Thought I'd derive some more steam excursion ideas from
@TheMann, since a better preservation movement was one of the reasons I tired making my own rail TL in the first place.
When steam began falling out in earnest in the early 1960s [1], many railroads would operate their steamers one last time for the sake of an enthusiastic public. Such steam excursions have their roots in the 1960s, and have only grown in popularity not just as a PR Tool for the railroads, but also a way to show off the railroad's workings to the general public.
While many railroads do own the steamers they use on their excursions, many more are leased from various companies dedicated to railtours. The most famous of these is Ross Rowland's High Iron Excursion Company - which famous owners such steamers as Southern Pacific #4458 [2], Chesapeake & Ohio #614, the Nickel Plate Quartet (Berkshire #755, #759, #763, and #765), Santa Fe #2925, Norfolk & Western #611, Texas & Pacific #610, and Reading #2101.
Union Pacific
The grand-daddy of mainline steam excursions, their program began with the continued operation of two 4-8-4s: FEF-3 #844 and FEF-4 #867 [3], on stem excursions out of Cheyenne, WY. Soon after, they were joined by Big Boy #4023 in August 1975. The following decade saw the return of Challenger #3985, as well as 4-6-0 #1243, 0-6-0 #4466, and 2-8-0 #428 being restored for leasing to various tourist lines.
Southern
Originally, this started as a series of simple excursions with Ms-1 Mikado #4501. However, its success combined with the restoration of Ps-4 Pacific #1398 led to this becoming one of the first major company-operated rail excursion programs. Soon after, Vs-1 4-8-4 "Crescent" #2609, DMs-1 Garratt #7508, and Ks-1 Consolidations #630 and #722 joined in on the fun [4]. As did several other engines from different rail companies at certain points in time.
Erie Lackawanna
This route works with Steamtown to regularly operate Erie Pacific #2935 and Lackawanna Pocono #1632. In addition, the EL also leases the Nickel Plate Berkshire Quartet, as well as the Grand Trunk Trio (4-6-2 #5629, 2-8-2 #4070, and 4-8-4 #6325).
Burlington Northern
The "Great Green Giant", like most western railroads, generally prefers to lease engines from separate companies and historical societies. However, they have taken preference to certain engines from their predecessors: Burlington Route 4-8-4 #5632; Great Northern 2-8-2 #3388; and Northern Pacific 4-8-4 #2626. Burlington 2-8-2 #4960 and 4-6-4 #3007, as well as Grand Trunk Pacific #5629 are preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, and occasionally perform trips on their home rails in Illinois and Iowa. The 2626 is also the famous "Timken Engine", which makes here popular as well. There have even been occasions where Rowland's "Nickel Plate Quartet" ran over BN territory - like when #759 ran in Montana as part of the project that led to the construction of the ACE 3000 Modern Steam Engine.
Grand Trunk Western
Only a handful of steam excursions have really happened on this route, and all of them are on the Chicago - Michigan lines running via South Bend, IN. These are operated entirely by the "Grand Trunk Trio" consisting of 4-6-2 #5629, 2-8-2 #4070, and 4-8-4 #6325. The first of these engines is famous because Walt disney helped it escape scrap in the 1980s, and eventually it was named the "Ruth F. Disney" after the Man Behind Mickey's sister.
Louisville & Nashville
Unlike its rival the Southern, the L&N does not operate its own steam programs. However, it does actively collaborate with various preservation groups who run steamers from the L&N and the lines it took over. Among those are the Kentucky Railway Museum (Pacific #152), the Old Smokey NRHS Chapter ("Big Emma" 2-8-4 #1966), Nashville Steam Preservation Society (NC&StL #576), Vigo County Historical Society (C&EI Mikado #1915), and the City of Evansville ("Big Nellie" 4-8-4 #2003) [5].
Toledo, Peoria, & Western
As a freight railroad, the TP&W usually does not have enough time to operate steam excursions with all the freight traffic circumventing Chicago. In the rare scenarios where it does have time however, the railroad is partial to the Indiana Transportation Museum's ex-Nickel Plate Mikado #587.
Florida East Coast
The few excursions that operate on this line are almost entirely behind 4-6-2 #148 and 4-8-2 #809. This is due to how sheerly busy the FEC is with fast, electrified freights.
Delaware & Hudson
Once upon a time, 4-6-2 #653 and 4-8-4 #302 were often seen on the mainline hauling happy tourists in the summer. Unfortunately, those days came to a close due to the decreased route availability. However, there has been some talk of returning the 302 to service as of 2006.
Rock Island
During the 1980s, 4-8-2 #4055 could sometimes be seen operating out of Des Moines. However, insurance costs lead to those days ending prematurely. However, the IRM's 4-6-2 #938 sometimes sees service, as does 4-8-4 #5114 based in Kansas City. In addition, Ross Rowland's Nickel Plate Berkshire Quartet has sometimes made cameos on the mainline in Illinois and Iowa, as have some of the SP's steam stars. Even so, talks to run #4055 once more have surfaced at times since 1999.
Milwaukee Road
Steam excursions on this railroad are pretty much 4-8-4 #261, MoPac Mountain #5321, and T&P #610. Some talk of restoring Hudson #105 has been raised at certain points, but nothing has come of its just yet.
Boston & Maine
Two steamers run on the B&M from time to time. Those engines are 4-6-2 #3713 "The Constitution" and 4-8-2 #4117 "Hercules". However, various environmental laws have limited the scope of their excursions to the more rural areas of Maine - even with special exemptions at times.
Wisconsin Central
Excursions on this line are almost entirely on the network in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Most of these are operated by QJ 2-10-2s #6988 and #7081 - the former of which was modified to resemble an authentic American locomotive. The railroad has also seen some excursions behind GTW engines like 4-6-2 #5629 and 4-8-4 #6325.
Gulf, Mobile, & Ohio
A few steamers have run over this route from time to time. Though the GM&O's heavy use of precision-scheduled railroading (PSR) has meant that steam excursions only happen on special occasions. Most of these are behind one of the Ross Rowland engines - often N&W #611, C&O #614, or the Nickel Plate Berkshire Quartet.
Chessie System
Several steamers from the Chessie's predecessor railroads are common. The most notable is Ross Rowland's C&O #614, with the B&O T3s #5562 and #5585 being close seconds. Then there are Reading #2101 (also owned by Ross), Wabash #702, and Pere Marquette #1225.
Southern Pacific
Ross Rowland's #4458 is a major source of SP's excursion services, often being paired with EMD E9 #6051 and ALCO PA #6006. In addition, the SP also operate Pacific #2472, Mikado #745, 4-10-2 #5021, Mountain #4334, and Cab Forward #4294. The 4294 was the last Cab-Forward ever built, and the generally good condition as a result is why it was chosen over the other surviving Cab Forwards like #4274 or #4219.
Seaboard Coast Line
Steam excursions are very rare of the SCL due to how busy it is most of the year. When it does have the time or will however, the SCL management is partial to N&W #611 and #1218 - the former most likely because of when it pulled the American Freedom Train.
Rio Grande
The majority of steam excursions are really just the seasonal services the railroad operates with its narrow gauge Mikados in the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico. However, SP #4458 and UP #867 have seen some occasional operations on both lines. In addition, talks of restoring 4-8-4 #1705 to service have surfaced.
Western Pacific
Mikado #394 and GS-64 #482 are sometimes seen double-heading excursions on the mainline in California. Both are owned by the Western Pacific Railroad Museum.
Illinois Central
Like most railroads, the IC often allows steam excursions if the locomotive is from the IC itself or a railroad that it acquired. This means that IC's own 4-6-2 #1196, 2-8-2 #3769, and 4-8-2 #2613 are common sights, as is the Atlanta NRHS' ex-Central of Georgia #451. The 1196 and 3769 are mainly operated in the Midwest on native and ex-M&StL trackage, but the 2613 and 451 see a slightly larger scope of service - often in the Deep South.
New York Central
Despite generally tolerating the idea of steam excursions, the NYC has a strict "NYC Engines Only" policy when it coems to what steam excursions are operated. That means L4a Mohawk #3130, J3a Hudson #5433, and S1a Niagara #6015 are the most commonly seen locomotives on their system. However, plans to restore other NYC steamers have been around since the 1990s, and many have made some progress at certain points.
Santa Fe
ATSF does not any of the steam engines it allows out itself, but does with with historical societies to operate them. The most famous of these engines are 4-8-4 #2925 and 2-10-4 #5021 - the former is owned by Ross Rowland, who works with the Belen Historical Society, who in addition to helping Ross maintain the former, also owns the latter. Other locomotives seen on the ATSF are 4-8-4 #3751, the "Blue Goose" 4-6-4 #3460, 4-6-2 #3415, and 2-8-2 #4076. Last but far from least are two ex-Frisco steamers; 4-8-2 #1522 and 4-8-4 #4500, which mainly run over their native territory.
Pennsylvania
The PRR has a more lax policy about what kind of steam excursions are allowed. Oftentimes they work with the Railroaders Memorial Society in Altoona, PA to operate K4s #1361 and #5495, R2 #7116, M1a #6826, and T1 #5522. In addition, they work with Ross Rowland and the Roanoke-based Roanoke Heritage Company to operate N&W steamers like J Class #611, A Class #1218, and Y6a #2156 across the Virginias and Ohio. On the Erie/Buffalo - Harrisburg route, I1sa Decapods #4483 and #4625 can also be seen double-heading sometimes. Lastly, New Haven Hudson #1405 is occasionally seen on her old stomping grounds in Connecticut along the Northeast Corridor during the less busy times of year.
[1] Thank various going-ons in the Middle East for that.
[2] ITTL, the 4458 was preserved and eventually restored, whereas 4449 was also preserved but eventually went to the America Rails Museum in Jersey City.
[3] In my TL, the FEF-4s were indeed built.
[4] Long story short, the Vs-1 4-8-4s were built in my TL's 1920s for the Southern Crescent and the new Palmtree to Jacksonville. Whereas the 2-8-2+2-8-2 Garratts were built for the Southern's increasingly busy Rathole Division from Cincinnati to Chattanooga.
[5] ITTL, the L&N went though with buying 4-8-4s from Lima for passenger service north of Mobile.
