Former Cotton Belt Consolidation

20150506

Southern Pacific 2864 was one of eight 2-8-0s transferred to California from SP affiliate Cotton Belt in 1956. Built during 1920–23, SSW’s 36 700-series engines were the road’s top freight power until 4-8-4s came in 1930. SP 2864 stands at San Francisco in April ’56. D. S. Richter photo […]

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Champion at Richmond

20150504

Having arrived from Washington behind Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac E8s, the Miami-bound East Coast Champion stands at Richmond’s Broad Street Station with a fresh set of Atlantic Coast Line E units. William D. Middleton photo […]

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SP steam survivor

20180530

Southern Pacific 2-8-0 3406 works mixed train No. 1 on the Nacozari Railroad between Douglas, Ariz., and Nacozari, Mexico, in spring 1958. Steam lasted on the SP subsidiary until January 1959, two years after diesels took over the rest of the SP system. Donald Duke photo […]

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News photos: A PA arrives in Pa. (updated)

Blue and white locomotive with four gray and white diesels

SCRANTON, Pa. — Alco PA Nickel Plate 190 has arrived at its new home. Completing its cross-country journey from Portland, Ore., the locomotive is now in Scranton, handed over to new owner Genesee Valley Transportation by Norfolk Southern this evening. GVT and the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad will restore the locomotive, which has an operable prime mover […]

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News photo: Ghosts of the Nickel Plate

Blue and white streamlined diesel on bridge.

CLEVELAND — Alco PA No. 190 continues its journey east to its new home with Genesee Valley Transportation in Scranton Pa. On Monday, May 15, it was photographed in downtown Cleveland on the former Nickel Plate (now Norfolk Southern) main line, crossing the Cuyahoga, River. The locomotive was restored by preservationist Doyle McCormack and acquired […]

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Light duty for a Milwaukee 4-8-4

20180509

With a consist of just two freshly painted boxcars, two dead Fairbanks-Morse diesels, and a bay window caboose, Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261 is westbound at Elm Grove, Wis., in September 1954. The dirty, underutilized S3 looks like she’s at the end of her rope, but remarkably she began a second career in 1993 as […]

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Mid-Continent Museum prepares for 60th Anniversary celebration

Diesel locomotive and heavyweight passenger cars

NORTH FREEDOM, Wis. — The Mid-Continent Railway Museum will mark its 60th anniversary with a day-long celebration on Saturday, May 27. Along with the museum’s regular 55-minute train ride aboard Delaware, Lackawanna & Western steel passenger coaches, the museum will also run a second train consist of its two wooden Copper Range Railroad passenger cars […]

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