Burning River N Society - BRNS

08/14/2026

less then a month to go for pa nscale weekend

08/03/2026

Burning River N Society members Pauline Reimer, Ken Bowman and Charlie Colitre at the
NMRA T-trak layout in Chattanooga. All three members were among those who successfully ran a train over the 93 scale mile layout. Pauline had the best time among the BRNS crew at 1 hour and 55 minutes.

08/03/2026

Attention...

Another tour has been added to the 2026 NRHS convention. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will open its railcar maintenance facility to NRHS delegates on Friday morning, September 25.

GCRTA is in the midst of an ambitious program to unify its railcar fleet. Today, the Red Line is served by a fleet of 40 high-floor heavy rail vehicles built by Tokyu in 1984-85; the Blue and Green Lines operate with 29 Breda low-floor light rail vehicles commissioned beginning in 1981. For the future, Siemens Mobility is building 54 new cars that will be utilized on all GCRTA lines. First deliveries are expected later in 2026; they are scheduled to be placed in service on the Red line in summer 2027.

This tour is your opportunity to get up close to the 40+ year old GCRTA fleets. Our bus leaves the hotel at 7:30 am September 25, and returns at about 9:30 am. This will leave you plenty of time to board the bus to the Wabtec late tour at 10:00 am. The pricing for the GCRTA tour is $14 ($12 if ordered before August 11). Use this link to sign up. Space is limited.

• If you’ve already registered for the convention and you wish to add the GCRTA tour, please complete a second registration and select just this one event.
• If you’ve already signed up for the Wabtec early tour and would like to participate in the GCRTA tour and the Wabtec late tour, contact us via email, and we'll swap your Wabtec tours if space is available.

Detailed information on all other convention activities is found in the convention brochure and general info and terms & conditions.

The convention headquarters hotel is the Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square, 1260 Euclid Avenue. The NRHS rate is $189 per night plus taxes, with valet parking available at $47/night featuring full in and out privileges. Please book early as rooms are limited.

An online informational session will be held on Monday, August 3, 8:30 PM EDT. The meeting agenda includes:

• Getting to the hotel using public transit
• Alternate parking locations
• What to expect on the daily tours
• A peek at our evening seminars

NRHS looks forward to welcoming you to Ohio 2026: The NRHS Railroad History Tour.

Cordially,
Mike Yuhas
Convention Chair

07/31/2026

07/31/2026

07/26/2026

Our next Open House is coming up on Saturday, August 29th & Sunday, August 30th, 2026. Come join us for lots of model railroading fun!

07/24/2026

Something cool is coming to Cleveland who's going

OHIO RAILROAD HISTORY TOUR - NRHS 2026

NRHS is excited to share detailed information about the 2026 NRHS convention, based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Registration will open at noon EDT on Tuesday, July 28, through your NRHS member portal at nrhs.com. The full convention brochure and general info and terms & conditions (the fine print) are available on the NRHS website now.
https://nrhs.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ohio-Railroad-History-Tour-NRHS-2026.pdf
and terms & conditions (the fine print) are available on the NRHS website now.
https://nrhs.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026NRHS-ConventionTerms.pdf

Here’s the event lineup:

- Monday, September 21: NRHS business meetings (daytime), followed by a gala opening reception, featuring a compelling speaker discussing a relevant railroad topic. Hors d’oeuvres, beer/wine.

- Tuesday, September 22: Board our bus for the ride to Marion, where we will spend a couple hours watching Norfolk Southern and CSX trains on the three mainlines that cross here. After lunch, it's off to Bellevue for a visit to the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum.

- Wednesday, September 23: Our day begins with a Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad excursion from Cleveland to Akron and return, with lunch served on the train. Afterward, we'll visit the shop of the Midwest Railroad Preservation Society, where we will observe the progress on GTW 4070 and Reading 2100 (American Freedom Train 250) and others.

- Thursday, September 24: No visit to Ohio would be complete without a tour of the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek! We've arranged for access to areas not normally seen by the public. One of their locomotives will be fired up, and we'll ride a short distance behind it. We'll enjoy a buffet at a nearby Amish restaurant.

- Friday, September 25: Our group will be immersed in a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the Wabtec (former GE) locomotive factory in Erie, Pennsylvania, with lunch included. This tour operates in two sections, early and late. Note: attendance for this activity is limited, so be sure to sign up early!

- Discounted early bird registration rates are available July 28 through August 11.

- Most evenings will feature seminars presented by noted historians and photographers.

- All events are subject to change.

The convention is headquartered at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square, 1260 Euclid Avenue. The NRHS rate is $189 per night plus taxes, with valet parking available at $47/night featuring full in and out privileges. Please book early as rooms are limited.

An online informational session will be held on August 3, 8:30 PM EDT. Zoom connection instructions will be shared shortly before the meeting.

We look forward to welcoming you to Ohio 2026: The NRHS Railroad History Tour!

Cordially,
Mike Yuhas
Convention Chair

~~~~~

Steel whispers call where autumn glows,
In northern Ohio, where memory flows.
Historians, dreamers, enthusiasts meet—
Where past and present rhythmically greet.

Beyond the gates, where few may tread,�
Through yards and shops where legends spread,
Come share the rails, the lore, the thrill—
�A gathering of hearts that time can’t still.

~~~~~

07/21/2026

11 years ago, American Steam Railroad surprised the railroad preservation industry by relocating Reading Company No. 2100 to Cleveland, Ohio, for a long-awaited restoration.

Nearly three years ago, we announced No. 2100 would make an identity change, debuting in red, white and blue as American Freedom Train No. 250.

Over the past year, the boiler saw steam for the first time since 2007 and completed a satisfactory FRA-witnessed steam test.

All along the way, it has taken hard work by our volunteers, contractors, donors and supporters, whose dedication and commitment remained steady throughout some challenging times, always believing the finish line was at hand.

With the completion of our first two events with the locomotive fired up, No. 250 has truly introduced itself to the nation — with its own voice and its own steam. Between these two events, 1,216 members of the public experienced this patriotic machine, and ASR came $11,121 closer to the finish line. And it’s only the beginning.

With only $75,000 left to raise, our to-do list has never been shorter — and your donations have never been more impactful. Remaining funds will be directed toward finishing running gear projects, brake work, finishing the tender, appliances, gauges, electronics and more.

If these critical funds are raised soon, No. 250 could make its first moves under steam this year. Become part of this milestone by making a DONATION today: www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate

📸: Brent Lane Photography