Steam Returns — Ohio Railway Museum

The Ohio Railway Museum is a volunteer-run heritage railway in Worthington, a northern suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Its steam event is sold as a product of its own, with its own page, its own ticket item and its own dates. The museum describes it as the first time in half a century that steam runs on its rails, and ties it to the 200th anniversary of American railroading. Because steam is back for such a limited time, the museum says it anticipates the event will sell out.

The locomotive advertised is Jeddo Coal Co. No. 85, nicknamed "Mack": a standard-gauge, coal-burning 0-4-0T saddle tank steam engine built in 1928 by the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The museum says it started work hauling loads for a Scranton construction company in a stone quarry, moved in 1933 to the Jeddo-Highland Coal Company near Hazleton, where it powered anthracite mining operations until 1964, and was later saved by a private collector. It stood in Horseheads, New York, until Gramling Locomotive Works brought it back into the spotlight.

The locomotive is announced, not promised. The museum's ticket terms say its locomotives are vintage, historic machines and that mechanical needs, safety inspections, parts availability and weather may require it to substitute equipment or motive power at any time, without any refund for the substitution.

Rides are timed departures from the museum's boarding platform, spread through the day.

Guests pick a date and a departure time when they buy a ticket, and the museum asks them to arrive at the boarding platform 15 minutes early for the best seats. The ticket is for a ride behind the steam locomotive. The museum advises sensible clothing and sturdy, closed-toe footwear, because grounds and platforms may be uneven and boarding, riding and leaving vintage equipment can mean stepping up, down or across gaps.

Boards at the Ohio Railway Museum, 990 Proprietors Rd, Worthington, Ohio. The museum gives its directions as: leave Interstate 71 at Route 161 (Worthington), go west one mile, and head north on Proprietors Road, the first traffic light west of the three railroad underpasses. Free on-site parking, restrooms and a snack caboose are listed on the museum's visiting page. The museum does not offer a dedicated accessible car for this event; historic equipment is exempt from modern accessibility rules and the museum asks guests to write to events@ohiorailwaymuseum.org in advance so it can review options. All ticket sales are final, with exchanges for another date or time handled on a best-effort basis if requested at least 72 hours before departure, and tickets can be transferred to another guest free of charge. A booking fee is added at checkout, and children under 2 are listed at no charge.