Gibson City, Ill., located in the heart of Central Illinois’ grain-growing region, is the headquarters for the Bloomer Shippers Connecting Railroad, otherwise known as the Bloomer Line. Gibson City also serves as a junction and interchange point for two Class I railroads, Canadian National and Norfolk Southern. CN runs up to two locals a day […]
A location to safely watch trains has opened near Washington, D.C. Arlington County recently opened Long Bridge Park adjacent to control point RO on CSX’s RF&P Subdivision. Arlington is at the south end of CSX’s Long Bridge across the Potomac River. This double track bridge was opened in 1904. The name “RO” comes from the […]
Nestled among hillside dairy farms, corn fields, and rock quarries, Byron Hill, Wis., sees more than 20 trains per day on Canadian National’s busy Waukesha Subdivision. Positioned halfway between Fond du Lac and Lomira, Wis., the main line is paralleled by two vital roadways, Highways 175 and 41. Branching off of those main arteries are […]
Chicago is still the railroad capital of the country in most people’s opinion. What puts it on top over other cities like Kansas City is the strong passenger-train presence. It’s Amtrak’s midwestern hub (8 routes), and hundreds of Metra commuter trains (11 routes) hustle in and out of the city daily. Much of the railroad […]
Three Canadian National locomotives have been repainted into heritage paint schemes, and more are reportedly on the way. Photographs circulating on the internet show locomotives painted in Grand Trunk blue and red; the red, white, and blue BC Rail paint scheme; and the black Illinois Central scheme known to railfans as the “death star” design. […]
A Wabash Alco C424 in Pennsylvania in 2020? Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad No. 2409 was built by Alco in 1964, part of a cancelled order of seven units for the National Railways of Mexico.Wabash purchased the units soon before the road was leased by Norfolk & Western. It worked for N&W until the late 1970s, when it […]
CHICAGO – Metra’s Chicago & North Western-inspired heritage unit, F59PHI No. 90, made its inaugural run on the UP-NW line on Wednesday. The train was a non-revenue move from Chicago to Crystal Lake and return. After the run, the cars were put away at the California Avenue yard, along with Illinois commemorative locomotive No. 402, […]
Friday morning preservation news: Northwest Railway Museum to reopen Train Shed Exhibit Hall The Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Wash., will reopen its Train Shed Exhibit Hall on Sept. 11, which had been closed because of COVID-19 pandemic measures. The museum says the 24,000-square-foot hall includes many of its most significant artifacts. The museum is […]
Tourist railroad and preservation news for Thursday: Michigan’s Steam Railroading Institute cancels all 2020 excursions The Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Mich., has decided not to operate any excursions this year, meaning its annual Fall Colors Tours and North Pole Express trips are off for 2020. “The operation of excursion trains is identified among the […]
Tag along with MRVP’s wily, witty host Drew Halverson, as he first travels westward aboard Amtrak’s Southwest Chief between the Windy City and Kansas City! Upon arrival in the Show-Me State, Drew, KJ, and Sherpa Al form a nimble crew that’s ready to roll to historic, yet active railroad sites — both within […]
Tag along with MRVP’s wily, witty host Drew Halverson, as he first travels westward aboard Amtrak’s Southwest Chief between the Windy City and Kansas City! Upon arrival in the Show-Me State, Drew, KJ, and Sherpa Al form a nimble crew that’s ready to roll to historic, yet active railroad sites — both within […]
Friday morning rail preservation news: Illinois Railway Museum sets two weekends of special events The Illinois Railway Museum, which reopened in July with special COVID-19 precautionary measures, is planning two weekends of special events in September. Labor Day weekend will feature night train operations until 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 5-6, and J. Neils Lumber Shay […]
