Although most closely associated with developer New York Central, a number of other roads had Flexi-Van equipment on their rosters. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, for example, had 100 refrigerated Flexi-Van containers equipped with meat rails. New York Central photo […]
Section: Photos and Videos
Driftwood departure
Coal empties leave Pennsylvania Railroad’s Buffalo Line at Driftwood, Pa., in 1955, bound for the mines. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Double diesel
Union Pacific U50C No. 5000 lays over at the railroad’s North Platte, Neb., shop on Jan. 21, 1975. It was one of 40 such units on the railroad in operation from 1969 to 1978. Bruce Barrett photo […]
Class of their own
In early 1954, Union Pacific 4-12-2 No. 9028 brings a train into North Platte, Neb., from the east. Only UP had 4-12-2s, 88 built during 1926–30, which led to the wheel arrangement being called the Union Pacific type. Art Stensvad photo […]
California commerce
The Southern Pacific had large trailer-on-flatcar ramps in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Multiple trains could be loaded and unloaded at the same time. This view is from the early 1960s. Southern Pacific photo […]
Automotive anachronisms
Several Chevrolets await loading at General Motors’ Tarrytown, N.Y., assembly plant in 1951. Tracks extend along both sides of an elevated platform. In the intervening decades, railroads and manufacturers have switched to multi-level auto racks for the shipment of new automobiles. New York Central photo […]
Automated Railway
In a view taken halfway up a light tower we see Union Pacific’s modern hump yard at North Platte, Neb., around 1950. At the bottom left is the hump tower, and the two cars just above it are rolling free toward the master retarder. Union Pacific photo […]
Pennsy power
Pennsylvania Railroad 2-10-4 No. 6456 is one of 125 such locomotives on the roster. The home-built engines were in the J1 and J1a classes, built between 1942 and 1944. The last was retired in 1959. Classic Trains collection […]
Big Easy passenger power
At New Orleans, E7s on Illinois Central’s Panama Limited pass Southern Pacific PAs, which have backed in with the Sunset Limited. James G. La Vake photo […]
Baldwin beauties
Two Baldwin-built DR-6-4-20 “Sharknose” diesels depart Jersey City with the Broker in 1960. The pinstripe scheme was designed in 1934 for the GG1 electric. William D. Volkmer photo […]
B&O steam
In 1955, Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-2 4443 pulls an eastbound coal train past the yard at Lumberton, W.Va., where the local switcher, an 0-8-0, is working. James P. Gallagher photo […]
Alcos for Ford
At least five Alco-built diesel switchers line up at Ford Motor Co.’s Dearborn, Mich., plant. Did you really think the automaker would buy locomotives from rival General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division? Classic Trains collection […]