History of the Baldwin classification system The Baldwin classification system originated in 1842, when Asa Whitney was a partner of M.W. Baldwin and continued in use until 1938. The system was based on use of a letter to designate the number of pairs of driving wheels on a steam locomotive. The letter A designated a […]
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe’s dock at Ferry Point outside of San Francisco burned May 4, 1984. I was on the job in 1984 and remember the fire vividly. The Santa Fe ceased tug-and-barge service across the San Francisco Bay shortly after. When I hired out in the mid-1970s, west end jobs were responsible for […]
I decided to make history repeat itself in August 2000, when my son, Liam, was 4. I wanted Liam to experience a train ride that I took with my grandfather 50 years ago. My grandfather had taken me on passenger trains from the San Francisco Bay Area to the San Joaquin Valley town of Merced, […]
Last fall, Editor Jim Wrinn posed a few questions to retired CSX Chairman Hays Watkins. Living in retirement in Virginia, Watkins answered by email. Here’s what he wrote us about his own experiences, Amtrak, precision scheduled railroading, and other issues of the day. The text has been lightly edited for style or clarity. What’s the […]
Lionel porthole caboose origins Lionel’s designers and marketers took significant steps in 1953 to expand and upgrade its roster of O gauge rolling stock. They introduced near-scale freight cars, notably larger and more realistic boxcars and a flatcar. They brought out for the first time a triple-dome tank car. And they distinguished the line with […]
In the 1990s Amtrak managers sought to use mail and express business to bolster revenue. A byproduct of that initiative, which involved beefing up baggage handling facilities and acquisition of boxcars, was aggressively seeking ways to use equipment. New Hampshire-based motorcycle event promoter Charlie St. Clair was a member of Amtrak’s Customer Advisory Committee […]
All through January 2021, Classic Trains is celebrating the majestic and mystique of the New York Central. Please enjoy this photo gallery of NYC locomotives selected from the David P. Morgan Library at Kalmbach Media. Only from Classic Trains! […]
Class is now in session! This period, Professor Roger Carp leads the lecture regarding the Lionel Trains post-war era Operating Cattle Car and Corral. CTT Editor Hal Miller also offers up insights on the operation of the beloved accessory. For even more info on the Cattle Car, read the March 2021 issue of Classic Toy Trains magazine. […]
Join CTT Senior Editor Roger Carp, a.k.a. Professor Carp, as he shares insights on a post-war era Lionel Trains O gauge operating car. Learn about the history of the famed Automatic Refrigerated Milk Car and Platform, plus tips for making the car work properly! For even more info on the Milk Car, read the February 2021 […]
To read Part I of George Drury’s New York Central History, click here History of the New York Central System The New York Central was a large railroad, and it had several subsidiaries whose identity remained strong, not so much in cars and locomotives carrying the old name but in local loyalties: If you lived […]
To read Part 2 of George Drury’s New York Central history, click here History of the New York Central System The New York Central was a large railroad, and it had several subsidiaries whose identity remained strong, not so much in cars and locomotives carrying the old name but in local loyalties: If you lived […]
Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives moved freight to and from docks and lake boats. See a sampling of those locomotives with this photo gallery of Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives, only from Classic Trains! If you like this gallery, you may also enjoy an article on AA’s history or an Ann Arbor passenger train photo gallery. […]
