33 railroad places you need to visit in the East

A Florida East Coast train.

A Florida East Coast train. TRAINS: Tom Danneman A version of this list was previously published in the November 2015 issue of Trains Magazine. 1 RAHWAY, N.J. Google Image search Six tracks abreast proclaim speed and intensity on the Northeast Corridor. 2 THURMOND, W.VA. Trip Advisor entry Classic 20th century coal and railroad town deep in the […]

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The Big Boy up close and personal

People watching Big Boy locomotive approach

A bit of a departure from my model railroad, but worth the journey to experience the real thing … and I mean EXPERIENCE! Count the rivets … smell the tar … feel the steam … vibrate with the ground … as THE BIG BOY rolls by an arms length away. Enjoy this intimate view of […]

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The Big Boy up close and personal

People watching Big Boy locomotive approach

A bit of a departure from my model railroad, but worth the journey to experience the real thing … and I mean EXPERIENCE! Count the rivets … smell the tar … feel the steam … vibrate with the ground … as THE BIG BOY rolls by an arms length away. Enjoy this intimate view of […]

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Remembering the Nickel Plate Road

As an eastbound clears in the distance, Nickel Plate 779, Lima’s last 2-8-4, and a sister placed five cars back because of bridge weight restrictions, leave NH Tower near North East, Pa., in March 1957.

As an eastbound clears in the distance, Nickel Plate 779, Lima’s last 2-8-4, and a sister placed five cars back because of bridge weight restrictions, leave NH Tower near North East, Pa., in March 1957. Jim Shaughnessy History and major events of the Nickel Plate Road The New York, Chicago & St. Louis opened between […]

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Research sources for prototype railroad information

CNW Crystal Lake 1960s

Not everyone has a fabulous railroad library to work from, but the library at the Model Railroader offices didn’t get me as far as you’d think. Following is a short list of places I’ve found amazing stuff when looking for research: • Most railroads have a historical society, so it’s good to have an up-to-date […]

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A busy urban model railroad

HO scale Canadian Pacific Montreal Terminals_01

  Prototype operations weren’t the focus of many model railroaders when I started work on my HO scale layout in 1988. But I had a clear vision of an operations-oriented layout that would depict the Canadian Pacific Ry.’s Montreal Terminals Division in Canada’s second largest city in the late 1960s. That was when I spent […]

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A young railfan’s “lucky mistake”

NYC4208

Not a Berkshire, but not bad: New York Central PA diesel No. 4208 and an unidentified PB hurry through Willoughby, Ohio, on Dec. 19, 1954. J. W. Swanberg I grew up in Connecticut, but my parents came from Minnesota, so all our relatives were there. Dad drove us to the Twin Cities at least once a […]

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Southern Pacific’s Golden State meets the Sunset Limited

Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum

Name: Robert Mayer Forum User Name: bobntrains Railroad Name: San Diego 3 Railers, Paradise & Pacific, Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum Location: San Diego Ca., Scottsdale Az., Tucson Az. Scale: O Theme: Southwest Description: This video takes the viewer on a journey with Southern Pacific’s Golden State and Sunset Limited through the southwest. […]

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