We will have our March work weekend next weekend, March 13, 14, and 15. The winter has been rough on us, with snow present on site or descending the last THREE work weekends! We have not been able to get out on the track and do any worthwhile work since November. We are looking forward to getting out on the line and starting our tie work program for 2026.

We will be installing switch timbers in the engine house switch and doing some tamping and leveling. We are also ready to do some work at the Bailey Springs Crossing and attempt to screw down the loose rail in the crossing. We have the rail clips and screw spikes ready for that job, as well as the proper sockets and pneumatic tools to get that done. We will have enough work on these two jobs to take up the weekend. There is much to do, and we need your help!

We will also be doing some equipment repairs. The air brake valves are done with their periodic servicing and can be replaced in locomotive #12, the dump truck hydraulic cylinder is done and can be replaced, and we are expecting to install the new reman hydraulic pump in the tie crane.

After the switch work is done, we will move out on the line in April and start putting ties in the Class I track to fill in some gaps there. We are looking for sold-out Bunny Trains. We have large expenditures coming up for insurance, crosstie purchases, and then an early summer/late spring thorough weed spray over the entire line!

The Friends of the Stewartstown Railroad are proud to participate in Give Local York 2026, raising funds to restore historic Passenger Coach No. 1341 — and we need your help!

Our goal is to raise $15,000 to sandblast, prime, and repaint the exterior of this well-traveled railcar. This essential work will protect the coach from corrosion, preserve its historic character, and keep it in active service for passengers to enjoy during our excursion trains.

Coach 1341 is an important part of the Stewartstown Railroad experience, helping us share York County’s rich railroading heritage with families, visitors, and rail enthusiasts alike. Your support ensures this history continues to roll down the tracks for years to come.

Help Us Reach Our Goal

Every donation makes a difference in preserving this living piece of history.

Click Here to Donate to the 2026 Give Local York Fundraiser

Thank you for supporting historic preservation, education, and community heritage through the Stewartstown Railroad.

To All:

The Stewartstown Railroad Track Crew finished up its scheduled work for the year this past weekend! Frozen ground precluded tie work.

The track crew traveled to Hungerford Station and removed the switch points, frog and associated hardware remains from the switch that went into the old Chase Wire Cloth building, loaded them up and brought them back to town for reuse.

The crew cut two rails to length to fill in the holes created by the removed switch components, bolted them together and set a few spikes to hold the gauge, keeping the main track complete and usable for motorcar runs, inspections and track maintenance equipment.

This was a job that needed doing for some time!! Tie conditions there are poor, we will schedule a day for next year to put some ties in, from the station East.

The crew then returned to Stewartstown and replaced some loose and worn frog bolts in the frog of the lower wye switch in front of the enginehouse.

We also installed the rebuilt arm extension cylinder on the tie crane and removed a bad starter from the Plasser Tamper as well as doing a thorough Friday afternoon track inspection.

We will take a break over the holidays and start the new year with our first January work weekend on January 16, 17 and 18. What we do depends on the ground conditions and weather in the winter months. We will have inside and outside work planned so be ready to come out and help get us started in 2026!

Thanks to everyone who came out this year and helped maintain and improve our railroad! Our best wishes to everyone for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Regards,

Dave Williamson

To all From Dave Williamson, STRT President:

Happy Thanksgiving to all our volunteers and supporters! Thank you for your dedication and hard work on our historic railroad this year!  With 2026 ending, we will be holding the December Work Weekend, Friday through Sunday, December 5, 6, and 7.

On Friday, we will be working on the class I track, most likely installing more ties down by the coal bin. As always, this time of year, it depends on the weather!

On Saturday, we will be working on ties west of the Red Board, since the train will be running that day. There are 16 ties to install between the auto shop private crossing and the township building crossing. We are working to extend the big train run to the township building crossing, next. Extensive ditching, culvert installation and some tie work has already been done on this stretch.

On Sunday we will be working on the Plasser tamper in the enginehouse, there are damaged steel members underneath that need to be removed and replaced. We have the new steel beams and channels in stock. We will probably continue with other equipment work and maybe some inside repairs to the enginehouse itself! If we have a big crew, we can also go out and continue with more trackwork.

The track crew installed 50 ties in November; we are at about 300 for the year. Plus, the track crew raised and tamped a big low spot and gauged and spiked 20 previously installed ties. Every tie installed supports or rails, holds the gauge and gives our passengers a safe, smooth and fun ride!! We need to keep up this good work!!!

We are looking and hoping for good weather in the coming year, 2026 and plan on getting a good start to track work in the new year.

We have much planned to do, 250 maintenance and improvement ties in the class I track, extending the class I track up to Bridge 5, new ties on Bridge 2, improved track bed and new ties just before Mann & Parker Lumber Company, and spot work as needed, and resources allow on the west end!!

The tie crane is working much better, and we are having the articulated arm cylinder rebuilt. Next, we will remove the main hydraulic pump and get it resealed, it is leaking badly. The hi- rail dump truck is repaired and in service.

We will be working on and with the Nordberg Spiker and the Kershaw Ballast Regulator more next year.  They will help get more trackwork done, faster!!! All we need is you!! To come out and help push our progress!!!