Fall Foliage Excursions with Ohi

Fall Foliage Excursions with Ohio Central Steam Engine #1293

Click here to see pictures of this years run!

Once again one will be able witness the sights and sounds of a live operating steam locomotive in Byesville. Ohio Central steam engine #1293 will be pulling fall foliage excursions over the Byesville Scenic Railway this October.

The steam powered excursion trains will operate at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5 pm on Saturday Oct.21 and Sunday Oct. 22. Tickets are $15 per person and will be sold at the Byesville Depot on a first come first serve basis. For more information, see full story below…

Fifty years have passed since the sound of a lonesome steam locomotive whistle has echoed through the Village of Byesville. It was 1956 when the Pennsylvania Railroad last operated a steam locomotive over the line. Since that year, the modern diesel locomotive, with its efficient internal combustion engine and often utilitarian appearance, has dominated all freight and excursion trains through Byesville. Until now.

Once again one will be able witness the sights and sounds of a live operating steam locomotive in Byesville. Ohio Central steam engine #1293 will be pulling fall foliage excursions over the Byesville Scenic Railway this October. Locomotive #1293, a 4-6-2 "Pacific type", was originally built in 1948 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was purchased by the Ohio Central Railroad (OHCR) in 1996 and was rebuilt by the OHCR's steam department at their Morgan Run locomotive shop. The OHCR steam department completely refurbished the locomotive to full operating condition in 1997. From that point forward the locomotive hauled the Ohio Central's daily tourist train from Sugarcreek to Baltic until the train was discontinued in May of 2003. After that, the locomotive has been used only for occasional weekend steam fan trips.

The officers of the Byesville Scenic Railway recognized that the Ohio Central, a strong proponent of branch line railroads and local businesses, owned a steam locomotive that wasn't being used on a regular basis. In order to help promote the Byesville excursion train and their fall foliage excursions, the BSRW worked with the OHCR to bring locomotive #1293 to the village.

The Byesville Scenic Railway excursion train will operate with the steam locomotive over their regular one hour / 7 mile round trip route from Byesville to Derwent. Because there is no siding for the steam locomotive to "run around" the BSRW's locomotive and passenger cars, the steam locomotive will simply couple onto the rear of the train, facing northward. The excursions will start as usual with BSRW's diesel locomotive #386 on the south end of the train, pulling the train south to Derwent. While en route to Derwent, the steam locomotive will be towed along behind the passenger cars. However, once the train stops in Derwent, the diesel will be put in idle. The steam engine, now at the front (north) end of the train will take over and pull the train north to Byesville. Along the way the locomotive will put on a show of smoke and steam that no diesel can match. On board, riders will be able to hear the distinctive "chuff" of the locomotive exhaust, the ring of the bell, and the song of the steam whistle, taking them back to days when everyone, including the coal miners, traveled by train.

In addition to the steam locomotive, an antique power engine show will be held near the train, giving spectators a chance to view antique tractors and stationary "hit and miss" engines.

The steam powered excursion trains will operate at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5 pm on Saturday Oct.21 and Sunday Oct. 22. Tickets are $15 per person and will be sold at the Byesville Depot on a first come first serve basis. Proceeds from the ticket sales will cover the cost of operating the steam locomotive and will also support projects such as the rehabilitation of the rail line from Derwent to Cumberland.