Most famous GG1

20190419

Freshly washed GG1 No. 4876 leaves Wilmington, Del., with the Executive. On Jan. 15, 1953, the locomotive was involved in a runaway wreck that dropped it into the basement of Washington Union Station. R.H. Braun photo Freshly washed GG1 No. 4876 leaves Wilmington, Del., with the Executive. On Jan. 15, 1953, the locomotive was involved in […]

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Mixed freight

20190424

Seaboard Air Line train No. 280 heads northbound near Aberdeen, N.C., with several piggyback trailers in 1962. Trailers include Pennsy, Fruit Growers Express, and Chesapeake & Ohio. J. David Ingles collection […]

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A wise aunt, a rare book, and the P Company

Steam locomotive with freight train under truss bridge

Like some railfan contemporaries, in recent weeks I’ve been going through decades of railroad stuff, seeing what I can get rid of and what I simply can’t live without. Tough choices. In the “can’t live without” category, anything with David P. Morgan’s name on it, or anything labeled “New York Central” or “C&EI.” In the […]

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Lackawanna power

20190425

In August 1958, Alco HH660 No. 409 rests on an outdoor turntable lead at Scranton, Pa. The track is now part of Steamtown. Railroad Avenue Enterprises, Bob Bahrs collection […]

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Joint Line

20190408

Eight Santa Fe and Burlington Northern engines power a Santa Fe freight on the Rio Grande-owned northbound Joint Line track at Castle Rock, Colo., in 1973. Mel Patrick photo […]

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Milwaukee Road’s EMD SDL39 diesel locomotives

Black-and-orange diesel EMD SDL39 diesel locomotives with white lettering

Milwaukee Road’s EMD SDL39 diesel locomotives came from the road’s desire to replace aging Alco RSC2 units in branchline service.     The Milwaukee Road custom-ordered the lightweight SDL39 specifically for use on its light-rail branch lines. The railroad bought five of the locomotives in 1969, Nos. 581-585. It followed with an order for another […]

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Grand Central transfer

20190422

Seen from the Roosevelt Road viaduct, Soo Line 2-8-0 No. 468 pulls out of Grand Central Station with a transfer run in June 1953. Directly above the engine, across the Chicago River, is the Pennsylvania Railroad’s massive Polk Street freight house. Robert R. Malinoski photo […]

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What’s behind today’s intermodal equipment

Two red and light locomotive leading train of containers

Intermodal equipment If you’re trackside, odds are you’re going to see an intermodal train. Intermodal made up 49% of the 34 million units of freight carried by U.S. railroads last year, more than four times higher than coal, the next largest commodity. Odds are that intermodal train will mostly have railcars owned by TTX, a […]

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George Washington

20190409

Chesapeake & Ohio’s George Washington roars through Mayville, Ky., in an undated photo. No. 491 was an F-19 class 4-6-2 built by Richmond and later rebuilt as a 4-6-4. Lucius Beebe photo […]

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Fledgling museum

20190423

Rolling stock of the Colorado Railroad Museum huddles on a few tracks in Golden. A Galloping Goose is visible at far left along with a selection of narrow gauge steam and Burlington Route 4-8-4 No. 5629. Across the street is the Coors brewery. Classic Trains collection […]

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