The electric Shay

The stack-top addition to John J. Craig Co. Shay No. 2147 may have caused more sparks than it arrested. T. G. King photo, C. K. Marsh Jr. collection Hard by the campus of the 1950’s-era University of Tennessee lay the modest Knoxville terminal of the storied Smoky Mountain Railroad. Several postwar railfan students, including me, […]

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K-28 Mikados: An engineman’s view

Durango & Silverton crew favorite 473 turns a photographers’ special on the Silverton wye during Railfest in August 2009. Her big plow was useful in fighting snow four months later. Robert S. McGonigal Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad engineer Jarrette Ireland assesses the K-28 Mikados:There are many reasons why I personally enjoy the K-28’s, […]

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Last Class 1 steam runs: Why isn’t my favorite railroad covered?

Lloyd Stagner’s book AMERICAN STEAM FINALE, 1954-1970 (South Platte Press, 2001; www.southplattepress.com) is the definitive resource on the end of steam on U.S. Class 1’s and short lines. In “Just Who Was First to Dieselize,” in Diesel Victory (2006), we mentioned 17 U.S. Class 1 railroads that dieselized early. To qualify for the list, the […]

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Unexpected Treasure

Rare find: Working in Cajon Pass helper service, Santa Fe center-cab Baldwin 2600 heads west at Summit. David Lustig collection I think I was about 14 or 15 when the word got out that I liked trains. It was not a secret, you understand, but unless I seriously misjudged him, I don’t think my father […]

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History according to Hediger 8

Person with model train table

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Model Railroader Senior Editor Jim Hediger grew up in Dearborn, Mich., and lived across the alley from Star Hobbies, a hobby shop owned by noted railroad photographer Emery Gulash. In this episode Jim shares an amusing story that demonstrates Emery’s legendary sense of […]

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A Tour Conductor’s trains

Train No., Name — To-From — Accommodation WESTERN TOURSAtchison, Topeka & Santa Fe19, The Chief — Chicago-Williams, Ariz. — Roomette17, El Capitan — Williams-Los Angeles — Coach74-77, San Diegans — Los Angeles-San Diego round trips — Coach123, Grand Canyon Limited — Chicago-Grand Canyon-Riverside, Calif. — Coach63, Golden Gate — Bakersfield-Merced-Richmond, Calif. — Coach1, San Francisco […]

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