California Zephyr dome-observation car

20160307

Silver Planet was one of six sleeper-dome-observation cars built by the Budd Co. in 1948 for the California Zephyr, operated between Chicago and Oakland by the Burlington Route, Rio Grande, and Western Pacific. Silver Horizon, Silver Penthouse, and Silver Solarium belonged to the Burlington; Silver Sky to the Rio Grande; and Silver Crescent and Silver […]

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2-4-2 tank engine

20160316

Although the 2-4-2 type was rare in the United States, Berlin Mills Railway 2-4-2T No. 6, built by Baldwin for the New Hampshire switching road, is typical of the smaller steam locomotives used for switching around sawmills and paper mills. Matt Coleman collection […]

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Jim Hediger’s HO scale Detroit Western RR

Color photo showing yard scene on model railroad.

Jim Hediger, a member of the Model Railroader staff for 43 years, passed away on February 9, 2024. His family generously donated his slide collection to Kalmbach Media. While going through the images, I found several slides featuring Jim’s HO scale Detroit Western RR. The layout was the successor to the 5 x 9-foot NJ&E […]

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The Yampa Valley arrives at Denver

20130325

Rio Grande train 10, the Yampa Valley, threads through Union Pacific’s 20th Street Yard at right and the Burlington’s coach yard at left to arrive at Denver Union Station in early 1965. The Yampa Valley was a daytime coach-and-mail train running to Craig, Colo. George H. Drury photo […]

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Chief and Super Chief at Albuquerque

20130307

At Albuquerque, N.Mex., Santa Fe No. 17, the Super Chief (at left behind E units) has caught up to a late-running train 19, the Chief, at 4:20 p.m. on a spring day in 1946. The Super left Chicago 7 hours after No. 19 and was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles 1 hour 15 minutes […]

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RF&P E8 passenger diesel

20150323

Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac E8 1001, posing for its builder’s photo in November 1949, was one of 15 E8As (and 5 E8Bs) owned by the railroad. RF&P’s dark blue and gray color scheme reflected its slogan: “Links North and South.” Electro-Motive photo […]

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Milwaukee S3 4-8-4 on a freight

20150310

Milwaukee Road class S3 Northern 267 rolls stock and refrigerator cars east at Bensenville, Ill., in the 1940s. The 4-8-4 is one of 10 built by Alco for MILW in 1944; sister 261 was restored for excursion service in 1993 and still runs out of Minneapolis. Classic Trains collection […]

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