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In its heyday as “The Standard Railroad of the World,” the Pennsylvania Railroad had thousands of trackside industries systemwide to service. Each needed regular switching, and many were located in industrial complexes with tight clearances and sharp curves. The PRR developed the 0-6-0 switcher, or as they called it, a “shifter.” The first model B6 […]
Central Vermont 0-8-0 501 stands by as a New Haven sleeping car is turned on the turntable at St. Albans, Vermont, in September 1955. Photo by Philip R. Hastings […]
CALGARY, Alberta — CPKC has turned the 2024 Final Spike Tour, featuring No. 2816, the Empress 4-6-4 steam locomotive, into a 50-minute documentary that will premiere on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at the Calgary International Film Festival. Titled The Pulse of the Continent, this breathtaking film chronicles the 76-day journey marking the first anniversary of […]
At least eight 60-centimeter-guage 2-6-2Ts of the type used by the U.S. Army on temporary railways in France during World War I are visible in this scene at Fort Benning, Georgia, after the war. Baldwin, Davenport, and Vulcan built some 296 of the diminutive engines. Fort Benning’s 27-mile line moved men and material around the […]
Summer 2025 left fans of big steam wanting more, with Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 being the sole Class I representative — and with a limited appearance at that. The remaining locomotives on the scene were few and far between, staying on short lines and tourist railroads. Good news, though: For those disappointed in […]
Embark on an epic journey back to the late 1940s and early ’50s, as depicted on Curt LaRue’s HO scale (1:87.1) Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle Division! Originally presented in the October 2025 issue of Model Railroader magazine, this stunning layout comes to life as cameras capture various modeled rural and industrial sites along the multi-track mainline […]
Between 1942 and ’48, Baltimore & Ohio’s Mount Clare shops in Baltimore created 40 essentially new dual-service 4-8-2s. The class T-3 Mountain types were “essentially” new because their boilers came from retired Mikados and Pacifics. Here, the first T-3, No. 5555, nears completion. Photo by Baltimore & Ohio […]
New York Central 4-8-2 2952 storms through Waterloo, Indiana, 367 miles west of Buffalo, with a westbound freight in 1948. NYC called its 600 4-8-2s “Mohawks” after the river the road’s main line followed across New York state. Photo by Robert A. Hadley […]
This summer, my wife Kris and I took a three-day railroad-themed mini-vacation to Scranton, Pa. This fascinating place is a wonderful way to experience history. Scranton is a complex, layered city with many fascinating elements of railroading to explore and enjoy, but you need to take the time to seek it out — both at […]
Roanoke, Va., headquarters of the former Norfolk & Western Railway and once known as the “Alamo for Steam,” is home to the renowned East End Shops. This facility, still standing today, was where the bulk of the railroad’s steam fleet was built. Among these were three locomotive classes from the 1940s-50s, known as the “Big […]
ROANOKE, Va. — The Virginia Museum of Transportation has received a $15,000 grant from the Phillips Charitable Foundation Inc. to support firebox maintenance on its Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4, No. 611. The foundation’s benefactor, Howard W. Phillips, displayed a lifelong love for trains as well as an appreciation for historic preservation. This led […]
Locomotives & rolling stock MTH Electric Trains, 7393 Washington Blvd. Ste. 101, Elkridge, MD 21075 has announced 50 Waffle Boxcars as part of the Premier line. The boxcars feature sliding doors, metal handrails, and O-31 operation (20-99481 shown). Estimated delivery in February 2026. Price: $84.95. Website: mthtrains.com Trainworld, 751 McDonald Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11218, is […]
