In late September 2023, Norfolk & Western steam locomotive No. 611 operated on the Buckingham Branch Railroad, in preparation for its fall excursions. The J-class 4-8-4 is scheduled to run the Shenandoah Valley Limited as part of the Virginia Scenic Railway, a passenger excursion operator for the short line railroad. […]
NJ Transit has unveiled its latest heritage unit, painted for the Erie Railroad, one of its commuter-rail predecessors. The commuter operator released the photo of GP40PH-2B No. 4210 this weekend in Erie’s black-and-gold paint scheme, noting the railroad “held a large presence in the North Jersey commuter rail scene” and operated on what are now […]
The scenic town of Osceola, Wisc., recently hosted the inaugural Trains Magazine diesel photo special, attracting rail enthusiasts and photographers. The Osceola and Saint Croix Valley Railway typically offers passenger services along a former Soo Line branch, owned by Canadian National. However, special events extend the experience to other tracks, including the line’s northern terminus […]
The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending any time soon, and railways remain heavily involved in Ukraine; in Russia, where the ongoing invasion depends on it; and in neighboring European countries. Trackside espionage in Poland In March, Polish police arrested six people allegedly working for Russian Military intelligence who had placed trackside cameras […]
UNION, Ill. — A few spaces remain for a night photo session set for Oct. 7 at the Illinois Railway Museum as part of its “Steam Into Fall” event, marking the end of the museum’s 2023 operating season. The session will feature Frisco No. 1630, the museum’s “Russian Decapod” built by Baldwin in 1918, and […]
Explore Paw Paw, WV’s rich history with the Magnolia Cutoff, an engineering masterpiece from 1913 designed to streamline the Baltimore and Ohio mainline, reducing congestion and enhancing rail transport efficiency. This legacy route, complete with tunnels, bridges, and a massive retaining wall, continues to serve CSX today. Read more about this route in Trains magazine’s […]
Meet the Enthusiasts We are not alone, although it sure can feel that way. Many of us have, at one time or another, may have felt we needed to explain why we like trains and railroading. If we didn’t get the “look,” it was usually “Oh, you still play with trains?” After a while you […]
Privately owned caboose Welcome to the world of privately owned cabooses. The craving for a cab is a continuing urge for Americans. So, let’s probe this topic deeper. Matt Bumgarner, noted railroad author, publisher, and driving force behind the Southeastern Narrow Gauge and Short Line Museum in Newton, N.C., answers the following questions about his […]
NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit and the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey will celebrate 40 years of NJ Transit rail operations the weekend of Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, with NJ Transit and the URHS partnering on a special excursion Sept. 30 and the transit agency displaying its heritage locomotives at Hoboken Terminal […]
CROTON-ON-HARMON, N.Y. — The Metro-North Railroad has released the second in its series of heritage locomotives celebrating the railroad’s 40th anniversary and honoring its predecessors, this time with a scheme worn by Conrail FL9 units between 1976 and 1982. Conrail granted Metro-North permission to apply its name, logo, and colors to the unit in March. […]
PLEASANT LAKE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired the 141-year-old railroad station in Pleasant Lake to serve as headquarters for the Indiana Rail Experience, the tourist rail partnership of the society and the short line Indiana Northeastern Railroad. The acquisition was made possible through a grant to develop a station and […]
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific No. 2816 has now been run for about 700 miles since returning to operation, CPKC’s Jonathan J. Morris, manager, operating practices-steam, says in a post on the locomotive’s Facebook page, and is “running like the wind.” The locomotive was returned to steam June 18 and made its first short run June […]
