Geeps on Tennessee Pass

Geeps on Tennessee Pass

A GP35 and three GP30s lead a 47-car freight up the west side of Denver & Rio Grande Western’s Tennessee Pass at Mitchell, Colorado, in September 1969. Indicative of the severity of the grade, four F units and two older Geeps are cut in as mid-train helpers. […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: Switching at the chemical plant

Multiple model locomotives and a chemical plant on a model railroad layout

As railfans snap photos of two recently delivered Midwest Valley SD60Fs, Missouri, Kansas & Quincy Alco C-420 No. 6421 switches a chemical plant on the track above. The scene is on Gary Hoover’s old MK&Q layout. Gary also took the photo. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades of […]

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Foggy day at Sherbrooke

Foggy day at Sherbrooke

In October 1953, a blanket of fog lies over Sherbrooke, Quebec, as Quebec Central G2 4-6-2 2556 awaits departure time of train 1 for Quebec City as a G3 Pacific brings train 39 into the station. Photo by Philip R. Hastings […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: On the ready track

A model figure stands on a steam locomotive tender on a model railroad layout

​​The Lower Paxton & Northern engine terminal is a bustling place this morning. With two locomotives on the ready tracks, the hostler is set to fill the tender of the third engine with water. Bob Santos of Harrisburg, Pa., photographed the action on his indoor 1:24-proportion large scale layout.  Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day […]

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Early unit grain train

Early unit grain train

In 1968, the Great Northern loaded 50 of its new Big Sky blue covered hoppers in Wolf Point, Montana, in an experimental unit train move to an export elevator in Portland, Oregon. In this posed photo, a crewman signals from the train’s modern wide-vision caboose. Photo by Great Northern […]

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East Broad Top: America’s Oldest Narrow Gauge Railroad

A steam locomotive sits inside a roundhouse

Time capsule When construction of Pennsylvania’s iron ore and coal-hauling East Broad Top began in 1872, more than 150 years ago, its builders decided it would be a narrow gauge line, with rails set 3-feet apart instead of the North American standard gauge of 4-feet, 8.5-inches. Narrow gauge offered significant advantages, as the smaller locomotives […]

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Doubleheaded C&O Mallets

Doubleheaded C&O Mallets

Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 Mallets 1309 and 1302 are departing Scarlet, West Virginia, in June 1950 with a loaded coal train. The 10 members of C&O’s H-6 class were the last steam locomotives built for domestic use by Baldwin Locomotive Works (1949). Engine 1309 is being restored for service on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: The Sail & Rail

A model train passes a bar with letting on the side of the bar which reads "The Sail & Rail" on a model railroad layout

The Sail & Rail is a popular spot with sailors, railroaders, and dock workers on the south side of Milwaukee, Wis. Like many of the buildings on the late John Franzen’s 28 x 28-foot no. 1 gauge (1:29 and 1:24 proportion) layout, the corner tavern represents an actual Milwaukee business. William Zuback took the photo. […]

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