"Nine Times Ten"

The Woodstown Central Railroad's 1942 steam locomotive pulled Easter Bunny trains this weekend. Engine 9, an 0-6-0 switcher once used by the United States Army, traversed the Salem Branch out of Pilesgrove Township.

The Easter Bunny Express sweeps the curve at Alloway Junction during a light rainstorm.

SMS Rail Lines normally operates trains on the Woodstown Central using a vintage diesel engine. In late 2024, number 9 made its debut after a 14-year restoration. The locomotive hadn't seen use since 1981, when it worked for the New Hope Railroad of Bucks County, PA.

Number 9 coasts along the causeway at Salem, NJ, shortly before reaching its destination. Soon thereafter, passengers would disembark for an Easter egg hunt.

Approximately 55 miles west, the Strasburg Rail Road also featured a recently-restored steam locomotive on the regular excursions: former Great Western Railway 90. The largest and youngest member of Strasburg's steam fleet joined the roster in 1967, and has pulled both passenger and freight trains along "The Road to Paradise" since then.

Engine 90 eases into East Strasburg with the 4pm train. The Strasburg Rail Road recently completed an overhaul on the locomotive in accordance with Federal Railroad Administration standards.

Number 90 entered the shops for a mandatory 1,472-day inspection and overhaul at the end of 2023. Similar to a motor vehicle, steam locomotives must undergo a thorough inspection (and a complete rebuild) when it reaches a certain number of operating days. Strasburg completed this process last week.

While awaiting the 6pm departure time, engine 90 shows off its fresh look. It sports Strasburg's "family scheme" for the first time since 2005.

In addition to a mechanical tune-up, shop forces gave 90 a fresh coat of paint; backdating it to its mid-1990s appearance. Most of Strasburg's operating steam locomotives wore a variation of this black, gold and red scheme (internally known as the "family scheme") between the mid-90s and 2005.

Daniel Smutek — Notch 8 Photography

April 15, 2025