Quebec winter In February 1954, a Canadian Pacific light Pacific on a westbound local freight pants in the siding by the Cookshire, Quebec, depot, waiting for doubleheaded Mikados on a grain train to clear. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
Quebec winter
South Schenectady smoke show
South Schenectady smoke show Delaware & Hudson 4-6-6-4 No. 1510 drifts downgrade with an eastbound freight seen from a perch on New York Central’s West Shore bridge in South Schenectady, N.Y., on May 14, 1950. Photo by William D. Middleton […]
Solo ‘Blue Bird’
Solo ‘Blue Bird’ Crews change on the Norfolk & Western Blue Bird at Decatur, Ill., in 1967. The train was running separate from the Cannon Ball (note the green flags) owing to the winter storm having disrupted schedules. Behind GP9 510 is E8 3808, one of five Wabash passenger cabs N&W repainted. J. David Ingles […]
Emigrant Gap
Emigrant Gap The caboose roof glistens with moisture as Southern Pacific Extra 6311 East climbs through the Donner Pass mist at storied Emigrant Gap, 65 miles out of Roseville and nearly a mile above sea level in October 1957. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Central Railroad of New Jersey, freight trains
All through June 2021, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history, grit, and glory of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Please enjoy this Jersey Central freight train photo gallery selected from the archive files of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. Only from Classic Trains! […]
Diesel disruptor
Diesel disruptor Four U25B demonstrators climb upgrade on the Northern Pacific near Blossburg, Mont., in 1961. The U25B brought GE into the heavy diesel market, and within a few years the company had eclipsed Alco for the No. 2 spot among locomotive builders. General Electric photo […]
Top five Southern Railway passenger trains
The Southern Railway was famous for good-quality passenger service. Here are Classic Trains editors’ picks for the five best Southern trains. Crescent Introduced on April 26, 1925, the Crescent Limited ran between New Orleans, Mobile, Atlanta, Washington, and New York. The train was operated by the Louisville & Nashville, West Point Route, Southern, and Pennsylvania […]
Fun-size railroading
Fun-size railroading Buffalo Creek & Gauley motorcar B shows off rear door, two backup lights, and a coupler. The West Virginia short line connected with the Baltimore & Ohio Dundon. James R. Greene photo […]
Summer 2021
Welcome The most exciting sound Head End A potpourri railroad history, then and now Fast Mail Letters from readers on our Spring 2021 issue True Color One fine day on Sand Patch Mileposts Commentary by Kevin P. Keefe The Way It Was Tales from railfans and railroaders Car Stop Winnipeg trolleys Bumping Post PRR’s Pittsburgh […]
The final Frontier
The final Frontier Central’s Frontier Yard, formally opened on March 14, 1956, replaced eight smaller yards in the Buffalo area, slashing classification time per car from 27 hours to 9. New York Central photo […]
Lonely Rock Island
Lonely Rock Island An inbound Rock Island commuter train arrives at the mostly vacant LaSalle Street Station on Dec. 27, 1972. The Chicago skyline shown here is drastically different from what visitors today would see. Denny Hamilton photo […]
Pennsy power
Pennsy power A Pennsylvania Railroad M1 4-8-2 and a pair of PA passenger diesels, both assigned to helper service, are seen at Ralston, Pa., on a damp May 4, 1957. Note the crewman climbing the steam locomotive. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
