Clifton Forge hump yard

20180829

A string of coal hoppers crests the hump at Chesapeake & Ohio’s yard in Clifton Forge, Va., in June 1955. The cars are bound for C&O’s Atlantic Ocean docks at Newport News. W. A. Akin Jr. photo […]

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Big city, big station

20180806

A view east down Clybourn Street in Milwaukee in the 1940s is dominated by the Milwaukee Road’s depot on the south edge of downtown. An engine crewman climbs into the cab of an F7 Hudson on a westbound train as its tender is filled with water. Classic Trains coll. […]

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B&O 2-8-0 on a short line

20180809

The Castleman River Railroad ran 13 miles from Bittinger, Md., to a connection with the Baltimore & Ohio at Worth, Pa. The road’s lone engine, a Consolidation leased from the B&O, rests at Grantsville, Md., while men unload a boxcar in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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Dirty kitty

20190703

Covered in coal dust, Chessie System GP40-2 No. 4156 and a mate in Baltimore & Ohio blue lead a coal train onto the Old Main Line at Point of Rocks, Md., in 1983. Michael S. Murray photo […]

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Don Sims covers Nevada Northern Railway

Diesel locomotive with freight train by wooden water tank

The Nevada Northern Railway might be the most remote railroad attraction in the Lower 48, and it’s also one of the most valuable. Just ask any of the thousands of people who make the trek each year out to windswept Ely, the east-central Nevada town that hosts one of our finest steam operations. Headlined by […]

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Clover Valley Lumber

20190718

Baldwin Locomotive Works built 2-6-6-2T No. 4 for Clover Valley Lumber Co. of Loyalton, Calif., in March 1924. Shown here in 1950, it also served Feather River Lumber Co. at Loyalton, Calif., before going to the Pacific Locomotive Association in July 1973. Guy L. Dunscomb photo […]

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California Limited

20190708

The Santa Fe’s fastest scheduled train in 1905 was the all-Pullman California Limited, with a Los Angeles–Chicago running time of 66 hours. Compact 4-6-0 No. 54 does the honors on this day with six cars in tow. Santa Fe Railway photo […]

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More Jersey-style eye candy

Tuscan Red and gold stripped modern electric passenger locomotive.

NJ Transit has wrapped and painted numerous locomotives to reflect its heritage, commemorate significant service dates, honor the armed forces and recognize New Jersey businesses and social concerns. This “eye candy” makes the daily commute a bit more fun, not knowing how the next locomotive into the station will be decorated. Beyond the images presented […]

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Broad way

20190716

The Pennsylvania Railroad’s wide four-track main line was known as the “broad way,” as seen at Braddock, Pa., near Pittsburgh. The name eventually migrated to the road’s passenger fleet, giving rise to the famed Broadway Limited. Union Switch & Signal Co. photo […]

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A Tiffany jewel

20190705

Chicago & North Western SD45 No. 905 and SD40 No. 927 make a fine sight leading eastbound train No. 576 across the Tiffany Stone Bridge at Tiffany, Wis., on Feb. 15, 1977. The arch bridge, which spans Turtle Creek, was built in 1869. David Franzen photo […]

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A switcher saved

20190701

Western Pacific EMD SW1500 No. 1503 is one of only three such units built in 1973 for the fan-favorite western railroad. Today, it resides at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, Calif., after being retired by successor Union Pacific. Vic Reyna photo […]

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75,000th

20190715

This Alco PA, the company’s 75,000th locomotive, made its well-publicized debut on Track 61 at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The company would make 16-cylinder PA-1 locomotives for Santa Fe, Rio Grande, Erie, New York Central, Union Pacific, and others. Alco photo […]

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