Reading Company: A railroad history

Color photo of side-by-side noses of two road-switcher diesel locomotives

Reading Company, as a railroad, disappeared into Conrail more than 40 years ago. But it is still possible to “take a ride on the Reading.” This can be done when playing the board game Monopoly, or (more literally) by boarding a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority commuter train in the Philadelphia area. Today, the Reading (pronounced […]

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Southern California Railroad Museum adds ATSF bicentennial SD45-2 to collection

Red, white, and blue locomotive

PERRIS, Calif. — The Southern California Railroad Museum has added a former Santa Fe bicentennial locomotive to its collection. SD45-2 No. 5704, built in 1973, was one of five repainted locomotives repainted into red, white, and blue at Santa Fe’s San Bernardino shops in 1975 and 1976, and saw action on priority freight trains as […]

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Nickel Plate 765 returns to the rails for a special reunion

Two steam locomotives lined up side-by-side

NEW HAVEN, Ind. — Famed excursion star Nickel Plate Road No. 765 had a busy fall in 2021 with a visit to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and a special trip to reunite with sister NKP Berkshire No. 757 in Bellevue, Ohio. Now the 765 organization looks forward to its 50th anniversary in 2022. After […]

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Erie ‘Limited’

Rear of heavyweight passenger train on bridge

Erie Limited The westbound Limited crosses the New York-Pennsylvania state line as it bridges the Delaware River at Mill Rift, Pa. An ordinary Pullman, not a fancy observation car with a tail sign, brings up the rear of the Erie’s unpretentious but comfortable flagship. Wayne Brumbaugh photo […]

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Santa Fe 2926: A grade crossing ahead for the big 4-8-4

People admire restored steam locomotive

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The buzz at an open house for Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 2926 wasn’t all about the locomotive last run in 1953 and moved for the first time under its own power on July 25. A grade crossing and a spur track also figured into the conversations. With the restoration of the locomotive […]

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New Haven Railroad locomotives

Black-and-white photo of the noses of two streamlined diesel locomotives.

  All through September 2021, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. This week, editors have selected images from Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library to highlight the locomotives of the New Haven. Included in these are electric, diesel AND steam locomotives. Enjoy! […]

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