The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat: Day Out with Thomas 2024

Sunday April 28th, 2024 was the annual weekend of the world renowned "Day Out with Thomas" event, that multiple railroads around the globe hold mostly around the spring and summer months, to bring children of all ages who love anything trains, especially everyones favorite blue puff ball, Thomas. Since Thomas himself isn't under steam, and is more of a rolling dumpster on six wheels, the EST&RB uses one of their three steam engines to power the 30 minute round trips. On this day, the Valley Railroad had brought New Haven 3025, a 2-8-2 mikado type, to power the weekends trains. 3025 was never actually owned by the New Haven though, disguised as a J-1 mikado, the J-1 class numbered from 3000 to 3024 on the New Haven roster. 3025 however, is a "fictional" J-1 class. The 3025 was originally built by the Tangshan locomotive works of the Hebei Province of China. She was originally numbered as SY1658M, classifying her as and SY type mikado, 1658 being her roster number, and M standing for "Mikado." Lets follow Thomas and 3025 as they makes their way up the Connecticut Valley line, putting smiles on the hundreds of children. Enjoy!