The American Freedom Train steam locomotives were stars in their own right during the U.S. Bicentennial tour. From 1975 to 1976, a total of three each took turns leading the 26-car exhibit train full of American artifacts through 48 contiguous states. What were these patriotic steam stars and where are they now? Southern Pacific No. […]
What is your history with Trains? Carl Swanson: I hired on with Kalmbach twenty-five years ago after previous stints with another publisher where I was editor of Passenger Train Journal and RailNews magazines. In 1999, I became an associate editor with Trains Magazine. For a lifelong railfan, and long-time reader of Trains, this was a dream […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Genesee Valley Transportation has agreed to acquire the Alco PA locomotive restored by preservationist Doyle McCormack and will run the unit on main line passenger excursions, the short line company announced today. McCormack and GVT Rail President Michael D. Thomas finalized the agreement in a meeting Wednesday at the Oregon Rail Heritage […]
Monon Railroad history is tied to Indiana state history. Imagine a meandering Midwestern railway constructed through difficult, sparsely settled territory and soon bankrupt as a result, discovering upon completion that it had been built between the wrong cities. It would attempt to rectify early mistakes through expensive acquisitions of adjoining railroads, and trackage rights […]
When created in 1976, lowering the flags of several once-proud but troubled Northeastern railroads, it was shockingly new. But that was 44 years ago. Moreover, it’s been more than two decades since Conrail itself became a fallen flag. Here is a photo of classic Conrail. The train is eastbound at Canaseraga, N.Y., 13 miles […]
The railroad with the largest 2-10-0 Decapod fleet should come as no surprise. Throughout most of its history, the Pennsylvania Railroad called itself “The Standard Railroad of the World,” and yet in so many ways it was anything but “standard.” From position-light signals along its right-of-way to Belpaire boilers for its steam locomotives to […]
Louisville & Nashville diesel locomotives show a variety that was typical for the era. The railroad’s roster was largely comprised of Alco and EMD models, but the road also sampled Baldwin and GE switchers and later GE road power. In the 1960s, L&N management opted to stick with what it knew, acquiring a number of […]
The Alco C855 locomotives is a locomotive that Union Pacific should have never considered purchasing. The railroad’s operating department had always favored big motive power to move its mainline trains; just look at its 4-12-2 Union Pacifics, 4-6-6-4 Challengers, and 4-8-8-4 Big Boys in steam days. That philosophy carried over to a fleet […]
Monon Railroad diesel locomotives showed a variety of models from four builders. The Monon began dieselizing after World War II in 1946. It opted for EMD F3 units for mainline freight and passenger service and with EMD BL2s and Alco RS2s for locals. An A-B-A set of F3s started as EMD demonstrators. The […]
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Transportation Museum will repaint its former Great Northern Railway SDP40 No. 325 into GN’s simplified orange and green color scheme, the museum announced to members. A museum member has agreed to fund the over $60,000 cost to have the engine repainted. MTM also has a large collection of GN […]
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — The Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie has acquired a Series VI Talgo Bistro car for preservation, the museum has announced. The museum has announced the car — the last surviving Series VI car — is due to arrive today from a scrap yard in Indianapolis. While the car was donated, with its […]
An overview of garden railroading: Garden railroading is the art of combining a model railroad and a beautiful garden to create a railway-like atmosphere. The difference between a traditional indoor layout and a garden railway is the difference between realism and reality. Indoors, the goal is to create the illusion of reality through the use […]
