During an epic battle to reopen Cumbres Pass after a late December 1951 storm, a worker uses a shovel to clear the discharge chute of Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge rotary OM of heavy, wet snow. John Norwood photo […]
Train Topic: History
EBT opens its first steam-powered season in 12 years
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – The East Broad Top Railroad opened its first steam-powered season in 12 years with the return of regularly scheduled excursion trains for weekend operations Friday, May 5, through today, May 7. EBT 2-8-2 engine No. 16 (Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1916) easily handled its six-car train. Freshly overhauled, the 81-ton engine broke […]
Santa Fe El Capitan of 1956
The 1956 Santa Fe El Capitan was a special train that deserves attention of its own merit. Just say “Santa Fe” to anyone in the realm of railroading and they’ll likely think “Super Chief”! Truly, that Chicago-Los Angeles first-class-only streamliner was about as top notch as they got here in North America — […]
BL2 at Muskegon
EMD’s BL2 of 1948–49 was conceived to be as versatile as a road-switcher yet attractive enough to give passenger trains a respectable appearance. Chesapeake & Ohio 1841 illustrates the BL2’s bi-directionality as it idles at the head of a passenger train at Muskegon, Mich., in the 1950s. David W. Richter photo […]
B&O tower at Deshler, Ohio
Baltimore & Ohio’s DR Tower, pictured before daybreak in 1952, guards the crossing of the road’s Chicago and Toledo divisions at the small town of Deshler in northwest Ohio. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
Amtrak’s year-old ‘Broadway Limited’
With just two cars still in Union Pacific yellow, Amtrak’s Broadway Limited departs Chicago for New York on May 21, 1972. J. David Ingles photo […]
Amtrak Miami services through time
Amtrak Miami services have been dominated by trains from New York City. This included, at various times, the Silver Meteor, Silver Palm, and Silver Star. Additionally, at times, the Magic City has been served by its own section of the Floridian from Chicago and an extension of the Sunset Limited. Amtrak’s current Miami […]
General Electric BQ23-7: An Odd Diesel That Didn’t
The General Electric BQ23-7 turned out to be an odd diesel that didn’t. At the dawn of railroads eschewing cabooses as unnecessary expenses, locomotive builders were putting forth ideas to accommodate train crews. One option was the BQ23-7, the Q indicating crew Quarters. General Electric’s design team took its standard 2,250 hp […]
4-8-4 entering Moffat Tunnel
Rio Grande engine 1703, from the road’s first group of 4-8-4s, heads a westbound train out of Denver into the 6.2-mile darkness of Moffat Tunnel in August 1950. W. R. Berg Jr. photo […]
Penn Central history remembered
Penn Central history began existence on Feb. 1, 1968. More accurately, it was incorporated in 1846 as the Pennsylvania Railroad; changed its name to Pennsylvania New York Central Transportation Co. on Feb. 1, 1968, when it merged the New York Central; and adopted the name Penn Central Co. on May 8, 1968. On Oct. 1, […]
Everett Railroad to hold fundraiser for PRR K4s No. 1361
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. — The Everett Railroad will run a steam-powered fundraiser trip to support the restoration of the Railroaders Memorial Museum’s Pennsylvania Railroad Class K4s steam locomotive No. 1361. On Saturday, May 6, the railroad will operate a 1-hour passenger excursion as part of the museum’s “Juniata Jewel Jubilee” to mark the 105th anniversary of […]
NYC 2-6-6-2 in West Virginia
A long way from the broad, flat Water Level Route, New York Central 2-6-6-2 Mallet 1940 is seen in an undated photo on the road’s line to Charleston and other West Virginia points. Classic Trains collection […]