It’s before sunrise on April 12, 1863, at the Atlanta Car Shed, and Western & Atlantic 4-4-0 locomotive The General is steaming up for its 4 a.m. run to Chattanooga, Tenn. While the crew eats breakfast at the Lacy Hotel, about 20 Union soldiers disguised as civilians will commandeer the train, leading to the events […]
Zone & Region: Midwest
Yooper utility
Two of the Lake Superior & Ishpeming’s three Alco RS2 road-switchers power one of the railroad’s freight trains. The LS&I, which once stretched 103 miles linking Munising, Marquette, and Ishpeming in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, continues to haul iron ore. A. C. Kalmbach photo […]
Safety comes in cans
I can. You can. We can. Chessie System reminded its employees to remain safe on the job with this sign at Barr Yard near Chicago. Jim Hediger photo […]
Nickel Plate diesels
The Nickel Plate Road’s road-switcher scheme of black with three yellow stripes, plus yellow safety stripes on the ends, was simple but eye catching. Here, GP9s 510, 486, and 454 roll through Bellevue, Ohio, in summer 1959. The small “NYC&StL” on the short hood alludes to the road’s formal name: New York, Chicago & St. […]
Innovation ended
Hundreds of small towns had piggyback ramps through the 1960s, as seen here on the Minneapolis & St. Louis in 1959. However, moving one or two trailers at a time proved economically unviable. J. David Ingles collection […]
The HO scale Midwest & Southern Atlantic Railroad
Dale Martell’s HO scale Midwest & Southern Atlantic fits a variety of 1950s scenes into a compact 8 x 22-foot space. In this short video, watch trains run along the M&SA main line. […]
The HO scale Midwest & Southern Atlantic Railroad
Dale Martell’s HO scale Midwest & Southern Atlantic fits a variety of 1950s scenes into a compact 8 x 22-foot space. In this short video, watch trains run along the M&SA main line. […]
MPI work now fully relocated to Wabtec plant in Erie
ERIE, Pa. — At first glance the 111-year-old locomotive plant built by General Electric in Erie looks no different, but new signs emphasize GE is no longer part of Erie. A new era has begun. So what is happening in Erie more than a year after Wabtec took control? The biggest change includes the integration […]
CN, CP interchange dispute in Chicago drags on
WASHINGTON — The long-simmering Chicago interchange dispute between Canadian National and Canadian Pacific is bubbling over again. Both railroads continue to exchange cars at the Belt Railway of Chicago’s Clearing Yard, as they have under an August 2019 interim agreement that shifted the interchange location from Spaulding in Bartlett, Ill. But CN in April told […]
Port Harbor Railroad unveils units honoring first responders, veterans NEWSWIRE
The Port Harbor Railroad in Granite City, Ill., has unveiled units honoring first responders and veterans. Steve Smedley Port Harbor’s Dominic Montero, left, designed the paint schemes for the two locomotives. He was joined at the unveiling by his father, Mario, of the St. Louis Fire Department. Steve Smedley GRANITE CITY, Ill. — The Port Harbor […]
Amtrak asks STB to settle dispute with Metra over Chicago Union Station, seeks more than $17 million annually (updated)
The dispute between Amtrak and Metra over Chicago Union Station is back before the Surface Transportation Board. TRAINS: David Lassen WASHINGTON — Amtrak has filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board asking the agency to settle its ongoing dispute with Metra over terms and compensation for Chicago commuter railroad’s use of the Amtrak-owned Chicago […]
KC Streetcar seeks federal OK to advance extension NEWSWIRE
More Wednesday morning rail news: Kansas City streetcar extension receives FTA go-ahead Kansas City, Mo., has received clearance from the Federal Transit Agency to advance to the next phase of the planned KC Streetcar Main Street Extension. The Streetcar Authority announced Tuesday that that FTA approved the project to enter the New Starts Engineering phase […]