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Fall foliage & Halloween steamtrain rides in Hamburg

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Mon, Oct 8th 2018 11:30 am
During the month of October, the Buffalo, Cattaraugus & Jamestown Scenic Railway will offer a series of fall foliage and Halloween-themed train excursions behind a vintage 1920s-era steam locomotive. Trains are scheduled to operate out of the Village of Hamburg's historic Erie Railroad Depot (4 Scott St.) on Oct. 13-14, 27-28.
On Oct. 13-14, fall foliage trips will depart at 10 a.m., 12:30 and 3 p.m. for a roundtrip to the picturesque Eden Valley. These rides are one hour to 90 minutes in duration and will travel a distance of six miles. Tickets are $18 for adults (ages 12-plus), $15 for children (ages 2-11) and free for a child on a lap (under age 2).
Steam Halloween train rides will take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 27-28. Each trip is between two-and-a-half and three hours and will proceed to Zittels Farm in Hamburg. There will be Halloween entertainment and pumpkins for children at this site. Adults tickets are $2 more for this excursion.
All trips will be pulled by steam locomotive Viscose Co. No. 6. The engine was originally constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the American Viscose Co. of Roanoke, Virginia, in 1925. In the early 1960s the engine was sold for scrap to the Gem City Iron & Metal Co. of Pulaski, Virginia. In 2004, No. 6 was purchased by Scott Symans of Dunkirk, who restored the locomotive to operating condition.
Trips on the Buffalo, Cattaraugus & Jamestown Scenic Railway will be the only steam-powered train excursions operating in Western New York this fall.
Passengers will travel in vintage railroad equipment that includes two late 1920s-era passenger cars that once shuttled commuters in New York City on the Long Island Railroad. The trip will also feature an open-air car for those who want to photograph the sights along the way, as well as a snack bar car that will offer light refreshments for purchase.
Due to the vintage nature of the steam locomotive, the railroad reserves the right to substitute motive power without notice.
The trips are being conducted by the Buffalo, Cattaraugus & Jamestown Scenic Railway Company Inc. The BC&J was founded in 2011 and is chartered as a New York state 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. The BC&J's mission is focused on developing and operating educational steam and diesel-electric passenger train excursions in the Buffalo-Jamestown corridor as a way of promoting Western New York's industrial, transportation and agrarian heritage. The railroad right-of-way is owned by Erie County and leased to the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, which manages the property. Buffalo Southern Railroad, a locally owned Class III Common Carrier shortline railroad, operates the line.
Tickets for these rare-steam powered train trips may be purchase online and before departure date at www.bcjrailroad.com. Tickets may also be purchased at Artcraft Toy Trains located inside the Hamburg Railroad Depot, at 4 Scott St., during business hours or on the day of departure based on availability.
Passengers are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time for parking and boarding.

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