Throughout the history of rail travel, certain trains have captured our imaginations more than others, pushing the boundaries of rail technology, and in doing so, leaving an indelible mark on the history of railroading and railfans alike. From luxury passenger services to record-breaking locomotives, the following iconic trains represent some of railroading’s most prestigious, most […]
Frank Hornby, British businessman and inventor born in 1863, is a name known across the globe for model trains and toys alike. This book, Hornby: Book of Collectable Toys, takes a deep dive into the history of the Hornby manufacturing company and its many subsidiaries. This book isn’t just about model trains–it includes all of […]
At the turn of the 20th century, the citizens and serving railroads of Kansas City, Mo., yearned to revamp how passengers arrived and disembarked from the growing gateway city along the Missouri River. The 1878-built Union Depot in the West Bottoms district couldn’t keep up with the thriving rail traffic and local desire to […]
ANDOVER, Mass. — New Hampshire’s Bartlett Roundhouse Preservation Society is the recipient of this year’s H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award, the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts have announced. The Enthusiasts, who administer the grant created by member Leigh Webb, also have awarded $65,000 to 19 projects as part of their 2025 Railroad Preservation Grants […]
ST. PAUL, Minn. — For the first time in decades, it’s possible to see three Northern Pacific steam locomotives gathered in a roundhouse, thanks to the efforts of the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM). The museum is exhibiting two NP 4-6-2s and a 4-6-0 at its former Great Northern Railway Jackson Street Roundhouse in St. Paul. […]
TORONTO — April 24,1955, was what Canadian Pacific publicity mavens characterized as a “Red Letter Day,” because that was when its new silver flagship, the Canadian, debuted with daily departures from Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Seventy years later, VIA Rail Canada commemorated the occasion with a high-profile sendoff of its version of the train — […]
HILL CITY, S.D.— If you had a question, needed a photo, or just wanted to chat about railroading in South Dakota, there was only one person to go to: Rick W. Mills. Mills, who wrote several books on South Dakota railroading and served as the curator of the South Dakota Railroad Museum, died unexpected April […]
The Lexington Group for Transportation History has announced the establishment of the H. Roger Grant Award for outstanding scholarship in railroad history. The $5,000 award, made possible through support of Julia Grant in honor of her father, Roger, will honor the best book, published by an academic or trade press, on the subject of railroad […]
I have a personal connection with a Budd-built Vista-Dome. In November 2018, my old friend and President and co-owner of New Hampshire’s Conway Scenic Railroad, Dave Swirk, called me, “Would you like to join me on a big adventure?” Before I realized what I was getting into, I said “Yes.” The railroad had just […]
FRESNO, Calif. — A Southern Pacific steam locomotive on display in a Fresno park for almost 70 years is about to receive a new home. SP No. 1238, a class S-10 Baldwin 0-6-0 built in 1918, is slated to be moved from Fresno’s Roeding Park to the city of Kingsburg, about 24 miles to the […]
GOLDEN, Colo. — The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club will merge with the Colorado Railroad Museum, the two organizations have announced, allowing the efforts of the club to continue even as it disbands after 87 years. “This merger will formally end the work of the Rocky Club, but our goal is to nurture the continuation of […]
Typical of their brethren everywhere, even a century after the fact many railroaders still called certain southern Michigan branchline segments “the Air Line.” But unlike many such monikers elsewhere for short-cuts or straight-track segments, this one had an ancestor with that actual name. The Michigan Air Line Railroad was planned to link the Canada […]
