One of Norfolk & Western’s streamlined J-class 4-8-4s leads the Memphis–WashingtonTennessean east between Roanoke and Lynchburg, Va., in 1954. Southern Railway diesels brought the train to Bristol, Tenn., and will take over again at Lynchburg. W.A. Akin Jr. photo […]
Section: Photo of the Day
Winter wonderland
The eastbound Western Star kicks up snow as it approaches a freight at the west end of the Tintah, Minn., siding on February 14, 1969. The Star carried Nos. 27 and 28 at the time. Howard S. Patrick photo […]
Western Star
EMD SDP45s were the last passenger locomotives Great Northern purchased. A few months after the Burlington Northern merger, SDP45 No. 9860 leads the Western Star at Eureka, Mont., on September 7, 1970. Doug Wingfield photo […]
New Mexico tragedy
On September 5, 1956, the Santa Fe’s Chief and Fast Mail collided at Robinson, N.M., killing 20 passengers and crew. Here, sleeping car Pine Rapids and an F unit from the Chief rest perpendicular to the tracks after the incident. Johnny Casick photo […]
Pennsy steam prowess
A Pennsylvania Railroad T1 4-4-4-4 pauses with an eastbound train at Fort Wayne, Ind. The railroad had 52 such “duplex” steam locomotives, along with other wheel arrangements. Robert A. Hadley photo […]
Rutland review
An eastbound milk train from Ogdensburg, N.Y., passes the joint Rutland/Central Vermont station at Alburgh, Vt., in October 1951, behind green-and-yellow Alco RS3 No. 204. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
Thompson Falls
In the Rocky Mountains, an agent hoops up orders to an eastbound freight at Thompson Falls, Mont., powered by W-5 class 2-8-2 No. 1849. John W. Maxwell photo […]
Granger scene
At terminal elevators, grain doors were stacked, collected, and sorted by the Western Weighing and Inspection Bureau for shipment back to originating railroads. These doors are stored by Milwaukee Road outside-braced boxcars. Library of Congress photo […]
Katy steam
Missouri-Kansas-Texas 4-6-2 No. 385 leads the Katy Limited south of Dallas in February 1948. The railroad’s locomotives characteristically had lots of white trim along with enameled heralds on the tender sides. C.W. Witbeck photo […]
Lindenwood Yard
St. Louis-San Francisco 4-8-2 No. 1516 leads train No. 1 through Lindenwood Yard in St. Louis in 1940. The Frisco had 30 such locomotives, Nos. 1500–1529, built by Baldwin beginning in 1923. William Barham photo, Don Wirth collection […]
Man power
In the 1910s, automobiles were shipped as “knock-downs,” with the bodies removed from the chassis and then loaded in boxcars. This is Ford’s Highland Park, Mich., plant in 1915. Ford Motor Co. photo […]
Monongahela monsters
One of Pittsburgh & West Virginia’s seven 2-6-6-4s leads a freight across the Monongahela River at Belle Vernon, Pa., near Pittsburgh. Ralph E. Hallock photo […]