More Thursday morning rail news: Metro-North, Long Island RR reach PTC milestones Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road have reached significant milestones in positive train control implementation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. Metro-North has operability on 100% of its rail lines, while all Long Island equipment is now PTC equipped. Metro-North still needs […]
Zone & Region: Northeast
With a splash of grape juice, East Broad Top returns to operation (corrected)
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — On Aug. 13, 1960, Millie Kovalchick smashed a bottle of Canada Dry ginger ale on the front coupler of East Broad Top Railroad 2-8-2 No. 12, officially reopening the East Broad Top as a tourist carrier. Sixty years to the day later, Millie Kovalchick Glinsky did it again — this time […]
Remembering the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway — a history
History of the Lehigh & Hudson River Railway The Lehigh & Hudson River Railway was a bridge route in the most literal sense. For much of its lifetime, New England freight moving via the 6,747-foot-long (including approaches), 212-foot-high Poughkeepsie Bridge over the Hudson River at that New York town was L&HR’s essential lifeblood and key […]
Digest: NJ Transit, Amtrak reach agreement to replace Portal Bridge
Tuesday morning rail news: NJ Transit approves agreement to replace Portal Bridge, Northeast Corridor trouble spot An agreement to replace New Jersey’s infamous Portal Bridge on the Northeast Corridor is finally in place. NJ.com reports that the NJ Transit board of directors has unanimously approved an agreement with Amtrak, owner of the bridge, to replace […]
Backdating the East Broad Top: how much is too much?
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — With rehabilitation and restoration of the East Broad Top Railroad under way, the EBT Foundation staff is beginning to deal with the issue of backdating. How far and how much should it change in order to give the property the appearance of its common-carrier days (1870s-1956)? A recent trip through Rockhill […]
“The ankle-view train”
An article about the Pennsylvania Railroad’s new Keystone train in October 1956 Trains magazine (reprinted in 2015 in Classic Trains’ special edition More Trains of the 1950s) was titled “The Ankle-View Train” because of the unusual perspective the low-profile coaches afforded their riders when stopped at high-level platforms. This scene at Newark, N.J., explains all. Pennsylvania Railroad photo […]
On30 Marshfield & Old Colony
The layout at a glance Name: Marshfield & Old Colony Layout owner: Michael Tylick Scale: On30 (1:48 proportion on 30″ gauge track) Size: 8 x 16 feet Prototype: freelanced Locale: Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island Era: 1920s and 1930s Mainline run: 25 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: handlaid, approximately no. 4 Maximum grade: 2 […]
Restoration of Reading 2100 receives boost from Reading & Northern
American Steam Railroad, which is restoring Reading T-1 4-8-4 No. 2100, has received a notable assist in its efforts from the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, which is restoring sister locomotive No. 2102. While visiting the Reading & Northern shops in Port Clinton, Pa., to inspect the progress on 2102, the American Steam group […]
New England’s Pan Am Railways for sale
BILLERICA, Mass. — New England regional Pan Am Railways is for sale. The privately held company, owned by 78-year-old Tim Mellon and other investors, has enlisted BMO Financial Group to assist with a potential sale transaction, according to multiple railroad industry sources. Pan Am officials did not respond to a request for comment. Industry observers […]
SEPTA, NJ Transit, Metro Transit announce service increases
Thursday morning rail news in brief: SEPTA to increase Regional Rail service starting Sunday The Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will increase Regional Rail service on most lines as of Sunday, June 28, to reflect increasing activity in the Philadelphia area after COVID-19 closures. Weekday hourly service will return on most lines as of Monday, July […]
Remembering the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway
In historic TH&B turf, against the backdrop of Lake Ontario and amid the vineyards at aptly named Vinemount, Ontario, Geeps 76 and 77 roll the Port Maitland local east on March 29, 1982. Greg McDonnell History of the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Canada, thanks to its two transcontinental giants after 1923, had few small “regional” […]
Unintended clearance test
At the time of their merger in 1968, both the Pennsylvania and New York Central had extensive intermodal operations, with PRR using conventional Trailer Train cars in piggyback service and NYC using Flexi-Van equipment in an early form of containerized traffic. Penn Central retained both systems initially, but Flexi-Van traffic gradually declined. By late […]