Loading livestock at Silverton

Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad livestock cars in Silverton

The narrow-gauge Denver & Rio Grande Western did a lot of livestock business. Here, several stock cars are loaded with sheep in Silverton, Colo., in 1942. K-28 Mikado will lead the train back down to Durango. William Moedinger photo […]

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Double departure from Baltimore

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Camden Station

In a 1947 view at Baltimore & Ohio’s Camden Station in Baltimore, a Baltimore & Annapolis interurban train departs for Annapolis while a B&O 4-6-2 heads out with a train for Washington. B&A was a tenant at Camden until it shut down in 1950. Herbert H. Harwood Jr. photo […]

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L&N celebrity Pacific

Louisville and Nashville Railroad

Louisville & Nashville heavy 4-6-2 No. 295 was mechanically and cosmetically upgraded in 1940 for duty on the new South Wind streamliner. Some years later, No. 295 rests between runs at Louisville. Jack Fravert photo […]

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Chicago & North Western locomotives remembered

Streamlined Chicago & North Western locomotives with circus train passing signals

  In the steam age, most Chicago & North Western locomotives burned coal, but those assigned to divisions west of the Missouri River were oil burners; in addition, the four Pacifics rebuilt for the 400s were converted to oil. One group of light Pacifics was fitted with special grates for burning lignite, a low-grade coal. […]

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Dome car in the Rockies

California Zephyr dome cars in Rocky Mountains

In a view from one of the California Zephyr’s five regularly assigned dome cars, another dome curves through the Rocky Mountains during the streamliner’s trip over the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Gordon Odegard photo […]

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Decapod on Helmstetter’s Curve

Western Maryland Railway 2-10-0 at Helmstetter's Curve

Western Maryland 2-10-0 1109 rounds famous Helmstetter’s Curve west of Cumberland, Md., with a westbound freight in May 1952. Unseen, two more Decapods at mid-train and a fourth on the rear help lift the train upgrade. Ed Theisinger photo […]

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Coast Line doubleheader

Atlantic Coast LIne Railroad near Vienna, Virginia

Atlantic Coast Line 2-8-2 7230 and 4-8-2 7372 team up on a northbound freight near Vienna, Va., in 1947. Both engines formerly worked for the Atlanta, Birmingham & Coast, which ACL acquired in 1945. David W. Salter photo […]

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Camelback on Starrucca

Camelback locomotive crossing Erie Railroad's Starrucca Viaduct

In an early 20th century photo, a Camelback locomotive, probably a 2-8-0, crosses the Erie Railroad’s Starrucca Viaduct with a westbound freight. Completed in 1848 at Lanesboro, Pa., on the Erie’s main line west to Binghamton, N.Y., the 1,200-foot stone structure is still carrying trains in 2017. Erie photo […]

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Chicago & North Western history remembered

Steam locomotive with Chicago & North Western freight train under signal bridge

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 […]

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