The combination of classic railroading and spectacular regional autumn color will be featured in “New England Fall Colors by Rail,” an eight-day, seven-night tour sponsored by Trains magazine and scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 6, 2022. Hosted by former Trains Editor Kevin P. Keefe and conducted by Special Interest Tours, the tour will be based out […]
Type of Train: Steam Locomotive
Indiana Northeastern Railroad to host excursions by NKP No. 765
ANGOLA, Ind. — The Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society has announced plans for “The Indiana Rail Experience,” a series of trips featuring Nickel Plate Road Berkshire No. 765 on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad. A complete schedule and tickets for the excursions will be available later this month at the Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society website. […]
UP deal with RRHMA took over a year to complete
SILVIS, Ill. — Negotiations between Union Pacific and Railroading Heritage Of Midwest America took over a year to complete before the deal was inked that transferred two UP steam locomotives, including Challenger 3985, and other equipment to the preservation group. The deal, which will see No. 3985 and 2-10-2 No. 5511 returned to steam, was […]
Spring TCA York 2022 show report
Spring TCA York 2022 notes from the field. CTT Editor Hal Miller visits the April 28-30 Eastern Division of the Train Collectors Association event in York, Pa. He checks out the O, S, and Standard gauge trains and talks to some of the personalities at the show, including YouTubers Chris’s Trains & Things, Sid’s Trains, […]
Big Emma on empties
Louisville & Nashville class M-1 2-8-4 No. 1950 — a “Big Emma” — rolls empty coal hopper cars at Hargett, Ky., on May 23, 1952. Ed Theisinger photo […]
St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad remembered
The St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad was a survivor and an innovator. It weathered some very rough times, including at least five bankruptcies. It started running unit coal trains from Fort Smith, Ark., the city across the Arkansas River from my hometown of Van Buren, in the 1930s. It helped move Texas and Oklahoma oil east […]
Nashville Steam announces $100,000 matching-grant drive, ‘Big Payback’ one-day fundraiser
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville Steam has announced two major fundraising efforts for its campaign to return Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway 4-8-4 No. 576 to operating condition, one of which will honor late Trains Editor Jim Wrinn. Following a successful ten-week matching grant last year, the Nashville Steam has announced a second $100,000 matching […]
Railroading Heritage of Midwest America, Union Pacific agree to donation of Challenger, other locomotives, cars
OMAHA, Neb. and MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Union Pacific Railroad and the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest America today announced an agreement that will see Challenger No. 3985, 2-10-2 No. 5511, DDA40X No. 6936, and other equipment from UP’s Heritage Fleet donated to RRHMA, which plans to restore both steam locomotives to operating condition. Also being […]
M&StL at Roland, Iowa
Minneapolis & St. Louis 2-6-0 310, power for the Marshalltown–Story City, Iowa, mixed train, switches at Roland, the biggest source of traffic on the 38-mile Story City branch line, in the late 1940s. William F. Armstrong photo […]
Reading & Northern No. 2102 hauls coal hoppers in test run (updated)
NORTH READING, Pa. — It is appropriate that the Reading & Northern, which calls itself The Road of Anthracite, would road-test its recently rebuilt 4-8-4 by putting it on the head end of a 50-car train of coal hoppers. R&N’s 77-year old former Reading Class T-1 No. 2102 departed the railroad’s North Reading yard at 9:00 a.m. […]
Steam faces diesel at Salida
Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-0 1138 watches as four brand-new GP9s bring an eastbound freight into Salida, Colo., on the Tennessee Pass line in December 1955. Trains for the narrow-gauge Monarch Branch operated out of this yard, hence the dual-gauge track. Jim Shaughnessy photo […]
The Ferdinand’s 4-4-0
In southern Indiana, handsome 4-4-0 No. 9 of the 7.4-mile short line Ferdinand Railroad poses in late afternoon sun for photographers visiting from New Jersey in May 1952. Built by H. K. Porter in 1920, she was scrapped in 1953. Ed Theisinger photo […]