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Steamtown National Historic SiteThe air pump, which supplies compressed air for the brakes, sits just above the rods on the side of a locomotive. NPS Photo, Ken Ganz
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Steamtown National Historic Site
Railfest 2009 at Steamtown NHS
Steamtown NHS Railfest 2009 poster

STEA Image

Steamtown NHS Railfest 2009 poster

Labor Day Weekend
Saturday and Sunday,
September 5 and 6

This year’s event theme is
"Celebrating the 1940's!"
Special Guest Grand Marshal
Mr. Joseph Boardman
Amtrak President and CEO


Don't forget to visit La Festa Italiana
on Courthouse Square in Downtown
Scranton!

Free COLTS shuttle service between
Steamtown NHS & La Festa Italiana!

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Cab tours of the Union Pacific #4012 “Big Boy” locomotive have, regrettably, been cancelled due to ongoing stabilization and cosmetic exterior painting.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

Railfest 2009 Schedule of Events

Saturday, September

5

9:30 AM: Ron Leas Big Band concert (Turntable plaza)
10:00 AM: Event Grand Opening with Amtrak President Joseph Boardman (Turntable plaza)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Locomotive Shops open (self guided)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Caboose Rides
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Railway Post Office worker presentations and US Postal Service cancellations (History Museum)
10:30 & 11:30 AM, 1:30, 2:15 & 3 PM: “Scranton Limited” short train rides
10:30 & 11:30 AM, 1:30, 2:15 & 3 PM: Locomotive Cab Rides
11:00 AM: Sand House Tower walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
11:00 AM: Delaware & Hudson 1970-1990 presentation (Trolley Museum Theater, 45 min*)

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Amtrak, Canadian Pacific, CNJ, Norfolk Southern, and EL Dining Car Society displays open
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: “Scranton Railroads (Images of Rail),” David Crosby book signing (Oil House/Museum Store)
12:00 PM: “Arsenic & Old Lace” and “Who’s on First” radio plays, Dietrich Theater Radio Players (Theater, 90 min)
12:30 PM: “Alco Survivors from Schenectady” presentation (Trolley Museum Theater, 45 min*)
1:00 PM: Moscow excursion (includes photo run-by at Moscow)
1:00 – 4:00 PM: Amtrak, Canadian Pacific, CNJ, Norfolk Southern and EL Dining Car Society displays open
1:00 – 4:00 PM: Caboose Rides
1:00 – 4:00 PM: Railway Post Office worker presentations and US Postal Service cancellations (History Museum)
1:30 PM: Office & Storage Building walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
2:00 PM: Ron Leas Big Band concert and Vince Brust Dancers (Turntable plaza)
2:30 PM: "New York State's Empire Division" Amtrak presentation (Theater, 45 min)
3:15 PM: Mattes Street Tower walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
3:30 PM: “Restoration and History of Project 113” presentation (Trolley Museum Theater, 45 min*)
3:45 PM: “Mining Railroad History” presentation (Theater, 45 min)
4:00 PM: Locomotive Shops close
5:00 PM: Park closes
*Separate admission required – Lackawanna County’s Trolley Station & Museum is NOT a National Park Service unit
NOTE: Events and programs are subject to change without notice due to weather and/or equipment and staffing availability.

Sunday, September

6

10:00 AM: Mattes Street Tower walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
10:00 AM: "Thru the Eyes of an Engineer" Amtrak presentation (Theater, 45 min)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Amtrak, Canadian Pacific, CNJ, Norfolk Southern and EL Dining Car Society displays open
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Caboose Rides
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Railway Post Office worker presentations (History Museum)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Locomotive Shops open (self-guided)
10:30 & 11:30 AM, 1:30, 2:15 & 3 PM: “Scranton Limited” short train rides
10:30 & 11:30 AM, 1:30, 2:15 & 3 PM: Locomotive Cab Rides
11:00 AM: Sand House Tower walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
11:30 AM: “Rocky Glen Park” film documentary (Theater, 60 min)
11:30 AM: “Mining Railroad History” presentation (Trolley Museum Theater, 45 min*)
1:00 PM: Moscow excursion (includes photo run-by at Moscow)
1:00 PM: “Rocky Glen Park” film documentary (Theater, 60 min)
1:00 PM: “Short Line Revival in Central PA” presentation (Trolley Museum Theater, 45 min*)
1:00 – 3:00 PM: Amtrak, Canadian Pacific, CNJ, Norfolk Southern and EL Dining Car Society displays open
1:00 – 4:00 PM: Caboose Rides
1:00 – 4:00 PM: Railway Post Office worker presentations (History Museum)
1:30 PM: Office & Storage Building walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
2:30 PM: “Lehigh Valley Railroad” presentation (Theater, 45 min)
3:15 PM: Mattes Street Tower walking tour (Visitor Center, 60 min)
4:00 PM: Locomotive Shops close
5:00 PM: Park closes
*Separate admission required – Lackawanna County’s Trolley Station & Museum is NOT a National Park Service unit
NOTE: Events and programs are subject to change without notice due to weather and/or equipment and staffing availability.

Drawing of mechanical engineer Elijay McCoy, creator of the 'real McCoy' automatic lubricator.  

Did You Know?
Elijah J. McCoy, a brilliant African-American mechanical engineer, invented an automatic lubricator cup (or drip cup) for steam locomotives and other machines. It worked so well that inspectors, when checking in a new piece of machinery, would ask, "Is it the real McCoy?"
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Last Updated: September 02, 2009 at 20:05 EST