details: https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/summer-of-steam/

July 2026

NEW Commencing July 1st Scranton PA. Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 #4014 eastern tour continues. Full details now announced. Departs Scranton on July 1st, arriving Philadelphia July 3rd, then via Horseshoe Curve, Fort Wayne, St Louis, Kansas City and Denver reaches Cheyenne on July 29th.
For more details go to https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

July 2nd Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Thursday, Independence Day Celebration' 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/

July 3rd, 4th, 5th Louisa VA. Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 #611 heads excursions on the 'Louisa Route'. 611 will heaad the train outbound on the 40 mile round trip. The return to Louisa will be diesel hauled.
For details: https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/summer-of-steam/

July 4th, 18th Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

July 17, 18, 19 Chanhassen and Montevideo MN. Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 #261 heads "USA 250th Hiawatha" excursions. On Friday 17th from Chanhassen MN to Danube MN. On Saturday two trips from Montevideo MN to Granite Falls and an afternoon trip to Appleton where the train will be wyed. On Sunday the trip will be from Montevideo to Buffalo Lake MN.
For more details go to https://261.com/excursions/usa-250/

August 2026

August 1st and 15th Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

August 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/

August 15th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Celebration of Steam Engine 4960's Birthday' 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-schedule/

August 27th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Thursday Labor Day Celebration' 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-schedule/

September 2026

September 5th 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-schedule/

September 5th and 26th Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

September 19th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 'Grand Canyon Railway's 125th Anniversary' 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-schedule/

October 2026

October 3rd 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-schedule/

October 3, 10, 11, 17, 18, 31 Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

October 14th Williams AZ. Grand Canyon Railway 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-schedule/

November 2026

November 1st Cumberland MD. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad trips due to be headed by 2-6-6-2 #1309 departing Cumberland.
For more details go to https://wmsr.com/western-maryland-train-schedule

November 7th and 8th Chattanooga TN. Nine hour excursion from Chattanooga to Summerville, Georgia and return powered by the former Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501.
For more details go to https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/summerville-steam-special/

December 2026

Diary for 2027

Earlier 'Steam Train Diaries':

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

Featured SVS Film YouTube video. Watch at: 261 Full Throttle

Diary for 2026

Diary for 2027

Earlier 'Steam Train Diaries':

Return to SVS Film Index

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

Featured SVS Film YouTube video.
Watch at: 261 Full Throttle