Chris Chesek and his family are big fans of steam locomotives.
"It's impressive, it's powerful, it's loud," Chesek said of the engines, which the West Scranton residents visit Steamtown National Historic Site to see in person. "The sound of the whistle, the hiss of the steam, the sound of the dynamo."
But one member of the family clearly loves the vintage trains more than the rest.
"You know it makes my son very happy," Chesek said.
He and wife Danielle have been taking son CJ to visit the downtown Scranton railroad museum for a decade.
The Cheseks were heartbroken to learn that five park employees were abruptly fired as part of National Park Service (NPS) cuts imposed by the Trump administration, and worry about what that could mean for Steamtown's future.
Chris Chesek has organized a rally to show support for the park's employees and its mission, set for noon Saturday, Feb. 22, at Courthouse Square in Scranton.
"We don't want anybody to lose their jobs. We want the economy of Scranton to grow," Chesek said. "And I think the way to grow it is actually to invest in Scranton, not to fire people that are needed or undermine Steamtown."
Efforts to reach spokespeople for the National Park Service and for the union that represents Steamtown employees were not successful.
'Cutting for the sake of cutting'
The museum was established in 1986 "to preserve, interpret and protect the history of steam railroading in America," as its website states. Developed around a private collection that was moved from Vermont, the facility formally opened as a National Historic Site on July 1, 1995.
Its collection of vintage locomotives, passenger cars and other artifacts is the obvious draw, but the location also is key. Steamtown is on the site of a former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DL&W) Railroad yard, which was vital to the growth of Scranton and Northeast Pennsylvania.
Bob Durkin, president and CEO of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce, was founding executive director of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority and worked closely with city officials and community members who pushed to develop Steamtown a generation ago.
"What's happening with the federal budget, and this idea of them cutting these positions, is quite unfortunate," Durkin said.
Durkin has met with new Steamtown Superintendent Jeremy M. Komasz, who began in the role on Jan. 19. Conversations with Komasz left Durkin more optimistic about opportunities for the facility than he had been in the past, but developments in Washington cast a shadow over that optimism.
"I think it's a shame," Durkin said. "There doesn't seem to be a real plan. They're just cutting for the sake of cutting."
Steamtown is not alone.
Trump Administration cuts included 1,000 National Park Service employees, or about about 5% of all NPS employees, Reuters reported. The moves targeted employees who were in their probationary period.
The Park Service falls under the federal Department of the Interior. The park service doesn't just manage what's known as the "big parks" like Yellowstone or Yosemite. NPS also maintains historic sites and historic parks, like the childhood homes of many past presidents or historic landmarks. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River also fall under the park service.
Employees at other facilities have spoken not just about how the terminations affect themselves and their families, but the parks and the people who love them.
Staffers at some agencies said the process has been chaotic, NPR reported, while some employees have received termination notices only to have their firings reversed within days or even hours.
'Call your congressman'
Steamtown and its supporters say the site generates tourism revenue for the region as it celebrates railroad history.
A 2017 National Park Service report showed that 99,600 visitors to Steamtown National Historic Site in 2016 spent $5,403,500 in communities near the park. That spending supported 86 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $7,432,400, the report added.
NPS records also show that the park drew 105,403 visitors in 2019, though — like so many institutions — numbers dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the last year for which full statistics are available 58,403 people visited Steamtown.
As Chesek's page for the rally points out, "Steamtown’s signature events, such as the annual Railfest and the popular Nay Aug Limited train rides, bring thousands of people to the city."
"Additionally, Steamtown expanded its offerings to include excursions to nearby towns like Carbondale, Moscow, and Gouldsboro, further enhancing regional tourism," the page adds. "Just last December, the North Pole Limited train ride, organized in partnership with the Iron Horse Society, brought over 4,250 people to Steamtown."
The Iron Horse Society is the official nonprofit friends group of Steamhown National Historic Site.
"As the park’s official friends group, the Iron Horse Society remains committed to supporting both Steamtown’s mission and the dedicated employees who work tirelessly to preserve our railroad heritage," the society posted on its Facebook page this week in response to the firings.
"The future remains uncertain for the remaining staff," the post stated. "What is clear is that those who remain will take on additional responsibilities."
Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan is "extremely concerned" that further cuts would harm the park, its staff, and the community.
"This is an absolute jewel of the city of Scranton and of Lackawanna County. There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people that visit Steamtown National Historic Site every single year," Gaughan said during Wednesday's commissioners meeting.
Lackawanna County has another reason to be concerned: Its Electric City Trolley Museum is located within the Steamtown complex. The museum's trolley rides between downtown Scranton PNC Field in Moosic begin and end at the excursion platform in the Steamtown yards.
"I know some of the people who work there. I know how hard they work," Gaughan said of Steamtown's staff. "I know how well they communicate with our trolley museum."
Gaughan encouraged people to share concerns about staff cuts and federal funding freezes with their federal lawmakers
"So I would just urge people to call your congressman, call your senator, and tell them to stop, tell the Trump administration to stop firing people who work at one of the best places that we have in Lackawanna County," Gaughan said.
'We know everybody down there'
Chesek agrees.
CJ developed an interest in trains when he was very small, and the family became regular visitors to Steamtown — sometimes even weekly.
"Where it came from. I don't know. It wasn't Thomas the Tank Engine. It wasn't us, it wasn't our families. So living very close to Steamtown, we started bringing him down there," Chesek said.
"You know, obviously we know everybody down there. We talk to them, you know, quite frequently. And you know, they all know our son," Chesek said.
"It's such a happy place for our son, you know, we started to kind of worry," he said of the cuts.
Chesek said he has received feedback from many people ahead of Saturday's rally, and is "hoping for quite a crowd."
"What we're concerned about is, are they going to be able to function without those people? Will they still have the train rides? Will they be able to do the community events they do?" Chesek asked.
"What type of effect is it going to have on our community?"
