What has been railroading’s top story in 2021? Today, we begin the process of answering that question, as determined in balloting by the Trains editorial staff, Classic Trains editor Brian Schmidt (who spent most of the year on our staff), and key News Wire contributors. Balloting concluded on Dec. 10. We’ll be recapping stories each […]
MERRILL, Ore. — What is perhaps the single largest private collection of steam locomotives, mostly from the western U.S., has been sold and will soon be dispersed following the death of its long-time owner. The Fred M. Kepner collection of 14 steam locomotives and other railroad equipment has been purchased by the Oregon Coast Scenic […]
MERTZTOWN, Pa. — The Longswamp Township Historical Society has received a $75,000 grant for its project to relocate a circa-1875 railroad station in Mertztown. The funds from the Berks County Redevelopment Agency will go toward the Save Our Station-Mertztown Train Station Restoration Project. To date, more than $195,000 has been raised for the project, with […]
TORONTO — The landmark Canadian Pacific Building, once the headquarters of what was billed as “The World’s Greatest Transportation System” and the tallest building in Canada upon its completion in 1913, could be converted to residences under a plan filed with the City of Toronto by the current owners. The website Daily Hive reports that […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced plans for a series of celebratory final runs as it retires subway equipment that it says are some of the world’s oldest active subway cars. The R32 cars, nicknamed Brightliners, were built by the Budd Co. in Philadelphia, with the first of the cars making their […]
BIG VALLEY, Alberta — The Dauphin Rail Museum and Canadian Northern Society will hold events Dec. 14-15 to commemorate the opening of a railroad that became the Canadian Northern Railway, Canada’s second transcontinental railroad. Dec. 15 will mark the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Lake Manitoba Railway & Canal Co.; the company’s first […]
Chicago Great Western Railroad history introduction Chicago Great Western Railroad history traces its roots to A.B. Stickney, who early in his adult life entered the railroad business, set to link St. Paul with Chicago. He took the legal assets of the moribund Minnesota & Northwestern Railroad, and in 1884 pushed a line under that banner […]
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – East Broad Top Railroad has been awarded a $1.1 million state grant to rebuild 7.8 miles of track between the company’s headquarters in Rockhill Furnace and the towns of Three Springs and Saltillo, and to support related EBT projects. The grant awarded Wednesday, Dec. 8, is the first step toward reopening […]
FOSTORIA, Ohio — Fostoria’s historic Jackson Street Tower, which housed the nation’s first Centralized Traffic Control equipment, has been demolished. The former New York Central structure was torn down as part of an ongoing effort by CSX Transportation to remove old, unused structures along its routes. It was the operator in the Jackson Street Tower […]
Throughout much of its 23-year history as a Class I trunk carrier, Conrail made steady, some might even say historic, progress toward becoming the model of a profitable, efficient, customer-oriented railroad. Much of the credit for that transformation must go to Richard B. “Dick” Hasselman, former senior vice president-operations for the company’s first 13 years. […]
JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — The U.S. Army Transportation Museum will host “Operation Sgt. Santa,” a holiday train ride around the Fort Eustis railroad for Department of Defense ID cardholders, this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 11-12. Trains will depart hourly from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day, with each trip lasting approximately 45 minutes. […]
CHICAGO — Union Pacific is donating the original artwork it commissioned for the grand opening of the Pullman National Monument to the National Park Service for permanent display. The poster, created by Chicago artist Joe Nelson, is in the style of UP national park travel posters of the 1900s and honors the resilience and strength […]
