Steam & Excursion > Steam into History Train Question

The excellent post by DLTBerkshire a few days ago showing three Google maps for photographing tourist railroads got me interested in going to New Freedom, PA to phot the Steam Into History Train. Question if anyone knows. Does the train turn at Hanover Jct? Or does it run bunker first in one direction.  Any advice on chasing?  It appears much of the line is treed in. Thanks in advance. 

When I was there, a couple years ago, the train pushed from New Freedom.  They did not run around the train.  The last car has a headlight and a whistle.  The train runs 'properly' Hanover Jct back to New Freedom

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The excellent post by DLTBerkshire a few days ago
> showing three Google maps for photographing
> tourist railroads got me interested in going to
> New Freedom, PA to phot the Steam Into History
> Train. Question if anyone knows. Does the train
> turn at Hanover Jct? Or does it run bunker first
> in one direction.  Any advice on chasing?  It
> appears much of the line is treed in. Thanks in
> advance. 

If I remember correctly it just runs backwards to Hanover Jct. and then returns in the "conventional" direction with engine leading. I don't think the engine changes positions on the train...at least that's how it was when I was aboard two days ago on the trips to Glen Rock. Chasing is pretty easy because it doesn't go very fast. There are a lot of trees along the line, yes... but there are a lot of decent spots, including a few bridges, where you can catch it along the way. Totally worth it.

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The excellent post by DLTBerkshire a few days ago
> showing three Google maps for photographing
> tourist railroads got me interested in going to
> New Freedom, PA to photo the Steam Into History
> Train. Question if anyone knows. Does the train
> turn at Hanover Jct? Or does it run bunker first
> in one direction.  Any advice on chasing?  It
> appears much of the line is treed in. Thanks in
> advance. 
​What the others have stated is correct, the engine operates tender first going up the line.  When I rode it last year, the steam locomotive uncoupled and went into a siding at Hanover Jct., then a diesel engine (which they were leasing from the Stewartstown R.R.) pulled the passenger cars farther north to clear the siding, then the steam engine came out of the siding and the diesel pushed the train back down to couple onto the steamer for the return trip.
​Steam into History has spoken about having a turntable to install on the north end of the line to turn the engine in the future.  In New Freedom, the easiest way to turn the engine would be to make some kind of agreement with the Stewartstown R.R. group and put in a wye using the existing Stewartstown connection and adding another leg on the other side of their line to connect back into the Northern Central.  It appears that there is enough land there to do this and it would be beneficial for both the Stewartstown and the Steam into History group if they can work out all the logistics and legal issues.  The Stewartstown R.R. only operates motor cars (speeders) at this time on that part of their line; however in time they hope to be able to operate their excursion train from Stewartstown down to New Freedom.  They are slowly rehabbing their line but like every one else, they need more money to rebuild their line.  And if you go onto the Stewartstown Web Site, they still hope to someday be able to offer freight service once again.  Of course this can only happen if Steam Into History completes their entire line back to York, PA where they connect to the outside world.
John

One other thing to keep in mind if fanning the Steam into History operation. It an uphill grade from Hanover Jct. back to New Freedon so the engine is working. The out bound trip is mostly drifting.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Thanks to everyone who responded. Very helpful information.

And the steam engine has a headlight on it's tender too. I've ridden many steam excurssions in europe where we were
powered by steam tender first and at track or loco rated speed. Back before steam had made an exit, trains occasionally
were run on shorter distances tender first. Can't we have some flexibility?