SILVIS, Ill. — Chinese-built No. 6988, a QJ 2-10-2, traveled the Iowa Interstate Railroad on Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12, 2022, for a final time before its FRA 15-year inspection and rebuilding. Although the locomotive’s certification has expired the FRA granted a one-time extension for the two trips. The QJs — Nos. 6988 […]
Type of Train: Steam Locomotive
Lionel’s no. 700E scale Hudson locomotive
The latest video by Roger Carp, senior editor at Classic Toy Trains magazine, focuses on one of the greatest and most celebrated toy trains ever produced in America. In anticipation of the release of Lionel Trains of the 1940s, the new special-interest publication from CTT, Professor Carp looks closely at the Lionel no. 700E O […]
Preview the July August 2022 issue of Classic Toy Trains
Editor Hal Miller previews the July August 2022 issue of Classic Toy Trains! We’ll visit a large club layout in Nassau, N.Y., learn about Lionel’s no. 9141 Burlington Northern gondolas, solve a mystery behind a Marx set, and visit an S gauge layout owned by Tom Barker. Plus, the latest new products, and reviews of […]
Lionel’s no. 700E scale Hudson locomotive
The latest video by Roger Carp, senior editor at Classic Toy Trains magazine, focuses on one of the greatest and most celebrated toy trains ever produced in America. In anticipation of the release of Lionel Trains of the 1940s, the new special-interest publication from CTT, Professor Carp looks closely at the Lionel no. 700E O […]
Doubleheaded Pennsy 2-10-4s
Pennsylvania class J1 Texas types 6486 and 6488 move Lake Erie-bound coal north out of Columbus, Ohio, in September 1955. PRR’s 125-strong J1 fleet of 1942–44, based on a Chesapeake & Ohio design, accounted for more than a quarter of all 2-10-4s built. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Stories working as a railroad fireman
Working as a railroad fireman: It was the end of summer. Billy, Wimpy, and I had finished cleaning up after the last threshing job and watched Mr. Hedrick slowly drive the rig out to the road and head west to the winter storage building behind his blacksmith shop. The rig consisted of a Huber […]
Consolidation in Minnesota fog
Duluth & Northeastern No. 27, a former Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 2-8-0, emerges from morning fog with empty log flats at Cloquet, Minn., in August 1962. The short line dieselized in August 1964. Russ Porter photo […]
Bridgton & Harrison No. 8
B&H 2-foot gauge 2-4-4T No. 8 stands at Bridgton, Maine, in August 1940. B&H, successor to the Bridgton & Saco River, quit the following year. Robert B. Adams photo […]
Fire danger pushes back Cumbres & Toltec’s opening day
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has pushed back the start of its excursion season by nearly three weeks due to extreme wildfire danger. The 64-mile steam-powered narrow gauge railroad, owned by the states of New Mexico and Colorado, now aims to begin its season on July 1 rather than the previously scheduled June 11 […]
B&M steam and diesel at Boston
In November 1953, Moguls and Pacifics watch as a GP7 moves onto the turntable at Boston & Maine’s roundhouse just across the Charles River from North Station, Boston. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
An engineer and his steed
A Minneapolis & St. Louis engineer poses with his engine, Mogul 304, in mid-1946. He’s waiting at Minerva Junction, Iowa, to take his mixed train off the Story City Branch and on to the main line for the return to Marshalltown. William F. Armstrong photo […]
Frisco steam to diesel transition
Frisco steam to diesel transition: The mid-20th century was a time of great change for U.S. railroads. They were in the midst of a great steam to diesel transition that would revolutionize the industry for generations to come. An example of how the diesel changed part of one railroad may be found on the rolling […]