Searchlight signals stand guard a few miles north of Mojave, Calif., in September 2010. The location is Milepost 377.1. Photo by William Steck […]
Standing guard
Section: Railroads
Manned helpers still labor on Norfolk Southern’s Pocahontas Division
Norfolk Southern’s Pocahontas Division is one of the most challenging areas of railroading in the United States. The division is host to several coal trains a day between Bluefield and Williamson, W.Va. The Pocahontas Division is one of the last manned helper districts, and the tonnage moved on the railroad is something to behold. Be […]
Joint Line congestion
A BNSF loaded coal train approaches the Evans Avenue overpass in Denver, Colo., as two empty hopper trains wait to make their way north on Feb. 8, 2014. Photo by Michael S. Murray […]
Indiana Northeastern locomotive roster
Indiana Northeastern GP30s Nos. 2185 and 2230 approach the Fox Lake Road overpass at Angola, Ind. Steve Smedley Veteran photojournalist Steve Smedley documents the history and operations of shortline Indiana Northeastern, and pays tribute to the line’s hand-me-down GP30s and hard-working railroaders in “Second-generation Sojourn” in Locomotive 2014. Explore the line’s entire all-EMD roster here […]
A hard way to make a living
Illinois Central 2-8-2 Mikado 1544 is eastbound at Villa Park, Ill., on a cold day in 1951. Henry M. Stange Some years ago, after a reunion of my old 10th Engineer Battalion at Springfield, Ill., I boarded Amtrak’s Statehouse for Chicago. I’d never ridden the former Chicago & Alton before, but I was eager to […]
Guests in the Gorge
Canadian National power leads a westbound BNSF grain train through the Columbia River Gorge on April 1, 2013. Photo by David Lassen […]
Campaigning to preserve the route of the Southwest Chief
FULL SCREEN Bob Johnston A 120-car BNSF empty coal train slinks west through a 30-mph speed restriction 10 miles east of Syracuse, Kan., on July 13. Once a raceway for the Super Chief and other streamliners, the Kansas portion of the line was downgraded under the current operating contract to 60 mph maximum passenger speeds […]
Beer, cheese, and paper
Canadian National local freight L518 heads north into Fond du Lac, Wis., with a train of empty paper boxcars from Quad Graphics in Lomira on Aug. 4, 2012. Photo by Craig Williams […]
Southern Railway No. 4501 returns to steam
FULL SCREEN FULL SCREEN FULL SCREEN One of the most famous steam locomotives in America is returning to steam. Southern Railway 2-8-2 No. 4501 has emerged from Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s Soule Shops after an extensive overhaul. The 1911 Baldwin Mikado is ready for a new career on the point of Norfolk Southern 21st Century […]
Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 18 – Montana Rail Link local operations
Drew’s “Epic” Trackside Adventure now heads into Montana, home of the Montana Rail Link. Drew’s expedition guide and Trains art director Tom “Sherpa” Danneman knows this regional railroad success story like the back of his hand, so join the MRVP crew as they trace the MRL main line from Billings, Mont., to the shops and […]
Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 17 – Powder River Basin, Wyoming
And so the epic Drew’s Trackside Adventure to Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota begins! After drawing up plans for this three-state railfan trip, Drew and Trains art director Tom Danneman hit the road for their first stop in Wyoming coal country. MRVP cameras are there as BNSF and Union Pacific coal traffic keeps the rails of the […]
Sign of the times
A southbound intermodal passes Redding, Calif., in March 2010 with SD70M No. 4239 in the lead. Photo by John Roskoski […]
