An A-B-A set of F units departs San Francisco with Southern Pacific train 372, the piggyback-heavy Advance Overnight for Los Angeles, in August 1955. William Harry photo […]
Early SP intermodal train
Tag: History
5 Class I railroads with prominent narrow gauge in the 20th century
At the dawn of the 20th century, dusk was approaching for the narrow gauge (3 feet or smaller between the rails) fad that began roughly 30 years prior. As 4’ 8 ½” officially became the “standard” gauge, as it remains to this day, retaining multiple rail lines in different gauges no longer made sense for […]
Atlas O Premier SD70MAC
The headliner of the spring 2023 Atlas catalog was the SD70MAC, a classic six-axle diesel electric locomotive. The SD70MAC was produced by General Motor’s Electro-Motive Division (EMD) in the 1990s. The SD70MAC was part of the transition from DC to AC traction motors. These AC powered locomotives would prove to be more efficient while in […]
Don Toles, caretaker of Cajon Pass’ Hill 582, dies at 97
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Don Toles, avid Southern California railfan and caretaker of Hill 582 on Cajon Pass, died Jan. 17, 2026, in San Bernardino, Calif. He was 97. Toles was well known in the local train-watching community thanks to his constant tending of the Hill 582 site, getting rid of leaves, cleaning out garbage, […]
Troop train on the Rio Grande
Denver & Rio Grande Western 4-8-2 1705 raises an impressive smoke plume as it lifts a troop train up the Front Range of the Rockies at Tolland, Colo., on May 16, 1943. Robert McKell photo […]
Preservation in 2025: Year’s highlights cover wide spectrum of projects
The list of 2025 rail preservation happenings is long. There are many organizations working on numerous fronts and making significant progress toward preserving America’s railroad heritage. The past 12 months have seen new buildings open, steam locomotives fired up, and relics discovered. Narrowing down the list, here are 10 of the most significant 2025 rail preservation […]
Turbine orphan
Westinghouse and partner Baldwin fielded an experimental 4,000 h.p. B-B+B-B gas-turbine-electric in 1950. Dubbed the “Blue Goose” because of its paint scheme (and perhaps for its unusual appearance), No. 4000, pictured at Chicago on the Chicago & North Western, generated no orders. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
Atlas O announces two patriotic SD40-2 locomotives
Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, has announced two patriotic-themed SD40-2 diesel locomotives as part of the Premier line. The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway No. 1776 features red/white/blue graphics (30138695). The Reading & Northern No. 1776 is based on a paint scheme announced on Veterans Day 2025 to commemorate […]
National Railroad Hall of Fame announces 2025 inductees
GALESBURG, Ill. — Former Norfolk Southern CEO David Goode, 1880s Santa Fe President William Strong, and former Santa Fe CEO John Reed are the 2025 inductees to the National Railroad Hall of Fame, the Galesburg-based organization has announced. The honorees were selected by the Hall of Fame’s national Rail Industry Advisory Group from among nine […]
Why I collect prewar trains in Standard and Wide Gauge
What do I collect? I collect original prewar trains in Standard and Wide Gauge, i.e. 2 1/8”. Lionel created the gauge in 1906, and called their trains the “Standard of the World.” Soon, Standard gauge caught on as a label, possibly to differentiate from other gauges at the time. When the Ives Toy Co. modified […]
The 2-8-4 Berkshire-type steam locomotive
It isn’t much of a stretch to proclaim the 2-8-4 Berkshire-type steam locomotive as the “poster child” of the Super Power era of steam locomotives. “Berkshire,” “Kanawha,” “Big Emma” — regardless of what they were called, the wheel configuration helped advance steam technology through size, speed, and power. The development of the Berkshire all started […]
Three times around the Christmas tree track plan
In the December 2006 issue of Classic Toy Trains, then-Editor Neil Besougloff presented his design for a “three times around the tree” layout. It has since become a favorite with many readers and has inspired several holiday layouts. We’re presenting Neil’s original plan, featuring Lionel O-42 tubular track curves, a tunnel, and a 45-degree crossing. […]
