Tri-State was a proud participant at RailFest 2017. The event, sponsored by the Steamtown National Historic Site, was held in Scranton, PA on September 2 and 3, 2017. Tri-State sent Morristown & Erie No. 19 to RailFest as the event's only visiting locomotive.
After the 5-day-long trek to Scranton, 19 arrived at Steamtown no a moment too soon, at 11pm on Friday night. Early Saturday morning, before the event began, 19 could be found still in-consist on Delaware Lackawanna's train from the night before. The morning DL expeditiously handed the engine off to Steamtown.
As the event began, and throngs of attendees entered the park, visitors were treated to the surprise of seeing No. 19 moving into the roundhouse under its own power. 19 spent all of Saturday and Sunday on display between Steamtown's Illinois Central steamer and O&W Railway Historical Society's 44-Tonner No. 105.
Lackawanna 663 poses alongside Mattes Street Tower in Scranton. Photo courtesy of Dennis Livesey
19 wasn't Tri-State's only contribution to the event. DL&W No. 663 made a triumphant return to RailFest - as an operating locomotive - after a three year absence. The locomotive hauled caboose hops, positioned static displays, and served as a star subject of the night photo shoot.
Tri-State's Steve Falco, Kevin Phalon, Richard King, and Diana Hassa greeted throngs of visitors at the group's table. Many people expressed their pleasure with Tri-State's efforts and M&E 19's visit to the park.
At the end of the event, 663 was used by the cleanup crew to deliver 19 back to the Delaware Lackawanna. Again, as visitors looked on, Tri-State's two locomotives met for the first time, as 663 pulled 19 off of the turntable. Before leaving for the day, Steamtown's crew took the time to pose Tri-State's locomotives together for a photo finish that Tri-State members will not soon forget.
