Family road trips usually involve self-inflicted detours to see park steam engines, “stuffed and mounted” for the sake of local posterity. They’re usually easy to find, thanks to J. David Conrad’s standard reference “Steam Locomotive Directory of North America, Vols. I and II,” which I’ve consulted for decades, or, in a pinch, Google. A […]
Train Topic: History
Ma & Pa farewell
The last Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad train out of Baltimore crosses the trestle at Sharon, Md., on Aug. 5, 1958. Lawrence W. Sagle photo […]
Meridian & Bigbee Railroad history
The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad “possessed all the credentials required for admittance to the Typical Southern Short Line Club,” wrote J. Parker Lamb in Trains’ July 1959 issue. Those included secondhand steam locomotives, a leisurely schedule, and insufficient revenue tonnage. Yet, the road was able to overcome those deficiencies to become a sought-after bridge route […]
Center for Railroad Photography & Art launches online image archive (updated)
MADISON, Wis. — The Center for Railroad Photography & Art has unveiled its online archive of digital images from the center’s expansive collection. Odyssey, the CRP&A’s new online portal, is now available here. A downloadable search guide PDF is available here. The image management system was selected by the CRP&A staff in June 2022, and […]
South Carolina legislature provides more funding for Saluda Grade trail
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — South Carolina’s legislature has set aside an additional $10 million for development of the Saluda Grade Rail Trail, the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports. Lawmakers had already earmarked $5 million for the project before Norfolk Southern agreed to sell the dormant 31-mile, two-state rail route, once the steepest main line in the […]
NRHS awards 2023 Heritage Preservation grants
MOORESTOWN, N.J. — The National Railway Historical Society has awarded almost $125,000 to 25 organizations as part of its 2023 Railway Heritage Preservation Grants, supporting preservation of railroad-related artifacts and media. The awards total $124,950, and range from $2,500 to $10,000. The largest single grant this year, $10,000, was received by the Center for Railroad […]
Truman campaign train at Denver
At 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 20, 1948, specially cleaned and inspected Union Pacific 4-8-4 No. 835 eases President Harry S. Truman’s campaign train into Denver Union Station. Elmer Treolar photo […]
Troop train on the Southern
A Southern Railway 4-8-2 leads a troop train near Craggy, N.C., in August 1944. The train is en route from Knoxville, Tenn., to Asheville, N.C. Frank Clodfelter photo […]
BNSF donates locomotive to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America
SILVIS, Ill. — BNSF Railway has donated former Santa Fe B40-8W No. 537 to the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA). The unit was delivered to the RRHMA shop in Silvis this week. No. 537 was constructed by General Electric for Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe in October 1990 as part of its “Super Fleet” […]
Pennsylvania’s Northern Central Railway to mark 10th anniversary
NEW FREEDOM, Pa. — A 10th-anniversary “Ages of the Railroad” celebration is scheduled for this weekend, June 17-18, on the Northern Central Railway of York nonprofit tourist line in southeastern Pennsylvania. Highlights will include two operating steam locomotives and a diesel, with a range of passenger trips available over varying stretches of the railroad’s 17.5 […]
New York tourist railway’s new flatcar has lengthy history
CORINTH, N.Y. — The Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway has introduced its newest piece of equipment, a flatcar that proved to have an extensive and significant history. SC&H car No. 16151 was unveiled on June 3 for the Alco Historical & Technical Society’s annual “Alco Adventure” day. During restoration for use as an open-air excursion […]
An engineer’s life: Mad Dog and the volcano
The story of Mad Dog and the volcano starts on March 20, 1980. At 3:47 p.m. on that day, Mount St. Helens rumbled to life with an earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale. It was mostly unnoticed. Earthquakes often occur in Washington State, most are light enough not to be felt. Within a week […]