Tickets, please

Tickets, please Passengers riding New York Central’s deluxe 20th Century Limited sleeper-observation car required two tickets, one for rail travel and one for the sleeping accommodations. Don Wood photo […]

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‘California Zephyr’ preview

Streamlined and heavyweight passenger train on steel trestle

‘California Zephyr’ preview In the months before the California Zephyr’s March 20, 1949, launch, the new train’s cars began filtering into the heavyweight consist of its predecessor on the CB&Q-DRGW-WP route, the Exposition Flyer, seen here on the Western Pacific at Keddie, Calif., with a baggage car and two domes built for the streamliner. Donald […]

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Aluminum Alton

Silver-colored boxcar among tall brick industrial buildings

Aluminum Alton Alton Route was one of several railroads to dabble with experimental aluminum boxcars for express service. Note the steam line (horizontal pipe) and signal line (small hose below the brake hose) for passenger service. Alton photo […]

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‘San Francisco Overland’

Steam and diesel locomotives line up in passenger station

San Francisco Overland Future excursion locomotive UP 844, having just taken over for an SP locomotive, departs Ogden Union Station with the San Francisco Overland on June 18, 1950. The Fairbanks-Morse “Erie-built” diesels at right will follow with the Los Angeles Limited. Don Sims photo […]

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Steve Albee’s O gauge layout

Subway cars racing by on an O gauge layout.

Visit Steve Albee’s dual-level O gauge layout that fits in a spare room! This layout is one of many with plans that appears in the fall 2021 CTT special publication Toy train layouts for small spaces. Get your print or digital version here! There are freight trains and subways bringing light, action, and sound to […]

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Steve Albee’s O gauge layout

Subway cars racing by on an O gauge layout.

Visit Steve Albee’s dual-level O gauge layout that fits in a spare room! This layout is one of many with plans that appears in the fall 2021 CTT special publication Toy train layouts for small spaces. Get your print or digital version here! There are freight trains and subways bringing light, action, and sound to […]

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Dixie Line

Man in coveralls stands by blue and gray streamlined diesel locomotive in profile

Dixie Line The Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis rostered 23 F7A and eight F7B units, built 1949-51. Mainline freight and passenger trains were dieselized with GP7s and F units starting in 1948 with the last steam operating in 1953. It was merged into parent Louisville & Nashville in 1957. Linn H. Westcott photo […]

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GP9

Angular diesel locomotive in contrasting dark and light scheme

GP9 Alco was first on the market with the road-switcher concept, but it was EMD that capitalized with its “Geeps,” such as this Northern Pacific GP9. EMD sold more than 6,800 of its 1,500-hp GP7s and 1,750-hp GP9s. EMD photo […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 73

Bob Keller in front of CTT layout doing BTB intro

On this Episode of Train Box, Bob Keller and CTT editor Hal Miller put a new Legacy Lionel Soo 4-6-0 through its paces. Then Bob shows part of his collection of colorful tinplate O gauge Marx locomotives and rolling stock. Finally, he discusses railroad timetables and other paper memorabilia that make interesting and informative reading […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 73

Bob Keller in front of CTT layout doing BTB intro

On this Episode of Train Box, Bob Keller and CTT editor Hal Miller put a new Legacy Lionel Soo 4-6-0 through its paces. Then Bob shows part of his collection of colorful tinplate O gauge Marx locomotives and rolling stock. Finally, he discusses railroad timetables and other paper memorabilia that make interesting and informative reading […]

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