Flying Scotsman celebrates a century Often said to be the most famous locomotive in the world, the Flying Scotsman celebrates a century, having entered service Feb. 24,1923, for England’s Great Northern Railway. The locomotive began service as an A1 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive and was later upgraded to the A3 with the same wheel arrangement. […]
Santa Claus rides the Sierra Northern Railway, Ventura Division Have you ever wondered what happens when Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, his traditional form of transportation, needs its regularly scheduled inspection and servicing? Let’s face it; over the millennium the jolly guy in the red suit has circumnavigated the world more times than Magellan. He and […]
It’s snow time on BNSF Railway’s Scenic Subdivision Working in the snow of the Cascade Mountains was always special, until you had to work in it. I have joked for years that at one point I loved skiing until I had to pack my third knuckle to replace a broken one in deep snow. Both […]
Trains Photo Contest 2024 Trains Magazine and the National Railway Historical Society are pleased to present the 2024 photo contest. The NRHS is a nonprofit that promotes the interest and study of the railroad industry, a mission shared by Trains. The NRHS, which was established in 1935, is an excellent partner for a magazine that’s […]
From Auto-Train to Amtrak Auto Train Today’s Auto Train is a stellar option for people looking to travel long distances with their car in tow between northern Virginia and central Florida. Amtrak’s marketing slogan on its website is “Take Your Car on an Auto Train Road Trip.” Those traveling in sleeping cars receive traditional dining-car […]
For years the Chicago & North Western operated Chicago’s most extensive commuter service. Its three routes were designated West, North, and Northwest. Those names also serve well to group C&NW’s lines west, northwest, and north from Chicago. West, North, and Northwest The railroad capital of the U.S., Chicago, saw its first locomotive in […]
Into the 1960s, Chicago & North Western passenger trains blanketed the Upper Midwest, especially in Wisconsin — a popular vacationland until the jet airliner beckoned travelers instead to the likes of Southern California, Miami, and Las Vegas. In the late 1950s, new C&NW management saw the writing on the walls of the railroad’s majestic […]
I don’t keep bucket lists, but one thing I’d been hoping to visit one day was the famed Oyster Bar, the historic restaurant that’s been operating in the catacombs of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal nearly continuously for 110 years. I finally got my chance a couple of weeks ago during a short research […]
San Francisco Belt Railroad For those of us lucky enough to chase trains on the San Francisco peninsula when it was served by many railroads, life was good. Besides being able to see Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and Western Pacific, there was the San Francisco Belt Railroad, a local switching operation that vigorously served the […]
Fairbanks-Morse’ distinctive Erie-Built diesel locomotives were the builder’s entry into the six-axle passenger locomotive market. FM sold 111 total units between December 1945 and February 1949. They were the best-selling FM cab unit models; second place went to the CFA/CFB-16-4 “C-Liners” with 90 units sold. FM’s big Erie-Builts were named for being assembled […]
Preview Classic Trains’ December 2023 content Here’s a preview of what’s coming in the next month. Become a Trains.com member so you don’t miss any of this great content! If you have a story suggestion, email editor@classictrainsmag.com The EMC TA Diesel – A Locomotive That Kind of Did It An early passenger diesel, the TA […]
Railroad watches In the era of timetable and train order operation, railroaders had to have a standard railroad watch. In those days Hamilton, Elgin, and Waltham were among several popular brands. Railroad pocket watch standards But there were dozens of watch companies making “railroad approved” watches that had mandatory features by the 1930s: a minimum […]
