Led by 1936 power unit 9905 Zephyrus, the Twin Cities Zephyr rolls down Second Street in La Crosse, Wis., circa 1939. The slow street running was an obstacle when competing with Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road for Chicago to Twin Cities traffic. Elden H. Hunter photo […]
The Canadian National’s 4-8-4 U-4s were striking machines from any angle. Colors were black with green stripes, cab, and tender, accented by gold trim and white tires. This scene is at Spadina roundhouse in Toronto, on March 10, 1957. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
Louisville & Nashville 4-6-2 No. 240 leads a northbound local passenger train across the big bridge over the Red River south of Winchester, Ky., in May 1952. Photo by Ed Theisinger […]
Erie Lackawanna bought both EMD’s standard SD45 (No. 3602, right) and the lengthened version designated SDP45 (3639, left). The extra space at the rear of the SDP45 was intended to house a steam generator for passenger service, and the additional space between the trucks accommodated a tank for fuel oil and one for water for […]
In a March 1942 scene at Raceland Junction, La., on Southern Pacific’s Texas & New Orleans subsidiary, 4-6-2 No. 612 approaches with a westbound troop extra as First 242 waits in the clear. Harold K. Vollrath photo […]
Interstate Railroad 2-8-2 No. 15, a former Pennsylvania Railroad L1s Mikado, makes a smoky departure from IRR’s yard at Andover, Va., in May 1952. Photo by Ed Theisinger […]
Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier motor 122 is loaded at Rainelle, W.Va., with LCL and mail, plus a few passengers. The motors required a four-man crew: engineer, conductor, freight handler, and mailman. NF&G, owned by New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio, ran its motors on four routes. James R. Greene photo […]
Pittsburgh & West Virginia’s Connellsville, Pa., line was rife with major bridges. Biggest of all was this colossal crossing of the Monongahela River, seen in March 1950 supporting a 2-6-6-4 and freight 99. The three main spans had a lower level for the Monessen Southwestern, but it never used them. Ralph E. Hallock photo […]
In 1968, workers load Missouri Pacific Railway Post Office cars at St. Louis Union Station. As passengers deserted the trains, mail became an increasingly important revenue source — until the Post Office Department pulled most mail off the trains in 1967. Wayne Leeman photo […]
Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern freight extra 362 south meets northbound car 72, running as Boone–Fort Dodge train 1, at Hope, Iowa. The freight, powered by an ex-Oregon Electric motor, has backed onto the Rockwell City branch to clear the passenger train in this April 1955 interurban vignette. William D. Middleton photo […]
General Electric 2504 was one of four red-and-white U25B demonstrator diesels that toured the nation in 1962. One, No. 2501, was the first U25B with a low nose; the others had the high nose that was just then falling from favor. Nos. 2501–2504 went to Union Pacific after their tour. Photo by J. David Ingles […]
A three-unit set of dark blue-and-gray Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac F7s brings a northbound freight train into Alexandria, Va., in December 1949. The train is bound for RF&P’s big Potomac Yard, about a mile ahead. Photo by Charles Wales […]
