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Remembering Clinchfield Railroad freight trains

All this month — March 2020 — Classic Trains editors are celebrating the heritage, history, and images of the Clinchfield Railroad. Please enjoy this photo gallery of images from the David P. Morgan Library archives at Kalmbach Media that include Clinchfield diesel- and steam-powered freight trains through time. You might also enjoy this Clinch history […]
Twisting model trees from wire

When he needed a few deciduous trees for his HO scale layout, Robert Pethoud turned to a tried-and-true method – hand-twisting armatures from florist’s wire. Coating the trunks in a mix of plaster and glue realistically simulates bark. All photos by Robert Pethoud. Fig. 1 Big and small. Robert used 30AWG florist’s wire for the […]
New model trains for the week of March 12, 2020

Broadway Limited Imports HO scale Pennsylvania RR GG1 electric locomotive HO scale locomotives Pennsylvania RR GG1 electric locomotive. Pennsylvania RR (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel with brown roof, five gold leaf stripes, and Futura or Roman lettering in three numbers each; Dark Green Locomotive Enamel with broad buff stripe and Roman lettering in two numbers; and […]
Remembering Clinchfield Railroad passenger trains

In March 2020, Classic Trains is celebrating the history, heritage, and splendor of the Clinchfield Railroad. Enjoy this photo gallery, selected from the David P. Morgan Library collections, as the perfect salute to the Clinchfield. Return each week for another salute to the railroad of the month! See what we did last week for the […]
Locomotive profile: 2-10-0 Decapod type steam locomotive

St. Louis — San Francisco Railway 2-10-0 Decapod type steam locomotive No. 1630 hauls an excursion train at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. Jim Wrinn 2-10-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1924-1933 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Canadian •OPERATED ON: Alabama, Tennessee & Northern, Durham & Southern, Georgia, Florida & Alabama, Seaboard Air Line, Great Western, Gainesville Midland, Woodward […]
Locomotive profile: 2-6-2 Prairie type steam locomotive

McCloud River Railroad 2-6-2 Prairie type steam locomotive in California in 2008. Jim Wrinn 2-6-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1900-1909 •MANUFACTURERS: Rogers, Alco, Baldwin, Burlington Route shop forces •OPERATED ON: Burlington Route, Santa Fe, Milwaukee Road, and Northern Pacific •NAME: Prairie •QUANTITY: 1,250 for common carriers; more for loggers and mining roads; Burlington Route had the most […]
Locomotive profile: DL-series diesel electric locomotive

A Rock Island DL-series type diesel electric locomotive pulls the Rocket from Des Moines, Iowa, in 1946. Tom Harley DL-series •YEARS BUILT: 1940-1945 •MANUFACTURER: Alco •OPERATED ON: Santa Fe; Milwaukee Road; Chicago & North Western; Rock Island; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; New Haven; Southern; among other railroads •NAMES: DL103B, 105, 107, 109 •QUANTITY: 78 (includes […]
Locomotive profile: EMC FT diesel-electric locomotive

EMC FT diesel-electric locomotive No. 103 is on display at the Museum of Transport in St. Louis, Missouri. Jim Wrinn FT •YEARS BUILT: 1939-1945 •MANUFACTURER: Electro-Motive Corp. •OPERATED ON: Santa Fe, Atlantic Coast Line, Baltimore & Ohio, Boston & Maine, Chicago & North Western, Burlington Route, Rock Island, Rio Grande, Erie, Great Northern, Lehigh Valley, […]
Locomotive profile: EMD E8 type diesel electric locomotive

Southern Railway EMD E8 type diesel electric locomotive No. 6900 once pulled the Southern Crescent passenger train. Jim Wrinn E8 •YEARS BUILT: 1949-1953 •MANUFACTURER: EMD •OPERATED ON: Most major Class I railroads, notably Chesapeake & Ohio; Canadian Pacific; Chicago & North Western; Burlington Route; Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; Erie; Illinois Central; Missouri Pacific; New York […]
Locomotive profile: EMD GP30 diesel electric type locomotive

Southern Railway EMD GP30 type diesel electric locomotive No. 2601 pulls a passenger train at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. Jim Wrinn GP30 •YEARS BUILT: 1961-1963 •MANUFACTURERS: EMD, GMD •OPERATED ON: Most Class I railroads, notably, Chesapeake & Ohio, Burlington Route, Chicago & North Western, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Great Northern, Louisville & Nashville, […]
Locomotive profile: PA-1 type diesel electric locomotive

Nickel Plate Road PA-1 type diesel electric locomotive No. 190 called the Oregon Rail Heritage Center home. Jim Wrinn PA-1 •YEARS BUILT: 1946-1950 •MANUFACTURER: Alco •OPERATED ON: Santa Fe; Denver & Rio Grande Western; Erie; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; Lehigh Valley; Missouri-Kansas-Texas; Missouri Pacific; New Haven; Nickel Plate; New York Central; Pennsylvania; Cotton Belt; Southern […]