DE-7723688 Steamtown National Historic Site, Scranton, PA, USA

This postcard from Chrissy (Postcrossing, February 2019) of Frankfurt, Germany shows a night scene of 4 historic locomotives at Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS).

Steamtown NHS is located within a working railroad yard and incorporates the surviving elements of the 1902 DL&W Scranton roundhouse and locomotive repair shops. The visitor centre, theatre, technology and history museums are built in the style of and on the site of the missing portions of the original roundhouse, giving an impression of what the original circular structure was like.

The museum has exhibits about the history and technology of steam railroads in the United States and Pennsylvania, particularly the DL&W; life on the railroad; and the business, labour, and governmental relationships between railroads. 

Many locomotives and freight and passenger cars are on display. Some have open cabs and compartments that visitors can climb in and walk through, including a mail car, railroad executives' passenger car (with dining room and sleeping / lounge areas), a boxcar, two cabooses, and a recreated DL&W station with ticket window. A steam locomotive with cutaway sections helps visitors understand steam power. Part of one of the 1865 roundhouse inspection pits uncovered in archaeological excavations is also preserved in situ, under glass.

US-3008657 Canadian Pacific 2317

This locomotive #2317 was built in 1923 for the Canadian Pacific Railway for use as a fast express passenger train.

Its wheel configuration is 4-6-2 and it runs on 4 ft 8 ½in (1,435 mm) gauge. Upon its retirement from active service in 1959, this Class G-3 locomotive was placed into storage and in 1965 was bought by a steam locomotive enthusiast, F. Nelson Blount, for his Steamtown, U.S.A. collection.

In 1978, #2317 was restored to operating condition and joined Steamtown's operating fleet. It ran on the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western mainline between Scranton and Elmhurst, Pennsylvania. In 1987 when the National Park Service took over the running of Steamtown, #2317 was repainted into the livery it wore in active service with Canadian Pacific.

Until 2004, #2317 would often pull Steamtown's excursions in tandem with #3254. When problems with its trailing truck, dry pipe and tires were found it was used only (till 2007) for pulling yard shuttle trains. After the end of the 2009 operating season, #2317 was used only sparingly as its flue-time was running short. #2317 last ran during Steamtown's 2010 Lackawanna Railfest. After which, #2317 was placed into storage in the Steamtown Roundhouse and currently awaits FRA-mandated repairs before it can operate again.

This postcard was sent by Dane (13 October 2014) Postcrossing and shows Canadian Pacific 2317 running between Scranton and Elmhurst, Pennsylvania probably in the period before 2004.