The state's best-known locomotive, 3801, will be steaming into Orange and the Central West in early June for tourist train rides.
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The train has undergone a major restoration project since its last visit to the region many years ago.
It will be in Orange on Monday June 7 for two return trips to Spring Hill.
Limited tickets for the two-35 minute trips go on sale this Wednesday May 12 with most of the seats already taken by school groups.
The rides are scheduled for 10.50am and 11.35am.
The train will also run a one-way trip to Dubbo from Orange on Tuesday June 8, travelling via Parkes and Narromine. It will be an early morning start with the time to be confirmed.
Passengers will need to either book a seat on the XPT back to Orange or find their own way back to Orange.
A Transport Heritage NSW spokesman said more shuttle trips, lasting 90 minutes, would be available from Bathurst on Saturday and Sunday June 5-6 and Dubbo on Saturday-Sunday June 12-13 lasting one hour.
He said the trips from Orange had been limited due to a need to fit in with the rest of the passenger and freight train network.
Tickets will be available for the trips from midday Wednesday 12 May at www.thnsw.com.au/3801
Locomotive 3801 was built in 1943 and passed into preservation after it was retired by the railways in 1962.
The locomotive was withdrawn from heritage service in 2007, as it required major boiler repairs.
It was returned to service in March after a drawn-out repair process that included having a boiler built in Germany that was found to be unsuitable for the engine.
It was one of 30 of the 38 Class engines built for express service on NSW rails.
The locomotive today has a top speed of 115 km/h.
The Central Western Daily reported a previous visit to Orange by 3801 in 2005 attracted plenty of sightseers.
"It carried five passenger carriages over the Blue Mountains. Some passengers got off in Blayney, connecting with a motor rail tourist service to Carcoar and Cowra before rejoining the famous steam engine on its return leg," the CWD reported.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
