Spending The Day at Steamtown National Historic Site

After the 2023 Fall York Train Show, we decided to stop at Steamtown National Historic Site. It's been over 20 years since either of us visited Steamtown. Stick around to the end of the video to see Ryan blow the whistle of The Baldwin Locomotive Works #26, something he's wanted to do all his life. We had a great time, and there was still more to see. We will definitely be going back during warmer weather.
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#Steamtown #Railfanning #Trainspotting

[@TheTrainboard]

Well, the big boy is, well, big....very big. And looking into the active, fully charged firebox of a running steam engine and blowing that whistle is a special day, for certain.

[@naxshack]

Awesome vid guys! Steamtown is a magical place! The #4012 looks amazing! 😊 -Brian

[@TheTrainboard]

It was freezing that day. Just wish they would run a big boy for us east coast guys.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Thanks for bringing us along on your Steamtown visit gents! It looks like you had a great time! Ryan, I am OH so jealous of you blowing #26's whistle! And I'll tell you, that firebox looks like my grandparents basement coal furnace on steroids! I first saw it as a little boy decades ago and have never forgotten it. Some other things, I'm sure you learned that a Big Boy is a LOT bigger than it looks in pictures! Photographs and even movies don't do it justice. I saw one up-close-and-personal at a railroad museum in Dallas years ago and the impression never left me, the size of the thing takes your breath away. The labels, or lack thereof in the cab reminds me of something Steve Lee, the former head of the UP steam program said about new steam engines arriving on the property and crews doing some discreet testing of the knobs and levers: "Gee, I wonder what this thing does?" Those heavy pipes running through the firebox were called "thermic syphons" and you're right, boiler water did run through them to aid in the heating. You know, I've got to find some cheap used passenger cars I can re-mark into "Central Railroad of New Jersey" cars. I've got MTH "Jersey Central Lines" and "Blue Comet" coaches but no pre-WW2 "CR of NJ" types, I've never seen them anywhere. Speaking of which if I were the Steamtown people I'd restore tank engine #47 into a CNJ 4-6-4 tanker to go with those coaches! But they've never asked me for my opinon! (OK, it's originally a Canadian National engine but so what?) A fun and interesting video! Thanks for posting!

[@TheTrainboard]

Wayne, ever since we saw the 1997 614 excursion run by of the 614 and the ground shake, I've had a big boy run by on my bucket list. Just wish it wasn't so far a drive from me and you. Airfare and hotel for a quick big boy run by does not make sense but those midwesterners are so fortunate. Ive wanted to repaint and decal so much for so long. My first compressor and airbrush sit unboxed. After we finish all these train unboxing videos, I'll start down that learning curve. Gary

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

@@TheTrainboard I can understand Gary. Unless Big Boy 4014 comes east there's little likelihood of me going west to see it either. Guys like you and me will probably just have to be happy with the static displays. Oh, repainting and redecaling isn't so hard once you get the hang of it. I used to do a LOT of airplane modeling when I was a teenager and hadn't done any modeling at all for 50 years but the skills are all coming back after a bumpy start!

[@EdMartin-w2z]

The first time I was at Steamtown was approx 28 yrs ago. The round house wasn't even worked on for restoration. At that time the railroad cars were stored way back in an area behind the round house. They had steps and platforms to where we could view the inside of the railcars. Yes Steamtown came a long way since then and well worth a trip to visit .

[@TheTrainboard]

Our last visit was, likewise, 24 years ago when ryan was 4. Was freezing on this visit so we'd like to see a lot more. Just wish they ran a big boy for us east coast train guys. Gary

[@dantiel4179]

I was there many years ago it looks so great after it’s cosmetic restoration

[@TheTrainboard]

Yes,and you can now take the stairs up to the cab, look into the tender, firebox. Ryan was there over 20 years ago, when he was very, very young. Gary

[@dantiel4179]

The 4012 is the railking version I have because we saw it in person

[@user-uh4dv2zn5m]

hold on! was the # 15 from NH? i've been looking for this engine for years

[@TheTrainboard]

If you are referring to the steam locomotive at 46 minutes, it looks like that engine is Rahway Valley Rail Road #15. - Ryan

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

i got a Excursion Program New York Central's 30th Steam Spectacular,

[@TheTrainboard]

That definitely would have been a special day seeing some big steam. we don't see many big steam engines these days for us east coast guys, max.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

@@TheTrainboard Yay the Stars are NYC 5406 NYC 2933 and 3001 NKP 765 Reading 2124 Soo Line 1003 and 2719 and CP 2317 and 1246.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

@@TheTrainboard would CP 2317 & Reading 2124 be restored again.