BN’s big muscle

20200214

Four Burlington Northern SD45s, led by No. 6536, power a westbound freight through the shadows of grain elevators at Des Lacs, N.Dak., in November 1973. The railroad rostered 222 such locomotives inherited from Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and St. Louis-San Francisco. John M. Robinson Jr. photo […]

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Gravity assisted railroading

20200220

A Chesapeake & Ohio Mallet starts downgrade for Barrett, W.Va., with loads from Eastern Gas & Fuel’s Wharton No. 2 mine in June 1955. Trains’ Editor David P. Morgan tracked two cars from mine to Tidewater in the April 1956 issue. W.A. Akin Jr. photo […]

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Highballing Hudson

20200224

New York Central J-1 Hudson No. 5403 accelerates west at Mattoon, Ill., with an express train for St. Louis in September 1954. When built in in 1927, the Central was given to throwing up marble monuments of stations, running seven-section Centurys, and paying 8-percent dividends. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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Bethlehem bound

20200221

Ore train ZBB exits Black Rock Tunnel and crosses the Schuylkill River in Phoenixville, Pa., on March 9, 1984, with SD60 No. 6702 leading. Conrail hauled ore 110 miles from Philadelphia’s Greenwich Point Pier to Bethlehem Steel’s namesake city. Robert Palmer photo […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler type steam locomotive

Nevada Northern Railway Ten Wheeler type No. 40 steams upgrade from Ely, Nevada, in 2016.

Nevada Northern Railway Ten Wheeler type No. 40 steams upgrade from Ely, Nevada, in 2016. 4-6-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1850-1923 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Rogers, Illinois Central, Brooks, Alco, Pennsylvania Railroad, Canadian Locomotive Co., others •OPERATED ON: Most major and some smaller railroads in high speed passenger service and/or slow-speed freight service •NAME: Ten Wheeler •QUANTITY: 16,000 •BOILER […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-6-2 Mallet steam locomotive

A 2-6-6-2 Mallet style steam locomotive ascends a grade in the Eastern United States.

A 2-6-6-2 Mallet style steam locomotive ascends a grade in the Eastern United States. Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society 2-6-6-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1906 to 1949 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Brooks •OPERATED ON: Railroads that hauled coal trains, and other heavy trains needing maximum tractive effort. Also used by some logging railroads in a tank engine version. […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive

Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive pulls an excursion train in 1988.

Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive pulls an excursion train in 1988. Jim Wrinn 2-6-6-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1934 to 1950 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Pittsburgh & West Virginia, Seaboard Air Line, Baltimore & Ohio, and Norfolk & Western •NAME: Norfolk & Western referred to the model as […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-8-2 Mikado type locomotive

Soo Line 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive appears in Wisconsin.

Soo Line 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive appears in Wisconsin. Jim Wrinn 2-8-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1901-1949 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Lima, Canadian, Montreal, a few homemade •OPERATED ON: Every North American railroad •NAME: Mikado •QUANTITY: 10,000; New York Central had almost 1,400 •BOILER PRESSURE: 190-200 psi •KNOWN FOR: Well-designed, smooth-running engine used mostly in freight service […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-4-0 American type steam locomotive

4-4-0 THE TEXAS WAS RESTORED IN 2017 FOR THE ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER.

4-4-0 THE TEXAS WAS RESTORED IN 2017 FOR THE ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER. Jim Wrinn 4-4-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1836 to 1928 •MANUFACTURERS: Rogers, Baldwin, Danforth, Mason, Hinkley •OPERATED ON: Nearly all North American railroads during the mid-1800s •NAMES: American, Eight Wheeler •QUANTITY: 25,000 •BOILER PRESSURE: 175 psi •KNOWN FOR: Served North American railroads during the 19th century. […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotive

Blue Mountain & Reading Pacific-type 4-6-2 No. 425 in Pennsylvania.

Blue Mountain & Reading Pacific-type 4-6-2 No. 425 in Pennsylvania. Jim Wrinn 4-6-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1902 to 1948 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Lima, Santa Fe, Baltimore & Ohio, Canadian Locomotive Co., Chicago Great Western, Milwaukee Road, Delaware & Hudson, Great Northern, Illinois Central, Lehigh Valley, Louisville & Nashville, New York Central, Norfolk & Western, Pennsylvania, Reading, […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-6-4 Challenger type steam locomotive

Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 Challenger type steam locomotive No. 3985 pulls an excursion in Iowa in 2002.

Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 Challenger type steam locomotive No. 3985 pulls an excursion in Iowa in 2002. Jim Wrinn 4-6-6-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1936 to 1947 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin •OPERATED ON: Union Pacific; Northern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; Clinchfield; Delaware & Hudson; Western Pacific; Western Maryland; Denver & Rio Grande Western •NAME: Challenger •QUANTITY: 252; Union […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive

Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 pulls an excursion in Virginia.

Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 pulls an excursion in Virginia. Jim Wrinn 4-8-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1926 to 1950 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Lima, Alco, Canadian Locomotive Co., Canadian Pacific Railway, Montreal, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Most sizable railroads that provided fast freight and passenger service •NAME: Northern •QUANTITY: 1,115; Canadian National had more than 200 […]

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