Railway Express Agency bought 500 new steel plug door reefers from American Car & Foundry in 1947-48. They initially wore a green and aluminum scheme, but were repainted all green in the 1950s. American Car & Foundry photo […]
Factory fresh
Section: Railroads
Fs for freight
Minneapolis & St. Louis was known for its freights that ran south from the Twin Cities through Iowa to Peoria, Ill., to connect with several eastern railroads there. This green-and-yellow set of F units was constructed in 1947, which is reflected in its road number. Classic Trains collection […]
Protecting a GG1
A crossing watchman is out with his STOP sign to warn motorists to stay clear of a fast-moving Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 racing north at Seabrook, Md., in April 1963. William D. Middleton photo […]
Ask Trains: How do railroads determine which freight cars need repair before continuing their journeys?
A portion of the cameras and sensors aimed at freight trains to detect freight car problems at the Transportation Technology Center near Pueblo, Colo. These sensors help comprise the most modern methods of freight car inspection. Trains staff Q: How do railroads determine which freight cars need repair before continuing their journeys? — Robert Rose, […]
Ask Trains: What is this freight load?
A photo of a big boxy freight load, likely a wind turbine nacelle. Submitted by Mark Faust Q: Saw a whole CSX Transportation train of these in Sullivan, Ind. What are they? — Mark Faust, Carmel, Ind. A: The photo you submitted resembles a wind turbine gearbox nacelle, and is probably what the train was […]
Ask Trains: Is that Talgo’s tilt normal?
A Series 6 Talgo trainset is examined after 125-mph operation at the Transportation Test Center in Pueblo, Colo., in 1998. Bob Johnston Q: In the Sept. 2019 Passenger column on Page 18, I see that a Series 6 Talgo locomotive is leaning while being inspected. Was that tilt normal? — Robert Muckey, Williamson, N.Y. A: […]
Ask Trains: What were Providence & Worcester Railroad’s colors in 2000?
Providence & Worcester GE “Super 7” B23-7R No. 2215 leads Connecticut Southern train CSO-4 on Amtrak rails at Windsor, Conn., June 3, 2019. Scott A. Hartley Q: What were the Providence & Worcester Railroad’s colors in 2000? — Chris Carlson, Ottawa, Ont. A: In 2015, the year before Providence & Worcester was purchased by Genesee […]
Ask Trains: Who really operates locomotive shops in East St. Louis?
Q: I recently visited the Foster Townsend facility by the river in St. Louis and was informed that it is now part of Metro East Industries. Can you confirm? — John Foster, Gloucester, England A: Upon checking with railfans familiar with St. Louis, they confirmed that the shops you visited are leased out to Metro […]
Classic Diesel Builders
Download this free 22-page PDF for profiles on the six major 1940s-1950s diesel-locomotive producers. This free download dives into the history of Electro-Motive Engineering Co., American Locomotive Company, Baldwin Locomotive Works, Fairbanks-Morse, Lima Locomotive Works, and General Electric. Learn about the background of each company, the locomotives they produced, and how each company was impacted […]
‘Jump, kid, jump!’
Switching at night could be hazardous, especially when some dodgy moves were attempted. Robert Hale In the middle of 1960 or ’61, during a summer break from Texas Western College in El Paso, I was working the extra board on the New Mexico Division of the Santa Fe. One night I was the pin-puller on a […]
Decapod delight
Gainesville Midland 2-10-0 No. 207 churns its 56-inch drivers across the Southern Railway’s Washington–Atlanta main line at Gainesville, Ga. The short line, which rostered five such locomotives, extended 40 miles from Gainesville southeast to Athens. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
‘The Carpetbaggers’
Santa Fe 2-6-2 No. 1010 is seen at Pasadena, Calif., in 1963 as a prop in the movie “The Carpetbaggers.” It was also used on Death Valley Scotty’s famous special in 1905 and a television recreation in the 1950s. Santa Fe photo […]
