Words of Wisdom from CSX’s first CEO

Yellow, blue, orange painted "Chessie" locomotives and a caboose appear in a rail yard.

Last fall, Editor Jim Wrinn posed a few questions to retired CSX Chairman Hays Watkins. Living in retirement in Virginia, Watkins answered by email. Here’s what he wrote us about his own experiences, Amtrak, precision scheduled railroading, and other issues of the day. The text has been lightly edited for style or clarity. What’s the […]

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Uncovering a desirable Lionel N5c Pennsy caboose

Lionel O gauge porthole postwar caboose

Lionel porthole caboose origins Lionel’s designers and marketers took significant steps in 1953 to expand and upgrade its roster of O gauge rolling stock. They introduced near-scale freight cars, notably larger and more realistic boxcars and a flatcar. They brought out for the first time a triple-dome tank car. And they distinguished the line with […]

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Motorcycle special recalls Amtrak’s era of experiments

Motorcycle rider waiving while driving.

  In the 1990s Amtrak managers sought to use mail and express business to bolster revenue. A byproduct of that initiative, which involved beefing up baggage handling facilities and acquisition of boxcars, was aggressively seeking ways to use equipment. New Hampshire-based motorcycle event promoter Charlie St. Clair was a member of Amtrak’s Customer Advisory Committee […]

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Remembering the New York Central System — Part 2

Streamlined diesel locomotives at passenger terminal. Five mind-blowing facts — New York Central passenger trains.

To read Part I of George Drury’s New York Central History, click here History of the New York Central System The New York Central was a large railroad, and it had several subsidiaries whose identity remained strong, not so much in cars and locomotives carrying the old name but in local loyalties: If you lived […]

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Remembering the New York Central System — Part 1

Steam locomotive at speed with passenger train.

To read Part 2 of George Drury’s New York Central history, click here History of the New York Central System The New York Central was a large railroad, and it had several subsidiaries whose identity remained strong, not so much in cars and locomotives carrying the old name but in local loyalties: If you lived […]

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Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives remembered

4-4-2 steam locomotive

  Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives moved freight to and from docks and lake boats. See a sampling of those locomotives with this photo gallery of Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives, only from Classic Trains! If you like this gallery, you may also enjoy an article on AA’s history or an Ann Arbor passenger train photo gallery. […]

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Remembering Ann Arbor Railroad passenger trains

Ann Arbor 4-4-2 steam locomotive with passenger train at station.

  Ann Arbor Railroad photographs are among the tens of thousands housed in the David P. Morgan Library at Kalmbach Media. This week’s selection highlights the short and fairly short distance passenger trains that zipped across the Ann Arbor’s lines. Please enjoy this gallery, only from Classic Trains! […]

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Remembering the Ann Arbor Railroad

An engineer receives paper orders from a hoop in a red-painted locomotive leading a freight train.

History of the Ann Arbor Railroad The Ann Arbor Railroad was as much a steamship line as a railroad. Built from Toledo, Ohio, northwest to Frankfort, Mich., it existed for one reason — to move freight in car ferries across Lake Michigan to bypass Chicago. From 1910 to 1968, “the Annie” operated 320 car ferry […]

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Locomotives of the New York, Ontario & Western Railway

A steam switching locomotive.

  Locomotives are the focus of this week’s Classic Trains salute to the New York, Ontario & Western Railway. The NYO&W is Classic Trains’ Railroad of the Month for November 2020. You might also enjoy an article outlining the Old and Weary’s history, a passenger train photo gallery, or an all-freight train photo gallery. We hope […]

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