The Woodstown Central Railroad in New Jersey is now one step closer in offering steam-powered excursion trains. SMS Rail Lines no. 9, a 1942 0-6-0 ALCO steam locomotive, was inspected by the FRA in early November 2023 and has been officially cleared to return to active service. The FRA performed a hydro test, inspected the inside of the boiler, fired up the locomotive, and did a test run during their three-day trip to the SMS shops in Bridgeport, NJ.
The railroad still has some restoration work to finish on No. 9 before she is officially ready to pull trains. Paint is still still needed on the cab and tender, with other “odds and ends” needing to be finished up all around the locomotive. SMS, the parent organization of both the Woodstown Central and No. 9, hopes to have her pulling excursions in early 2024, but no specific date has been set.
The locomotive is no stranger to New Jersey, having worked at Fort Dix in her early life before going to several other military locations in the United States. She left the military in 1958 to go work on the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway. No. 9 was bought by the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad in PA in the 1960s and operated occasionally till 1981. The locomotive was bought by SMS in 2009 and has been under restoration for much of the time since then.
SMS is continuing work on other restorations projects as well. Ex-CNJ coach #1312 rolled out of the shop as a table car and joined sister coach #1319 in service in time for the busy holiday trains. As mentioned in a SMS shop tour video from November 20th, car #1317 will be the third coach restored. No. 1317 is unique in that it is a cab car, meaning that the engine crew could control a locomotive on the other end of the train from this car. They also showcased a 1942 US Navy boxcar that has been restored and painted in a Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western livery.
Image from SMS Shop tour video on Facebook
Learn more
Facebook announcement from Woodstown Central
SMS shop tour video
Woodstown Central Railroad Website
Trains Magazine Article