Collection elevator This small collection elevator near Bayneville, Kans., typical of the thousands of wooden country elevators that were once common across the Midwest and West, is loading a boxcar, while two trucks wait with incoming wheat at the start of the grain rush in June 1952. The small elevator isn’t as wide as the […]
CHICAGO — More than 40 years after their debut, Amtrak’s bilevel Superliners remain essential to its long-distance operations in the western U.S., along with a handful of other routes. This article offers a look at what passengers can expect when they ride in Superliner coaches, eat in superliner diners, or enjoy scenery from a comfortable […]
Introduction CHICAGO — Amtrak’s Superliners are double-decked, stainless steel, window-loaded passenger cars — among the most modern available to the traveling public in the United States today. Trains offers passengers a look at what they can expect when they book tickets to ride these cars. This article looks at Superliners’ history and offers a review […]
Postwar ‘El Cap’ A Santa Fe publicity photo shows the inside the postwar El Capitan. In 1956, the all-coach train was re-equipped with innovative new “Hi-Level” double-deck cars. Santa Fe photo […]
On this episode of Bob’s Train Box, Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller get an up-close and personal look at MTH Trains’ recently released Premier line SD24 (even more info on it here). Then Bob examines some Greenberg guides that are fun to read and helpful when it comes to collecting trains and accessories. Finally, […]
On this episode of Bob’s Train Box, Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller get an up-close and personal look at MTH Trains’ recently released Premier line SD24 (even more info on it here). Then Bob examines some Greenberg guides that are fun to read and helpful when it comes to collecting trains and accessories. Finally, […]
Oakland Pier The California Zephyr’s signature sleeper-observation-dome car, complete with neon tail sign, gleams in Southern Pacific’s Oakland Pier station 10 minutes before departure on June 15, 1958. John C. Illman photo […]
Scenic views Curved windows along the edge of the roof give the Santa Fe El Capitan’s Hi-Level lounges a bright, airy feeling; a smaller lounge-buffet is below. Budd Co. photo […]
Intermodal analyst Larry Gross has gone out on a limb. In his latest “Intermodal in Depth” report, Gross predicts the demise of TOFC, or trailer on flatcar service, within the next four years. In some ways, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Trailers have become a smaller and smaller part of the intermodal world as […]
Shipping container New York Central (and subsidiary Michigan Central) had a large fleet of steel auto cars by the early 1920s. These had 10-foot door openings with 6- and 4-foot platesteel doors. New York Central photo […]
Mixed train Internal stairways on some of the Sant Fe’s Hi-Level cars enable them to operate with single-level equipment. Here, a Hi-Level is mated with a sleeping car when the all-Pullman Super Chief and all-coach El Capitan were running as a combined train. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
Atlas O in June released a new catalog offering products made from recently acquired MTH Trains tooling. The company acquired the majority of MTH’s Premier line of locomotives and rolling stock molds in spring 2021. The latest product announcements are titled the Atlas O Premier Catalog. In it are the first two offerings, a GE […]
