SALT LAKE CITY — The Arizona Spike, one of four created for ceremonies marking the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, sold for $2.22 million in an auction that concluded last week, far more than had been anticipated. KSL-TV reports Christie’s had set a pre-auction estimate of $300,000 to $500,000 for the spike, with […]
POCATELLO, Idaho — Cleanup continued Monday after 25 railcars derailed at Union Pacific’s yard in Pocatello Sunday night, the Idaho State Journal reports. The accident occurred about 11 p.m. No injuries were reported and mainline operations were not affected. No hazardous materials were involved. The railroad said the cause of the derailment was under investigation. […]
A Baltimore & Ohio P-7 Pacific has the Detroit–Baltimore Ambassador in tow as it crosses famous Thomas Viaduct at Relay, Md., just outside Baltimore, in November 1953. Having pulled into the stub-end Washington Union Station, the train is running “backward” – two sleepers right behind the engine, then two coaches, and a combine on the […]
BALTIMORE — President Joe Biden today announced that the project to replace the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel, a Northeast Corridor bottleneck dating to 1873, will receive more than $4 billion in federal infrastructure funding. “The structure is deteriorating. The roof is leaking. The floor is sinking. This is the United States of America, for God’s […]
The Lionel trains in The Fabelmans movie will enthrall postwar O gauge enthusiasts, if only for a little while. The motion picture, released in November 2022, provides a partially autobiographical look at the early life of famed director Steven Spielberg. At the beginning of The Fabelmans, young Sammy Fabelman – based on Spielberg – is […]
Rainier Rail summary Rainier Rail (WRL) is a short line railroad that operates in southwestern Washington. It’s controlled by WRL, LLC as part of the Frontier Rail group of companies under Paul and Robert Didelius’ leadership. This includes the Columbia Rail group of short lines in eastern Wash., and Oregon. With nearly 40 miles of […]
Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad Corporation summary The Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad Corporation (WNYP) is a short line railroad that operates across southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Livonia Avon and Lakeville Railroad. With 330 miles of standard-gauge track, the railroad is renowned for rostering […]
West Virginia Line summary The West Virginia Line (RJCV) is a short line railroad, owned by R.J. Corman Railroad Group, that operates in the mountains of West Virginia. Starting at the railroad and coal town of Thurmond, the line travels 18 miles west to Pax. History Long before serving under R.J. Corman, the West Virginia […]
Washington County Railroad summary The Washington County Railroad (WACR) is a short line railroad that operates in Vermont. It’s a subsidiary of Vermont Rail System, a privately held firm that is owned by the Wulfson family for more than 50 years. The railroad uses multiple divisions of standard-gauge track throughout the state from Montpelier to […]
Omaha Lincoln and Beatrice Railway Company summary The Omaha Lincoln and Beatrice Railway Company (OLB) is a short line railroad that operates in Lincoln, Nebraska. Known as the “Big Red Line,” it’s owned by NEBCO Incorporated. Roughly 8 miles of standard-gauge track is used as part of a Class III switching operation out of downtown […]
West Michigan Railroad Company summary The West Michigan Railroad Company (WMI) is a short line railroad that operates in southwest Michigan. It’s owned by Hamilton Hartford Group LLC, led by Linus Starring. The railroad traverses a standard-gauge branch line of the former Pere Marquette Railway heading east from Hartford, Mich. History Years before Hamilton Hartford’s […]
Northern Lines Railway summary The Northern Lines Railway (NLR) is a short line railroad that operates in central Minnesota. Although under BNSF Railway’s ownership, the line is operated by Anacostia Rail Holdings Company. At 17 miles of standard-gauge track, the route is set up as a giant letter “Y” in an east-to-west direction from the […]
