Spring 2010

Spring 2010

By Angela Cotey | October 19, 2020

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

Classic Trains is a quarterly magazine celebrating the “golden years of railroading.” Each issue covers the North American railroad scene from the 1920s to the late 1970s with extraordinary photographs and compelling writing. Giant steam locomotives, colorful streamliners, down-home local trains, great passenger terminals, recollections of railroaders and train-watchers . . . they’re all in the pages of Classic Trains.

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Canadian Pacific: Last Day of Steam on a CPR Mixed

By David Plowden

An era draws to a close on March 29, 1960, in the chilly North Woods of Maine. See video of CPR steam in action

Baltimore & Ohio: Glimpses at Garrett

By J. David Ingles

Born too late: Witnessing Class 1 steam was a consequence of geography and age. See video of B&O steam in action

Illinois Central: A Day with the 2613

By J. Parker Lamb

Following a 4-8-2 on the Cairo Turn in January 1960 during IC’s last winter of steam. See video of IC 4-8-2’s in action

Missabe Road: Swan Song on the Range

By Robert C. Anderson

A teenager and his dad pursue steam in northern Minnesota during 1958-59.

Nickel Plate: Curtain Call at Conneaut

By Norm Herbert

NKP’s last active steam was not Berkshires on fast freights but humble 0-8-0’s in a yard.

Southern Pacific: The Fleet by the Bay

By Tom Dill

California’s last big steam show took place on the San Francisco Peninsula. See video of SP steam in action

Burlington Route: Centralia’s “Other” Steam Bastion

By Jim Shaughnessy

A 1956 Illinois Interlude was with the CB&Q, not the IC.

Norfolk & Western: Roanoke Remembered

By Roger Cook , Karl Zimmermann

Two boys from New Jersey ride a Pullman to the last great citadel of steam. See video of N&W steam in action

Northern Pacific: Northtown Memories

By David A. Nealy

In 1956-57, NP still operated an eclectic array of steam power at its Minneapolis yard.

Rio Grande: Slim Gauge, Long Careers

By Robert S. McGonigal

Classics Today: K-28 Mikados of 1923 are still earning a living on the Durango & Silverton. Read an engineer’s assessment of the K-28’s

Union Pacific: Snowy Show on Sherman Hill

By Frank Barry

A college sophomore gets caught in a blizzard in his quest to photograph UP’s Big Boys. See video of Big Boys and Challengers in action

Grand Trunk Western: Ride of a Lifetime

By Charles Chauncey Wells

A 12-year-old’s request for a cab ride puts him and his dad on board a streamlined 4-8-4.

Colorado & Southern: The Jim Ehernberger Special

By James L. Ehernberger

A July 1959 farewell-to-steam charter drew 27 riders-and had almost as many photo runbys! See video of C&S steam in action

Canadian National: Three Days in December

By James A. Brown

Steering clear of the “grunt buggies” on the Stratford Division in the last days of 1958. See video of CN steam in action

Lake Superior & Ishpeming: Last Gasps on the LS&I

By Norm Herbert

A brief stop at Marquette, Mich., in June 1959 paid off . . . barely.

The Asterisks*

*On a half-dozen otherwise dieselized railroads, specialized steam hung on after 1957. Learn more about the end of Class 1 steam

Departments

Editor’s Page

Steam’s golden anniversary

Contributors

Meet this issue’s crew

Head End

Items from railroad history, then and now

Fast Mail

Letters from our readers

True Color

Central of Georgia and Southern Railway diesels in Atlanta, 1957.

Fallen Flags Remembered

Chicago & Eastern Illinois, by Kevin P. Keefe

The Way It Was

Return Trip to Tucumcari • GG1 at Swarthmore • Santa Fe Train 76 vs. 17 Tons of Sand • IC 4-8-2 seen from a CB&Q Dome

Car Stop

West Penn Railways

Ready Track

Brief reviews of recent classic era railroad books and a DVD

Second Section

Who’s who on the C&S Ehernberger special

Bumping Post

E7’s at Bangor, Maine

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