In 2023, the City of Elkhart transferred ownership of steam locomotive No. 3001 to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. It had previously been on a long term loan to the City of Elkhart from the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, which originally leased it from the Museum of the American Railroad. The Museum of the American Railroad (formerly the Age of Steam Exhibit) obtained the locomotive from the Texas & Pacific Railroad in 1957, which initially acquired the locomotive from the New York Central Railroad.

The Fort Wayne Railroad has operating rights on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad, a 100-mile short line railroad comprised of both privately-owned and state owned railroad trackage, much of which was previously part of the New York Central System. In addition, railroads where the Fort Wayne Railroad has recently operated passenger steam excursions are potential venues, including, but not limited to, Metra, Steam Railroading Institute, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Steamtown, among others.

Our complete restoration budget can be viewed by clicking here. This budget is informed by several recent steam locomotive restorations and envisions using a combination of paid and volunteer staff, as well as professional contractors, vendors, and suppliers.

We have also included a contingency line item to help protect the project from material inflation costs and unexpected problems that are likely to be discovered when the locomotive is disassembled. Our experience has shown that these costs can account for a 15%  increase or more in the total budget.

If all $4.3 million was in hand today, the restoration would take up approximately 2 years to complete. Supply chain issues as well as material and vendor delays can also influence this timeline.

The Fort Wayne Railroad owns seven unrestored New York Central passenger cars from the Empire State Express and has restored six passenger cars which it currently uses in excursion service. The organization also owns an unrestored former Canadian Pacific dome-observation-lounge car, Riding Mountain Park. Plans call for the former New York Central cars to be restored in coach and first class passenger configurations. This restoration work can be supported online through our Great Steel Fleet campaign. In addition, the Fort Wayne Railroad has relationships with the owners of additional New York Central passenger cars and equipment.

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We believe this is the last opportunity to restore an authentic New York Central steam locomotive and the only chance to see one operate on native rails with the very same passenger cars it would have carried in service.

67 years after the end of steam on the New York Central Railroad, it is also an important generational demarcation point, as those people who remember the steam era are in their twilight years. This is a moment to bridge generations and give 21st Century audiences a new tactile, teaching machine that will be accessible to all people of all demographics, and backgrounds. The 3001 represents an important era of American innovation and connectivity and will be a powerful ambassador and teaching tool for new generations.

Lastly, creating a synonymous, linear heritage experience in rail preservation is a rarity in the United States. Curating operating locomotives, passenger cars, stations, and trackage of the same railroad system is virtually unheard of and creates a veritage time machine well beyond just the term or a train ride itself. For these reasons, the unique opportunity to acquire and restore No. 3001 places it ahead of other restoration candidates, including Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive N0. 624, Wabash steam locomotive no. 534, among others.