Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad shows off new locomotives dedicated to America’s 250th anniversary
BUTLER TWP — In honor of the approaching 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad presented commemorative locomotives dedicated to the occasion.
Genesee & Wyoming CEO Michael Miller and U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, joined dozens of employees at the railroad’s Butler Yard Wednesday afternoon, June 17, to discuss the importance of locomotion and the upcoming anniversary.
Two commemorative locomotives, adorned in red, white and blue paint and featuring localized decals, such as the Liberty Bell for Pennsylvania, sat outside of the yard and inside the warehouse where Miller and Kelly gave remarks.
Jarrod Hutcheson, general manager of the Butler Yard, said there are about 20 commemorative locomotives for the semiquincentennial with different decals ranging from generic, such as a bald eagle, to other localized imagery across the country.
“Everything that’s from a state that it’s known for, like in New York, we have the Statue of Liberty on it. It’s paying homage to our patriotism,” he said.
He said the birth and development of America is deeply intertwined with the birth and development of the railroads.
“It’s a way for us to pay tribute to the legacy of what we have, also the legacy of America. It’s one of those things that we just saw a lot of value in doing,” he said.
Hutcheson added the company has done a number of commemorative locomotives to recognize veterans and former railroad companies over the years.
“We have a paint scheme, but we still do some of these special ones. We also did some for the history behind some of the mergers and acquisitions, we kind of pay homage to that as well,” he said.
Miller said the dedicated locomotives go hand in hand with celebrating the country as the rail system serves as a backbone of commerce.
“This railroad and all the railroads in North America pretty much built the economy that we get to celebrate here in this country. When you think about what we do as an industry, we connect communities, we connect companies, we connect countries and we keep commodities moving,” he said.
Kelly said locomotion has been an undeniably huge part of the success of the United States over the past 250 years.
“Anybody who doesn’t understand how essential it is needs to open up some books and think, ‘how did we get to where we are?’ This has been the foundation of all motorized transportation in this country,” he said.
He added that while marking the historic milestone it falls on the shoulders of everyday Americans to keep the dream of the country alive.
“I think we’ve lost connection with the importance of what you do every single day, keeping these things running, keeping them online and making sure that things get to where they need to get in the right time,” he said.
Kelly also said he would advocate in Congress to extend the short line tax credit for short line railroads.
“Without the railroads, we can’t exist, and the short lines especially,” he said.
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Employees at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard stand for a photo with a train painted to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks with workers at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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An America250-themed train sits at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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An America250-themed train sits at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, speaks at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Butler Yard, Wednesday, June 17. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
