Loading livestock at Silverton

Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad livestock cars in Silverton

The narrow-gauge Denver & Rio Grande Western did a lot of livestock business. Here, several stock cars are loaded with sheep in Silverton, Colo., in 1942. K-28 Mikado will lead the train back down to Durango. William Moedinger photo […]

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Double departure from Baltimore

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Camden Station

In a 1947 view at Baltimore & Ohio’s Camden Station in Baltimore, a Baltimore & Annapolis interurban train departs for Annapolis while a B&O 4-6-2 heads out with a train for Washington. B&A was a tenant at Camden until it shut down in 1950. Herbert H. Harwood Jr. photo […]

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L&N celebrity Pacific

Louisville and Nashville Railroad

Louisville & Nashville heavy 4-6-2 No. 295 was mechanically and cosmetically upgraded in 1940 for duty on the new South Wind streamliner. Some years later, No. 295 rests between runs at Louisville. Jack Fravert photo […]

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Chicago & North Western locomotives remembered

Streamlined Chicago & North Western locomotives with circus train passing signals

  In the steam age, most Chicago & North Western locomotives burned coal, but those assigned to divisions west of the Missouri River were oil burners; in addition, the four Pacifics rebuilt for the 400s were converted to oil. One group of light Pacifics was fitted with special grates for burning lignite, a low-grade coal. […]

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Tools of railroading

A headlight glows in the distance beneath a signal bridge with two red lights across a position light signal next to another showing a vertical line of pale yellow lights.

Railroading tools Railroads are fixed-guideway systems for transporting goods or people. Its basis is the low friction, and hence high efficiency, of a hard wheel rolling on a hard surface. They are made up of many elements: people doing different jobs, and hardware for them to use. The jobs range from laborer to strategic planner. […]

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Dome car in the Rockies

California Zephyr dome cars in Rocky Mountains

In a view from one of the California Zephyr’s five regularly assigned dome cars, another dome curves through the Rocky Mountains during the streamliner’s trip over the Denver & Rio Grande Western. Gordon Odegard photo […]

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Decapod on Helmstetter’s Curve

Western Maryland Railway 2-10-0 at Helmstetter's Curve

Western Maryland 2-10-0 1109 rounds famous Helmstetter’s Curve west of Cumberland, Md., with a westbound freight in May 1952. Unseen, two more Decapods at mid-train and a fourth on the rear help lift the train upgrade. Ed Theisinger photo […]

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Coast Line doubleheader

Atlantic Coast LIne Railroad near Vienna, Virginia

Atlantic Coast Line 2-8-2 7230 and 4-8-2 7372 team up on a northbound freight near Vienna, Va., in 1947. Both engines formerly worked for the Atlanta, Birmingham & Coast, which ACL acquired in 1945. David W. Salter photo […]

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The Amtrak ‘Auto Train’ throughout the years

close up of silver Auto Train on tracks

From Auto-Train to Amtrak Auto Train Today’s Auto Train is a stellar option for people looking to travel long distances with their car in tow between northern Virginia and central Florida. Amtrak’s marketing slogan on its website is “Take Your Car on an Auto Train Road Trip.” Those traveling in sleeping cars receive traditional dining-car […]

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