Fall is quickly settling in. Soon, most of our railroads will look like this.

Generally speaking, the local community's impression of a railroad tends to correlate with interactions at crossings, or, should they have the good fortune to have a local railroad that offers them, the experience of passenger train rides. There are nostalgic rail fans who revel in the history of the railroads, and love getting properly positioned photographs of trains. There are families who look forward to riding certain passenger excursions on an annual basis. We just completed several passenger rail excursions that benefited veterans groups, and I'm proud to say they were a resounding success. We will now embark upon the season of providing passenger rides for local sponsoring groups - providing additional excursions for our local communities.

With all of that said, the far more important thing we do is not nearly as sexy and is done on a daily basis. We constantly remind ourselves, “Freight first.”

Safe and efficient rail freight service to customers located in our communities provides them with a dependable and reliable means of sourcing their raw materials. With the right costing structure, it also represents a huge financial savings when compared to trucking rates.

What does that mean?

Well, it means that we have effectively given our customers, which are some of the largest employers in our region, a competitive edge and an incentive to stay local.

Transportation rates can make or break companies. Since 1984, we have aligned ourselves with the mission of preserving and fostering rail freight service to businesses in Central Pennsylvania. During that time, we have worked tirelessly to further economic development efforts of the counties we serve - through retention, improvement, and expansion of the rail service. Over the past decade, we spent $50 Million on maintenance and capital upgrades to the rail system we operate over. Annually, we spend $12 Million on goods and services in Pennsylvania (almost $9 Million alone being spent in counties we serve).

Our operations directly impact more than 200 individuals (our employees and employee dependents), and our service impacts 27,500 individuals (12,000 customer employees and their dependents) - who work and live here, in Central Pennsylvania.

Many customers decided to locate in our region because of our company's stellar reputation for quality, consistent, safe, and cost effective freight transportation, and some stay local for those very same reasons.

While we are proud of giving back to the community through passenger rides and idyllic photo opportunities, we are far more proud of the daily contributions to the region that very few, outside of the industry, would recognize. We are truly blessed to be here, and we look forward to continuing to give back- regardless of whether or not those efforts are publicly recognized.

“I’m done.” …Those are the words I never thought I would hear from John Blaschak, the owner of Fisher Mining. He recently stopped by my Newberry Yard office for a meeting, and he disclosed that he will not be loading any more unit trains in the Lycoming Valley Railroad’s Newberry Yard - effectively ending our 30-year freight relationship. He is proud to be shutting down his mining company with zero debt and a dramatic improvement of environmental conditions in the area that he mined - namely, that his mining practices left the streams in the English Center area far improved. They are now high-quality, cold-water fisheries, feeding into Little Pine, and ultimately Pine Creek itself, in the PA Grand Canyon. Prior to John’s mining, all of these streams were dead with acid mine run-off. John said how much he sincerely appreciated our company working with his company over the past 30 years. He said, “It was a pleasure,” and we were a “breath of fresh air,” after his previous dealings with Conrail. I thanked him for the relationship we held for the past 30 years. This is truly the end of an era, as coal has been loaded in the Newberry Yard for nearly 50 years.

That said, what John built will outlast his operation. His siding is ready for the next guy.

While I relate the closing of one long-term railroad customer, we welcome a new one - Smart Sand. We look forward to building a strong and meaningful working relationship with the folks at Smart Sand as they hit the ground running on the Lycoming Valley Railroad!

The comings and goings of railroad customers, like we see above, illustrate a very important fact - everything is changing all of the time. This means we must be constantly developing the railroad and attracting new customers, while continuing to safely, efficiently, and effectively serve the existing customers.

Back in the 1980’s, several local businesses started a grassroots effort to save local branch lines that were slated for abandonment by Conrail. You would now know these lines as the North Shore Railroad and the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad. Forty-plus years later, all of the original customers, who fought the political battle to save these lines, have sold their operations or are no longer in business. The foresight of these customers, and their appreciation for the importance of freight rail, had an underappreciated, yet critical, important, and lasting impact. These local rail lines have not only survived, but they have thrived. Looking at the lines today, we now handle new and different lines of freight that could never have been contemplated back then. The customers on the lines may have changed, but the importance of freight rail for local economy has not.

None of this was by accident. It takes a constant focus on wants and needs of local businesses to make continued growth happen, and that it is what we do every day. We work hard to continue to make Central PA an attractive place for rail freight-served businesses.

What can we do for your business?

My last On Track article was titled, “Bring on the Summer.” Summer definitely brought it on, but our crews were ready for the challenge, and they knocked it out of the park!

During the week leading into Labor Day weekend, we experienced some very heavy rainfalls in Central PA. On Wednesday evening, September 2nd, we experienced a reported seven inches of rain in the Beech Creek and Castanea areas. Upon track inspections, the next day, September 3rd, the Castanea Branch and the NBER Main were taken out of service due to multiple washouts. Of course, this was right before a holiday weekend.

We immediately started receiving ballast and rip rap to make the needed repairs.

Our first priority was our NBER Main Line. Our team started working on repairs on Thursday afternoon and had the NBER Main back in service by mid-day Friday. We were able to get the Castanea Branch back in service coming out of the holiday weekend.

What impressed me the most was the willingness of our guys to come into work, on a holiday weekend, when they already had plans. I promise their plans were not to be at work. With that being said, they recognized how important these lines are to our operations, and they sacrificed some of their holiday time to put the lines back in service!

In addition to the crews repairing washouts, we also had guys come in for extra track patrols and to repair a broken rail (also on this holiday weekend). As proud as I am to be a part of this team, I’m truly hoping the next holiday is not as eventful.

Passenger Rides

NSHR 2238 had a big summer!

She arrived back to the North Shore Railroad just in time for the Veterans Benefit Voyage which was done in conjunction with Berwick’s World War II Weekend, in Berwick, on July 18th.

Next, she pulled rare mileage Semiquincentennial Train Rides, on August 22nd, on the Lycoming Valley Railroad. The trips loaded in Montoursville, traveled to the railroad bridge that crosses the Susquehanna River in Muncy, and returned.

Then, she pulled America 250 Train Rides, as a part of Danville Heritage Days, on September 12th.

She is all done with public passenger rides for the year, but she will still have some work to do, so you will continue to see her out and about.

Passenger Photos by: Ethan Brodie

More Photo Ops

2238 also had more photo ops - that were all free to the public. In addition to protected, photo opportunities at our home office in Northumberland, 2238 also had an events in Bellefonte and Williamsport.

The best part of these events was being joined by the legend himself, Pedro Reyes, the artist who hand-painted NSHR 2238! It was awesome to see him talking with fans and explaining his process for such a beautiful piece of history and art.

Learn more about Pedro here: Pedro Reyes | Explore Artistry & Inspire Action

Pedro was given a great surprise at one the photo ops when Josh, a 14 year old railfan and artist, presented his hand-painted HO-scale 2238. Pedro was beyond impressed and full of so much joy to see the inspiration this locomotive can bring to everyone and all ages.

H-O Model

While Josh’s model train is not for sale, we do have one of Pedro’s available.

After unveiling 2238, last December, we searched the globe for all remaining, undecorated SW1500 model locomotives - finding and purchasing four HO-scale models.

There was no way that we were willing to take on this process without Pedro. His painting is what makes the “real” 2238 the beauty she is, so we knew that he needed to be in integral part of the models.

First, Pedro worked with custom decal groups to see about (tiny) wrapping the models, but it was a cumbersome process that took away details in the locomotives that we did not want to lose, so Pedro does what he excels at - he picked up a brush.

The 2238 HO model locomotives were painted by Pedro Reyes with the same paint (out of the same buckets) used on the actual NSHR 2238. Pedro had to cut hairs from a brush to make a point small enough for some of the tiniest details.

Each one of the four models are similar and beautiful, but they are each truly one-of-a-kind.

We are privately holding/gifting three of the models, but we are making the fourth model available to the public. We have had many people ask us about modeling this locomotive. We did not have the ability to make them in mass quantities, so to make it fair, we are accepting offers for the only one that will be sold.

You can learn more, and submit your offer, online here:

www.nshr.com/2238-ho

North Shore Warehouse

New merchandise has been added to our booth at the Sunbury Station (100 North 3rd Street, Sunbury, PA):

• NSHR 2238 Hoodies (kids sizes through 4XL)

• NSHR 2238 T-shirts (kids sizes through 4XL)

• NSHR 2238 Hats

• The NEW Support our Veterans (black camo) hoodies (adult sizes)

These items will also soon be available at NorthShoreWarehouse.com… just in time for Christmas shopping!

NSHR 104, “Carl E. Stotz”

Just in time for our Semiquinentennial Train Rides (from Montoursville during the Little League World Series), our team was able to finish NSHR 104 - now named, the Carl E. Stotz.

In 1939, Williamsport, PA, went down in history as the birthplace of Little League Baseball - thanks to its founder, Carl E. Stotz. Stotz was born in 1910, in Williamsport, PA. In the late 1930s, Stotz had the idea to create an organized baseball league (specifically for children aged 8–12). He wanted the league to teach sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork. He worked with local businesses to sponsor teams and recruited neighborhood kids. On June 6, 1939, the first official Little League Baseball game was played between Lycoming Dairy and Lundy Lumber. Little League spread across Pennsylvania and the U.S. The first Little League World Series was played in 1947 in Williamsport, PA. By the 1950s, Little League had hundreds of teams nationwide, and it went international in 1951 (when Canada joined the movement). Today, it’s a global organization in over 80 countries, with millions of players. Carl E. Stotz passed away at age 82 (in 1992), leaving behind a legacy and an accomplished mission, as he wanted every boy to “play on a regular team, with uniforms and a new ball for every game and bats you can really swing.”

Carl’s daughter, Karen Stotz Myers, helped pick some of the detailed finishes on this car’s design. She then eagerly filled this car with Carl’s family and friends of the community for its very first rides under its new name and new look.

Our team took the task of bringing this new look to life.

Last year, we purchased NSHR 104 from the Everett Railroad. Before this car was in passenger service on the Everett, it was owned by the Horseshoe Curve Chapter of National Railway Historical Society and was well traveled, hauling passengers on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, in Cumberland, MD; the West Virginia Northern Railroad, in Kingwood, WV; and trips on our Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, in April 1987, behind the Official state steam locomotive PRR K4 #1361.

Also found on this car, under many layers of paint, were the beautiful, brass window finishes - which have now been brought back to life.

Like most of our passenger work, it is all hands on deck. If you have downtime in the office, you are stepping outside to pitch in.

Decals were cut and applied by Curry Designs (who are located right by the Everett Railroad - bringing this all full-circle).

We are honored to be able to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Carl E. Stotz. We hope you will all get to see and ride in this car soon!

2026 Passenger Excursion Schedule

As Jeb mentioned in his article, we have a number of public passenger excursions (partnering with sponsoring groups) through the end of 2026. Watch our social media for details about information and links to ticket sales.

• Saturday, October 17 (10am, Noon, 2pm ) - Bloomsburg - Fall Foliage Trips, Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc.

• Saturday, November 28 (10am, Noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm) - Bloomsburg - Christmas Trips, Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc.

• Sunday, November 29 (Noon, 2pm, 4pm) - Bloomsburg - Christmas Trips, Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc.

• Saturday, December 5 (Noon, 2pm, 4pm) - Sunbury - Christmas Trips, Fort Discovery, Inc.

• Sunday, December 6 (Noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm) - Sunbury - Christmas Trips, Fort Discovery, Inc.

• Saturday, December 12 (10am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, 3:15pm, 5pm) - Williamsport - Christmas Trips, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce

• Sunday, December 13 (10am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, 3:15pm, 5pm) - Williamsport - Christmas Trips, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce

• Saturday, December 19 (10am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, 3:15pm, 5pm) - Williamsport - Christmas Trips, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce

• Sunday, December 20 (10am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, 3:15pm, 5pm) - Williamsport - Christmas Trips, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce
  

Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society (BHRS)

The BHRS has a number of 2026 speeder trips available to the public this year. The price is $5.00 per rider (walkup only - no preorders).

• Saturday, Oct 3 (2pm-7pm) - Makers Faire

• Sunday, Oct 4 (2pm-7pm) - Makers Faire

• Saturday, Oct 31 (11am-4pm) - Tallyrand Fall Festival

Partnering with our Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, BHRS also has passenger rides planned for the rest of the year.

• Saturday, October 17 – Apple Festival Special - SOLD OUT!

• Saturday, October 17 – Mountain's End - SOLD OUT!

• Saturday, October 24 – Bald Eagle Flyer - SOLD OUT!

• Saturday, October 24 – Halloween (RDC’s only)

• Saturday, December 12 - Bellefonte Victorian Christmas (RDC’s only)

• Sunday, December 13 – Candy Cane Express

• Saturday, December 19 - Candy Cane Express

• Sunday, December 20 – Candy Cane Express

Follow BHRS on social media and purchase your train tickets at bellefontetrain.org/train.

Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce Transportation Summit

July 10th was a beautiful day for the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce's Transportation Summit. We were happy to host them at their last stop on our "Harriet Tubman" dining car.

Rail Safety | National Night Out 2026

August 4th was a very busy night for us! Our crew divided to conquer for National Night Out. We spread out across Central PA; we had tables set up in:

• Bloomsburg

• Muncy

• Pleasant Gap

• Shamokin

• Sunbury

• Williamsport

• Snyder County (held on August 11th)

We want to thank our employees who made these efforts possible: Diana, Jerred, Lee, Loni, Nikki, Roy, Russ, and Tiarnan.

This annual event has turned into a great evening where our employees and their families can get out and reach our communities - spreading the message of rail safety!

At each National Night Out, we asked kids to make the promise to stay off of railroad tracks. This year, we also gave them each a sticker puzzle - in which they could piece together the different parts of NSHR 2238 - to build the locomotive.

Everyone did an awesome job!!!

Rail Safety | See Tracks? Think Train! Week

We, of course, took part in Operation Lifesaver’s annual public safety campaign, historically known as Rail Safety Week, but now (in its 10th year), “See Tracks? Think Train! Week.” Throughout the week, we shared information across our social media platforms.

Our PR & Media Manager (in the role of President of the Keystone State Railroad Association), worked with Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver and her staff to help spread awareness of this week in Harrisburg.

This included the production of a video, which can be found: HERE!

This week, having returned to session in Harrisburg, Senator Culver presented a Pennsylvania Senate Resolution:

A RESOLUTION

Designating the week of September 21 through 27, 2026, as "See Tracks? Think Train! Week" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Rail travel is an essential part of our transportation infrastructure, reducing congestion on the roads and in the skies, connecting cities and rural communities; and

WHEREAS, Projections of the United States Department of Transportation show substantial increases in rail transport over the next three decades; and

WHEREAS, As advanced technology helps build quieter and faster trains, the necessity to teach people how to be safe around them increases; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, a person or vehicle is hit by a train approximately every three hours; and

WHEREAS, While crossing collisions have been reduced over the past four decades, there were still 2,273 highway-rail grade crossing collisions in the United States, resulting in 286 fatalities and 766 injuries in 2025; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania ranks 11th in highway-rail grade crossing collisions, with 56 collisions, 3 fatalities and 24 injuries in 2025; and

WHEREAS, Railroads are private property, and accessing them outside of a designated crossing area is considered trespassing; and

WHEREAS, Trespassing is a serious safety issue, resulting in 1,317 deaths and injuries in the United States in 2025; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania ranks sixth for total trespass casualties, with 34 deaths and 15 injuries in 2025; and

WHEREAS, Collisions between trains and motor vehicles or pedestrians could have been prevented by increased public awareness of the necessity of making safe choices around railroad tracks and trains; and

WHEREAS, Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and trespassing on or near railroad tracks; and

WHEREAS, Operation Lifesaver's nationwide campaign, called "See Tracks? Think Train! Week," runs from September 21 through 27, 2026; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of September 21 through 27, 2026, as "See Tracks? Think Train! Week" in Pennsylvania.

Thank you to Senator Culver for being such an advocate for the safety of our Commonwealth’s rail systems!

View the video of Senator Culver presenting this resolution in Harrisburg, HERE!

Bloomsburg Fair Military Appreciation Day

Just today, we were honored to deliver tokens of THANKS to hundreds of Veterans at the Bloomsburg Fair Military Appreciation Day. We need to thank PA State Representative Robert Leadbeter, and his staff, for helping organize and inviting us to this event. We enjoyed sharing our Military Units with so many great people. It was a wonderful day.

At Tartaglia Railroad Services, our equipment shop continues to grow into a full-service resource for railroad contractors, customers, and businesses throughout the region. Whether you need routine maintenance, major repairs, specialized railroad equipment service, or help getting equipment from one jobsite to another, our team is ready to help.

Expanding Our Team

As our shop capabilities continue to grow, so does our team. We recently added two experienced mechanics to our staff, giving us even greater capacity to keep trucks, heavy equipment, and railroad machinery running smoothly, safely and efficiently.

We have also added an equipment transport driver to our team. This addition allows us to provide dedicated transportation services for railroad and heavy equipment, giving our customers another way to get equipment where it needs to go without having to coordinate transportation on their own.

Complete Truck, Heavy Equipment & Railroad Machinery Repair

Our shop is equipped and staffed to handle a wide range of repair and maintenance needs. We service:

• Commercial trucks

• Hi-rail vehicles

• Heavy construction equipment

• Railroad maintenance and production equipment

• Hydraulic systems

• Diesel equipment

• Specialized railroad machinery

• Routine maintenance and inspections

• Major repairs and equipment overhauls

Our goal is simple: Keep your equipment working and minimize costly downtime.

We also understand that equipment problems don't always happen when you're conveniently parked in a shop. That's why our team provides mobile repair, inspection, and maintenance services. This allows us to bring our capabilities directly to your jobsite when the situation calls for it.

Certified Hi-Rail Gear Installation

Our capabilities also extend to specialized hi-rail equipment. Tartaglia Railroad Services is certified to install Rafna, DMF, and Continental hi-rail gear, providing customers with a trusted resource for hi-rail truck upfits and related service.

From new installations to maintaining equipment already in service, our team understands the unique demands placed on railroad trucks and equipment.

Now Offering Railroad Equipment Transportation

With the addition of our equipment transport driver and three customized equipment trailers, Tartaglia Railroad Services can now provide transportation solutions for railroad equipment as well.

Whether equipment needs to be moved between jobsites, transported to our shop for repairs, or delivered to a customer, we have expanded our capabilities to help handle the entire process.

Repair. Inspect. Transport.

We are building our shop to be more than just a place where equipment gets fixed. We want to be a resource our customers can rely on throughout the life of their equipment.

Let Us Help Keep Your Equipment Moving

If you have a truck, heavy piece of equipment, or railroad machine that needs service, repair, inspection, hi-rail installation, or transportation, give Tartaglia Railroad Services a call - (315) 455-0100.

Our growing team and expanded capabilities are ready to help keep your equipment safe, reliable, and on the job.

Have a repair or transportation need? Reach out, and let us know how we can help.