Taking it to the streets

Taking it to the streets

Led by 1936 power unit 9905 Zephyrus, the Twin Cities Zephyr rolls down Second Street in La Crosse, Wis., circa 1939. The slow street running was an obstacle when competing with Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road for Chicago to Twin Cities traffic. Elden H. Hunter photo […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: General Electric U-boats

A model freight train is lead by a black, white, and red model locomotive over a bridge in a desert setting

Three South Western & Pacific General Electric U-boats lead a westbound train through rural Texas. The train, on its way to Mesa City, Ariz., was photographed by Doyle Davis of Crockett, Texas. Doyle took the photo on his freelanced N scale layout. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades […]

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Streamline steam

Streamline steam

The Canadian National’s 4-8-4 U-4s were striking machines from any angle. Colors were black with green stripes, cab, and tender, accented by gold trim and white tires. This scene is at Spadina roundhouse in Toronto, on March 10, 1957. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: Southern Belle

Two trains pass a switching tower on a model railroad layout

Kansas City Southern F3 No. 30 leads the northbound Southern Belle past Terminal Ry. tower no. 6 on its last lap into Kansas City Union Station. To the right, a Kansas City Terminal switcher brings in a sleeper to set out for the westbound Super Chief. The action takes place on Nicholas Muff’s HO scale […]

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SD45 hood comparison

SD45 hood comparison

Erie Lackawanna bought both EMD’s standard SD45 (No. 3602, right) and the lengthened version designated SDP45 (3639, left). The extra space at the rear of the SDP45 was intended to house a steam generator for passenger service, and the additional space between the trucks accommodated a tank for fuel oil and one for water for […]

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Motorcar mania

Motorcar mania

Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier motor 122 is loaded at Rainelle, W.Va., with LCL and mail, plus a few passengers. The motors required a four-man crew: engineer, conductor, freight handler, and mailman. NF&G, owned by New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio, ran its motors on four routes. James R. Greene photo […]

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Monongahela monstrosity

Monongahela monstrosity

Pittsburgh & West Virginia’s Connellsville, Pa., line was rife with major bridges. Biggest of all was this colossal crossing of the Monongahela River, seen in March 1950 supporting a 2-6-6-4 and freight 99. The three main spans had a lower level for the Monessen Southwestern, but it never used them. Ralph E. Hallock photo […]

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Mail money

Mail money

In 1968, workers load Missouri Pacific Railway Post Office cars at St. Louis Union Station. As passengers deserted the trains, mail became an increasingly important revenue source — until the Post Office Department pulled most mail off the trains in 1967. Wayne Leeman photo […]

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