The year was 1939, and 29-year-old British stockbroker Nicholas Winton was set to leave for Switzerland on a ski holiday when he answered his phone. It was a friend conducting humanitarian aid in Prague, Czechoslovakia. This friend described the refugee camps in which he worked, and asked Winton to abandon his holiday, come to Prague, […]
Section: History
Cascade Tunnel promo
Great Northern issued this promotional diagram in advance of its opening of the Cascade Tunnel at Stevens Pass, Wash. The January 2010 issue of TRAINS explores another option GN could have used to cross the mountain range. […]
Wired up: The stages of U.S. railroad electrification
U.S. railroad electrification In 1939, the United States was the global leader in railroad electrification, with over 20% of the world’s total. Today, electrification is a non-factor on almost all American railroads outside the Northeast Corridor. How did this happen? The heady projects from the early 20th century that propelled the U.S. to world leader […]
Graphics Promoting Tourism
John Gruber collection John Gruber collection John Gruber collection John Gruber collection In the 1920s, the United States poured millions into a federal highway program that coincided with the automakers’ creation of lower-cost cars. The developments enabled almost all Americans the freedom to travel independently for the first time. But personal cars – even limousines […]
Railbuses & Motor cars: Would you ride one of these?
Railbuses & Motor cars Railbuses and motor cars have run all over North America. Here are some other outrageous conveyances rail passengers have sampled over the years. This Kalamazoo, Mich., railbus was operated by the Alaska Railroad during summers to transport passengers between Portage and Whittier, south of Anchorage. Known as the “Ice Worm,” the […]
Railroad History in a Nutshell
Railroad History in a Nutshell Two coal trains in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming illustrate the astonishing growth of railroad freight in the U.S. and Canada. Matt Van Hattem North American railroading has a rich past. How can it all be encapsulated? Where can you go to learn its roots? The Center for Railroad […]
Lionel 1957 Super O layout
Steve Garofalo’s Super O layout celebrates Lionel’s 1957 showroom layout. Download this PDF of a 12-page look at the original 1957 layout. Lionel 1957 Super O layout […]
Reading Co. Office Car No. 15
Now on display at the Reading Co. Technical & Historical Society’s Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, Pa., office car No. 15, the Henry E. Huntington, led a rich life. No. 15 served the Reading for 40 years. Then, Philip and Diana Goldman purchased, preserved, and used the car. Author of “Going Home” in August […]
EXCLUSIVE: Hunter Harrison, In His Own Words
Jim McClellan Almost bigger than life, Hunter Harrison had profound influences on the Canadian National and Illinois Central railroads (IC is now part of CN). In its August 2009 issue, Trains Magazine examines the legacy that this complex man will leave when he steps down as CN’s chief executive at the start of 2010. What’s […]
Erie Railroad’s Waldwick Tower preserved
Before: Erie’s 1890 tower showed serious signs of deterioration by the early 200s when restoration work had begun. Curtis Springstead Ten years of dreams and five years of hard work will come to fruition at the end of 2009 when the former Erie Railroad WC Tower in Waldwick, N.J., reopens as a museum. The tower […]
McCloud River Railroad: as seen through Ted Benson’s lens
In our June 2009 feature “A McCloud River Remembrance,” we brought you a photo essay of this fallen flag, as documented through the lens of rail photography legend Ted Benson. Of course, when it comes to Benson’s photography, there’s never enough room, so here’s a few more stunning shots of recent history. By summer 2005, […]
Galveston Railroad Museum flood damage
Magma Arizona 2-8-0 No. 5, with No. 555 on its Vanderbilt tender, and Galveston Railroad Museum Executive Director Morris S. Gould. Gregory DL Morris A wood boxcar shows damage from flooding caused by Hurricane Ike in September 2008. Gregory DL Morris The Galveston Railroad Museum suffered about $8 million in damage in September 2008 when […]
