Steam & Excursion > Building a First-Class (Steam Powered) Tourist Train

Since the restoration of Sugar Express steam locomotive No. 148 was completed in 2020, FMW Solutions has been helping acquire and renew several vintage passenger cars for use on the steam-powered excursion line through South Central Florida.

A video tour of the project and a detailed article on the strategy behind acquiring and rebuilding the cars is here: https://www.fmwsolutions.com/newsroom/2022/1/17/building-a-first-class-passenger-tourist-train

This is one of a half dozen steam locomotives and rail tourism efforts for which FMW has performed work or is currently under contract, including the restoration of United States Sugar Corporation No. 148; Former Atlantic Coast Line No. 1504 for the United States Sugar Corporation, Pennsylvania Railroad No. 1361 at the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum; Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis No. 576; Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 1309, and another to be announced shortly. FMW is also responsible for the marketing, operations, and passenger car restoration for Sugar Express.


 

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A few more images from the article showing the Lake Okeechobee's new paint as it awaits interior restoration work to be completed, the Miami Locks open-air car, and the former PRR/Amtrak William Penn is now the Palmdale exterior: https://www.fmwsolutions.com/newsroom/2022/1/17/building-a-first-class-passenger-tourist-train

 

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Here's how the open-air/baggage car looked when it arrived...and one shot of its new interior.

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A great website!

The cars look great. It would be nice if they could acquire/restore a heavyweight car to use as a rider coach with the caine cars on photo charters. 

That wood floor is beautiful, wonder what they might do to avoid it's tendancy to get slippery? Those are great shots, cool
to get the see the work progress, thanks for the post. 

Out 

Thanks for the updates. Looking forward to seeing some of them in action next weekend on the Trains Magazine 148 Charter. Thanks again.

Randy in PHX.

Posted from iPhone

callum_out Wrote:
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> That wood floor is beautiful, wonder what they
> might do to avoid it's tendancy to get slippery?
> Those are great shots, cool
> to get the see the work progress, thanks for the
> post. 
>
> Out 

The floor was not slickery at all a month ago. Even with a full days worth of “foam” on it :D I wish I could afford the trip and $650 ticket to the Trains magazine event this spring.

Posted from iPhone

That's a good sign because it's sure attractive.

Out 

The paint scheme looks a lot like IC’s “City of Miami” streamliner from 1941 — love it!!

You’ll definitely want to click on the link for the article and video which goes into detail on the paint scheme.