The Steamtown National Historic Site, under the operation of the National Park Service was established on October 30, 1986 to further public understanding and appreciation of the role steam railroading played in the development of the United States. Steamtown is located at the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Scranton rail yard.
Financial problems came upon Steamtown USA in the early 1970's. Efforts to stabilize the Steamtown monetary situation were not successful and in 1980 Scranton, Pennsylvania was chosen to be the new home for Steamtown. The Scranton location was prepped for for it's new residents and in 1984 Steamtown USA in Bellows Falls, Vermont began it's move to Scranton, PA The revenue hopped for at it's new location in Scranton did not occur and in 1986 Steamtown was on the verge of bankruptcy. On October 30,1986 the Steamtown National Historic Site was officially created. The location and equipment got clean up and on July 1, 1988 the park officially opened. Since that date the National Park Service has worked to make Steamtown NHS a better facility by repairing, rebuilding the facility and equipment. It has also built a new Visitor Center and displays.
The photos on this page were taken in August 2006. In 1978 I visited Steamtown in Bellows Falls, Vermont. I have a page of photos from that trip. A few of the locomotives I photographed in both Vermont and Pennsylvania: Reading 2124, Grand Trunk Western 6038, UP Big Boy 4012. I also shot the CNJ Bucyrus crane in Vermont and Pennsylvania.
©2006 John Simakauskas |
