In this episode of the StackTalk podcast, Billy and Dan run through a first-quarter railfan update and look ahead to what might be one of the biggest steam seasons in years. They cover the Union Pacific Big Boy tour and what it means to see it running across the country, along with a wave of other steam activity this summer, including 611, 765, and more. The conversation drifts into the realities of chasing these excursions, the inevitable railfan FOMO, and whether this moment represents a kind of peak for mainline steam. Beyond steam, they get into current Amtrak developments, including changes to long-distance equipment strategy, capacity constraints, and infrastructure projects like the Portal Bridge. There’s also some discussion of how preservation is evolving, including the shift from coal to oil and what that means for the future of operating steam. It’s part news roundup, part speculation, and part appreciation for a moment that feels unusually active for railfans.

Listen to the episode here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/stacktalk/episodes/Season-3–Episode-4-Railfan-Update-e3i50gu

Or check it out with visuals here on Youtube: https://youtu.be/5hCQIEz1eoA