Northern Central Railway: 10 Years of Steaming Into History

In June of 2013 the operation then known as 'Steam Into History' held their grand opening. A small oil fired 4-4-0, completed in May of that same year, and two wooden coaches on loan from the Orange Blossom Cannonball ran the railroads first excursions. The young locomotive and her short, temporary train, would run the first Hanover Jct bound trips a few weeks later. The locomotive, York 17, is the second locomotive constructed by the Kloke Locomotive works of Elgin Illinois, completed in May 2013. The 17 is based off of blueprints of the Union Pacific's 119, albeit with a number of cosmetic changes to better represent the classic East coast locomotives of the era.

In November of 2013, the 17 was joined by the first Kloke Locomotive, the 'Leviathan' 63, for a week of excursions along the NCR to Hanover Jct.

In 2021 the now rebranded 'Northern Central Railway' completed track restoration to, and beyond, Howard Tunnel, one of the oldest active railway tunnels in the USA.

In 2022 the railway announced the on-going restoration of 1877 built 0-4-0 steam locomotive 'Prince De Liege' for use on the Railway's shorter excursions.

Now, June 17th and 18th, 2023, 10 years later, the Northern Central Railway celebrates their 10th Anniversary with a weekend of excursions and festivities based out of New Freedom, PA. Visiting locomotive, 'Mack' No. 85, an 0-4-0 from 1928, restored, and owned by the Gramling Locomotive Works, hauled a number of the weekend's excursions to Glen Rock, including a double header with the 'York' 17.