Northern Pacific Railway freight trains

  The Northern Pacific Railway is Classic Trains‘ Railroad of the Month for May 2021. Please enjoy this freight train photo gallery sourced from the archives of the David P. Morgan Library at Kalmbach Media. Only from Classic Trains! […]

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Route of the Rockets

Shiny new diesel locomotive

Route of the Rockets The 1,600-hp Alco RS3 was an all-time best-selling road switcher with more than 1,200 built from 1949 to 1956. Rock Island No. 492, built in 1951, operated in Chicago area commuter service. Rock Island photo […]

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Hudsons meet

Steam-powered passenger trains meet in station on curve while a passenger watches

Hudsons meet New York Central 4-6-4 5447, its 1938 streamlining battered and partly removed, meets another streamlined Hudson at Chicago’s Englewood station in 1946. Paul Eilenberger photo, Harold Stirton collection […]

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Twin Cities Zephyr

Shovel-nose streamlined diesel with passenger train in street

Twin Cities Zephyr Led by 1936 power unit 9905 Zephyrus, the Burlington’s Twin Cities Zephyr swings into the downtown La Crosse, Wis., depot circa 1939. Slow street running was an obstacle in the speed war with rivals Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road. Elden H. Hunter photo […]

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Niagara Junction

Electric freight motor with train

Niagara Junction Although it was built by the Niagara Falls Power Co. in the 1890’s, 11-mile switching road Niagara Junction used steam locomotives at first. Electrification, with 660-volt D.C. catenary and steeplecabs, came in 1913. New General Electric motors arrived in 1952 (that’s one at right, in October ’67), by which time the road was […]

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Less Than Carload

Delivery truck backed up to side of rail motorcar

Less Than Carload Buffalo Creek & Gualey motor “B’s” awaits departure from Dundon, W.Va., for Widen, in 1948. A truck has arrived with LCL freight, including a new tire, which is being leaned against a rattan seat. After loading was complete, freight filled the front of the car back into the second row of seats. […]

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Hippo

Steam locomotive front in profile at speed

Hippo Pennsylvania 2-10-0 4414 races north along Route 14 north of Williamsport, Pa., at 40 mph. The locomotives’ lumbering appearance gave rise to the nickname “Hippo.” Jim Shaughnessy photo […]

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Imperial

Steam locomotive with train from overhead with mountains beyond

Imperial Southern Pacific GS-4 No. 4439 leads train No. 40, the eastbound Los Angeles-Chicago Imperial, 3 miles north of Corona, N.M., on the Golden State Route, as it nears its handoff to the Rock Island at Tucumcari, N.M., on May 27, 1949. The route was a significant one for the SP. D.L. Ingersoll photo […]

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