Servicing a CN 4-8-4

20140120

Servicing a CN 4-8-4 The engineer and fireman in the cab of Canadian National 4-8-4 6179 wait for men on the ground to finish their work on the engine so it can depart Riviere du Loup, Que., with the Maritime Express in October 1954. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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Erie freight on Starrucca Viaduct

20140123

An Erie Railroad 2-8-4 Berkshire type leads a train of refrigerator cars over Starrucca Viaduct, on the road’s main line east of Susquehanna, Pa. The stone-arch landmark, 1,200 feet long and 110 feet tall, was built in 1848 and remains in service today. Charles A. Elston photo […]

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Canadian Pacific E8 with the Alouette

20140103

CP owned just three E units: E8’s 1800–1802, the only E units purchased by a non-U.S. railroad. Less than a month old, No. 1800 leads the Boston–Montreal Alouette out of Woodsville, N.H., and across the Connecticut River into Vermont on December 30, 1949. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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Windy City arrival

20191211

Southbound from Milwaukee, Amtrak E9 No. 434 makes its way into Chicago Union Station in 1975. The locomotive is former Milwaukee Road, rebuilt at its Milwaukee Shops. Today, Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service provides seven weekday roundtrips between the Cream City and Windy City. Paul Hoffmann photo […]

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Wide-open

20191204

Illinois Central 4-8-2 No. 2606 speeds south with freight CN-3 near Monee, Ill., in June 1953. The tabletop landscape provides for wide-open views, and, often, throttles. Robert R. Malinoski photo […]

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Wheat Kings

20191206

Two Canadian Pacific Geeps switch several 40-foot grain boxcars at the wooden Alberta Wheat Pool elevators at Lomond, Alberta, in April 1974. Boxcars were common on western Canadian lines into the 1980s. A. J. Sutherland photo […]

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Two, please

20191212

In June 1955, Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1498, built in 1923, shoves two empty hoppers toward a mine near Barrett, W.Va., for loading. W.A. Akin Jr. photo […]

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Texas Tunnel

20191227

The eastbound Southern Pacific Sunset Limited approaches the Memorial Tunnel at El Paso, Texas, on March 15, 1952. Born in 1894, the Sunset had received its latest upgrade in 1950. Classic Trains collection […]

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Tanks a lot

20191210

A tank car begins its descent from the crest of the hump at Union Pacific’s North Plate, Neb., hump yard. The mast atop the hump control tower is for radio communication with switch engines. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]

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SPUD power

20191223

St. Paul (Minn.) Union Depot Co. 0-6-0 No. 6 passes track workers in October 1954. The locomotive was relegated to standby duty in the 1950s by the arrival of GE 44-ton No. 441 in 1941. John Thill photo […]

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Rolling freight

20191230

Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis class L-1 2-8-2 No. 619 rolls into Dickson, Tenn., before World War II. After nearly 60 years of control, the Louisville & Nashville merged the NC&StL on August 30, 1957. Louisville & Nashville photo […]

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