Steamtown National Historic Site

National Historic Site · PA · nps.gov page

large black train with number 6039 painted in white lettering, sitting on turntable track — No. 6039 sits on the turntable within Steamtown's Roundhouse complexPhoto: NPS Photo

Feel the heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; hear the whistle and the "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turn steel wheels. Discover how steam railroading helped shaped our nation's history and culture. Learn about the stories of the people who built, repaired and rode, and about the ongoing work to preserve railroading history.

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News

Celebrate 200 Years of American Railroading at Railfest 2026 2026-08-21
Steamtown National Historic Site will celebrate the past, present and future of American railroading during Railfest 2026, taking place Sept. 4 to 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
National Park Service Advances Railroad Preservation Through Historic Transfer of Norwood & St. Lawrence Locomotive No. 210 2026-08-06
The National Park Service (NPS) has approved the transfer of historic Norwood & St. Lawrence Railroad Locomotive No. 210 from Steamtown National Historic Site to the St. Lawrence Power & Equipment Museum in New York, marking the successful completion of a complex, multi-year effort to ensure the locomotive's long-term preservation and interpretation in the region where it spent nearly its entire operating career.

Photos

Black and yellow diesel engine 514 pulling a faded red box car and a dark red caboose — Nickel Plate Road No. 514 can often be seen moving cars around in the rail yard at Steamtown National Historic Site. Here, it can be seen pulling a Box Car and Caboose.Photo: NPS Photo / Alan Schulze

Historic Baldwin Locomotive Works engine number 26 out for a test run on the tracks. — Did you know that Steamtown's locomotives are operated by volunteers? Every year, volunteers must complete hands-on training required by the Federal Rail Authority (FRA), Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC), & National Park Service (NPS)Photo: NPS Photo / Alan Schulze

large black train stationed on a track to the left of a paved road — Union Pacific "Big Boy" No. 4012 has returned to permanent exhibitionPhoto: NPS Photo

A mechanic grinds metal in the Locomotive Shop causing sparks to fly towards ground. — Locomotive maintenance and repairs never end. Many employees and volunteers work year-round in the Locomotive Shop to repair the engines within Steamtown's collection.Photo: NPS Photo

An aerial view of Steamtown which falls within the boundaries of a mid-size city. — This aerial overview of Steamtown NHS, which was created within the former railyards of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western "Scranton Yards"Photo: NPS Photo

black train with yellow horizontal stripes and the number 514 pulling a larger black train on tracks — "Big Boy" No. 4012 is pulled along the tracksPhoto: NPS Photo

Park information and photos come from the National Park Service. This is not an official NPS site.