Preservation in the United States

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Blutorse4792

Now T:ANE I can get into
When did rail preservation really take off in the United States? I know that the building preservation movement was really kickstarted when they tore down Penn Station in the 60s, so I'm guessing loco preservation followed relatively soon after.

It's really a shame that so many classic steam engines and first generation diesel locos were entirely wiped out.
Countless Alcos, Baldwins, FMs and Limas only exist in photos or memories.
 
Well in the 1950's many railroads already did excursions. My grandpa tells me all the time of a PRR excursion that started in Du Bois PA and ended in Buffalo NY. The Reading Company's Iron Horse Rambles started in the 1950's also. By 1957 Pennsy's Northumberland roundhouse was full of preserved loco's most of which ended up at the RR museum of PA.
 
Well if you are thinking about when they started returning old steamers to operation, Id say late 1960's onwards. But if you are thinking stored away for the future then Id say the late 1950's to early 1960's
 
You could trace preservation here in the US to the opening of the Seashore Trolley Museum in 1939, which was one of the first railway related museums here. (I believe.) It didn't really take off until the 1950's.
 
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