California narrow gauge in the 1940s

The Lake Tahoe & Truckee Railroad

The railway at a glance Name: Lake Tahoe & Truckee Size: 120′ x 15′ Scale: 1:22.5 Gauge: Nº 1 (45mm) Era: 1940s Theme: Sierra Nevada narrow gauge Age: 21 years Motive power: LGB Moguls, cab-forward articulated, Forney Length of mainline: 300+ feet Maximum gradient: 2.5% Type of track: LGB flex and Sunset Valley switches Minimum […]

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Iowa Pacific seeks to end Santa Cruz operations NEWSWIRE

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A Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay passenger special departs the Santa Cruz boardwalk in December 2012. Elrond Lawrence SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Chicago-based Iowa Pacific Holdings is seeking to end its contract as the operator of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports. Iowa Pacific subsidiary Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay […]

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Make-A-Wish Railway Project

Make-A-Wish Railway Project

Make-A-Wish Northeastern California and Northern Nevada is one of 62 chapters nationwide. Since the foundation began in 1980, more than 250,000 wishes have been granted to children ages 2½ to 18 with life threatening medical conditions. This particular chapter began in 1983 and has granted more than 4,700 wishes. Make-A-Wish organized volunteers from 4 organizations […]

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Drew Halverson’s top 10 hot spots

BNSF Railway intermodal train in California

A westbound BNSF intermodal train leans into the famous elevated curves at Siberia, Calif., in April 2014. Four photos, Drew Halverson I witnessed an endless array of trains while growing up in the Midwest. Despite the diversity of railroads, the surrounding landscape was lacking. I needed mountains and deserts to go with the ubiquitous cityscapes […]

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Metrolink’s F125 debut stalls — literally NEWSWIRE

METROLINK

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Technical difficulties brought Metrolink’s plans to unveil a new Tier 4 locomotive to a halt. On Nov. 18, crowds and officials gathered at Metrolink’s Southern California Newhall Station in anticipation of seeing the first locomotive in a $280 million-order from builder Progress Rail. By 5 p.m., some 70 minutes after the […]

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A fresh-painted Warbonnet is back NEWSWIRE

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The Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, Calif., has restored Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe EMD FP45 No. 108 to its as-delivered Warbonnet paint scheme. Elrond Lawrence A close-up shot of Santa Fe No. 108 in fresh paint at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in California. Elrond Lawrence PERRIS, Calif. — The Orange Empire Railway […]

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