In his article “The First PA’s” in the Winter 2008 issue of Classic Trains, author Peter A. Hansen examines Alco’s first postwar passenger diesels, Santa Fe Nos. 51L, 51A, and 51B. Here are scenes of Santa Fe PA’s in action from Herron Rail Video’s DVD program “Glory Machines, Vol. 5.” […]
As of October 1, 1958, Class I railroads own or lease 27,622 diesel locomotives, 1,532 steam locomotives, and 559 electrics. . . . Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line are mulling a merger. . . . New York Central unveils a system for transporting ballistic missiles in conventional 70-foot baggage cars. . . . […]
New Jersey challenges the constitutionality of the Transportation Act of 1958, under whose provisions the Erie and New York Central seek to discontinue their Hudson River ferry service. . . . Reading Company completes a $500,000 upgrade at its Port Richmond Marine Terminal on the Delaware River in Philadelphia; new ore-unloading machinery nearly doubles the […]
SP announces it is standardizing on silver livery for all passenger equipment; although Armour yellow will be retained for cars assigned to Overland Route trains, SP’s tow-tone gray and bright Daylight colors will fade away. . . . On August 12, the Transportation Act of 1958 is signed into law. Among its provisions are greater […]
July 1958 in railroad history One of steam’s greatest chapters comes to a close July 2 when class S-2 No. 746 makes the last revenue freight trip of a Nickel Plate Road Berkshire, Bellevue-Conneaut, Ohio. . . . Fan trips: Burlington Route assigns O-5A 4-8-4 No. 5618 to a July 4th weekend Railroad Club of […]
The Wheeling traces its history back to April 6, 1871. It reinvented itself on May 18, 1990. The pdf below shows all of its predecessor railroads. To read more about the Wheeling & Lake Erie, see July 2008 Trains, which hits the newsstands on June 10, 2008! […]
The Summer 2008 issue of Classic Trains magazine pays tribute to the Pullman Company. Published in 1948 at the height of postwar passenger optimism, the 40-page booklet “Pullman on Dress Parade” showcased the company’s various accommodations and services. Pullman “On Dress Parade” DOWNLOAD […]
CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Commuters CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Daylights […]
CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Commuters CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Daylights […]
In the Spring 2008 issue of Classic Trains we look at the last weeks of steam on the N&W. See three clips of N&W 0-8-0’s and 2-8-8-2’s in action from the Herron Rail Video program Pocahontas Glory, Vol. 6. Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 1 Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 2 Norfolk & […]
In the Spring 2008 issue of Classic Trains we look at the last weeks of steam on the N&W. See three clips of N&W 0-8-0’s and 2-8-8-2’s in action from the Herron Rail Video program Pocahontas Glory, Vol. 6. Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 1 Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 2 Norfolk & […]
I thought of “Portrait of the Rails” by Don Ball, Jr. immediately when reading Jim Wrinn’s editorial about favorite railroad books. As a child I spent hours gazing at the photos it contained of steam trains billowing smoke and funny looking streamliners while my dad would tell me stories about the trains of the 40’s […]
