The days grow short when you reach December... Just about 30 minutes before official sunset, Valley Railroad Consolidation #97 takes the railroad's 3rd North Pole Express (TM) trip of the d... (more)

Charging into the tunnel. Peak fall colors are still a couple of weeks away as a short excursion train from Connecticut's Valley Railroad charges north into the very dense "tree tunnel... (more)

Classics meet at Dock Road. There's just a little fall color beginning to show along the Connecticut River Valley as a pair of classics from the early years of the last century meet at Dock... (more)

Valley Railroad 97 runs around her train in Deep River, CT.

Valley Railroad 97 simmering in the station in Essex.

Valley Railroad 97 works her train over Dock Road

Crossing Deep River Creek. Just three days before Christmas, and with just two days of operations left, the Valley Railroad's Locomotive #97 kicks off a busy Saturday of North Pole Express ... (more)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year! The Essex Steam Train runs three separate steam powered trainsets during the holiday season, making it the steam show of New England. With three trains naviga... (more)

Valley Railroad 97 waits in the hole at Deep River with NPE1 for the arrival of NPE2 pulled by sister #40. Once the scheduled meet occurs, 97 and train will proceed North. This season is exception... (more)

#97 reflects the fading light as she charges into the Dock Road Crossing. The locomotive has been rebuilt over the last few seasons and is looking better than it has in many years

Venerable Valley Railroad #97 has the honors on the first North Pole Express as it rumbles through Old Deep River Road

Stepping out over Deep River Creek. Valley Railroad Consolidation #97 rumbles across the steel bridge over Deep River Creek as she hauls the 2PM North Pole Express toward North Chester, CT.... (more)

On a bitter cold afternoon, crew is tending to Vale #97 before the next Holiday train ride.

The Old Soldier. Valley Railroad Consolidation #97 emerges from the Essex Locomotive Servicing Facility on a late fall afternoon in 2018, as her crew prepares her to make 3 North Pole Expre... (more)

Going through old photos I found this shot of Old 97 taken in 2010 around the time she went out of service for her 1472 days of service expiration. The Speedlite mounted to the camera provided jus... (more)