Steamtown National Historic Site


You'd feel heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; you'd hear the whistle, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turned steel wheels. Remember the sound of "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack? Today, you can learn the history of steam railroad transportation, and the people who built, repaired and rode, as we work to preserve a special era in America's industrial history!

Our GPS coordinates are: N 41.410730 (latitude), W 75.671329 (longitude) using our Park entrance, Lackawanna Ave at Cliff St, 18503 General Driving Directions: Take I-81 to exit 185. Continue onto President Biden Expressway (formerly known as Central Scranton Expressway) and follow signs to Mifflin Ave. Turn left onto Mifflin Ave. Turn right onto Lackawanna Ave. Turn left onto Cliff St (Park entrance).

  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Hands-On
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store
  • Gift Shop and Souvenirs

  • Arts
  • Photography
  • Industry
  • Transportation
  • Trains and Railroads

6039 on the turntable

large black train with number 6039 painted in white lettering, sitting on turntable track

No. 6039 sits on the turntable within Steamtown's Roundhouse complex

Pennsylvania Box Car and Lackawanna Caboose

Black and yellow diesel engine 514 pulling a faded red box car and a dark red caboose

Nickel Plate Road No. 514 can often be seen moving cars around in the rail yard at Steamtown National Historic Site. Here, it can be seen pulling a Box Car and Caboose.

Steam Locomotives

Historic Baldwin Locomotive Works engine number 26 out for a test run on the tracks.

Did you know that Steamtown's locomotives are operated by volunteers? Every year, volunteers must complete hands-on training required by the Federal Rail Authority (FRA), Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC), & National Park Service (NPS)

Big Boy returns to Display

large black train stationed on a track to the left of a paved road

Union Pacific "Big Boy" No. 4012 has returned to permanent exhibition

Sparks fly

A mechanic grinds metal in the Locomotive Shop causing sparks to fly towards ground.

Locomotive maintenance and repairs never end. Many employees and volunteers work year-round in the Locomotive Shop to repair the engines within Steamtown's collection.

Aerial view of Steamtown NHS

An aerial view of Steamtown which falls within the boundaries of a mid-size city.

This aerial overview of Steamtown NHS, which was created within the former railyards of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western "Scranton Yards"

Diesel No. 514 pulling the "Big Boy"

black train with yellow horizontal stripes and the number 514 pulling a larger black train on tracks

"Big Boy" No. 4012 is pulled along the tracks