HAMILTON, Ohio — The much-discussed, long-delayed move of the first portion of the Hamilton, Ohio, railroad station is at hand. As of Wednesday, Dec. 14, the two-story station building — one of two structures involved in the city preservation effort to move the station from CSX Transportation property to city-owned land — had been jacked […]
Zone & Region: Midwest
Honoring the legacy of Ashtabula
My first railroad book has stuck with me ever since my parents gave it to me when I was 9. Lucius Beebe’s “Hear the Train Blow” was a massive scrapbook of American railroad history, full of the author’s outrageous prose and uncanny skill at digging up illustration. I still love looking through it 62 years […]
Empire Builder fights weather, congestion, track issues
MINOT, N.D. — With winter storm warnings in effect across the northern plains from a windy, frigid blast that has already barreled through the Sierra Nevada and Colorado mountains, there is always the possibility that service on Amtrak’s long-distance network will be disrupted. As was the case during a blizzard last month [“Westbound Empire Builder […]
Golden State and Grand Canyon at Joliet
Rock Island E7 634 eases to a stop with a late-running Golden State from Los Angeles at Joliet Union Station in 1951. In the background Santa Fe F units wait with the westbound Grand Canyon. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
Meet David Popp
Meet David Popp What was your first train set? With a dad and grandfather both into model trains, I was surrounded by model railroading from an early age. The first train I can remember that I was given was a colorful plastic version of what we would now call Brio trains. It had silver-colored plastic […]
Regional Rail adds three Midwest short lines
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. — Short line owner and operator Regional Rail LLC will add three railroads to its holdings, having agreed to acquire three Midwestern operations from Agracel Rail Holdings. The new additions are the Effingham Railroad Co., located in the Effingham (Ill.) Industrial Park, which offers interchange with Canadian National and CSX Transportation; the […]
Cincinnatian at Cincinnati
In a September 1952 view at Cincinnati Union Terminal, passengers board Baltimore & Ohio’s Cincinnatian for Detroit. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]
News photos: Siemens Amtrak car heads to Canada for testing
A single Siemens Venture car, part of the Amtrak Midwest operations, traveled over Canadian Pacific and Canadian National lines in Ontario on Saturday, Dec. 3., en route from Sacramento, Calif., to Canada’s National Research Uplands Campus in Ottawa for testing The special train, Union Pacific SD70ACe No. 8821 and the Siemens car, SIIX 4301, is […]
Metra to add trains on three lines, adjust schedules on fourth
CHICAGO — Metra will increase service on three lines — including significant additions on the Milwaukee District North and Milwaukee District West routes — and adjust schedules on a fourth effective Monday, Dec. 12, the commuter operator has announced. In all, 28 trains will be added. The North Central Service will see one new round trip, […]
Return of second ‘Missouri River Runner’ pushed back a second time
ST. LOUIS — The return date for the second round trip of Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner service between St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., has been pushed back again, this time to Dec. 16. The train, which has been suspended since Oct. 24, was previously scheduled to resume Nov. 16 and today (Sunday, Dec. 4). […]
Algers, Winslow & Western 0-6-0
At Enosville in southwestern Indiana, six-wheel switcher No. 57 of 16-mile coal-hauler Algers, Winslow & Western rests between runs in May 1952. Ed Theisinger photo […]
“The Abe” departs Chicago
Gulf, Mobile & Ohio E7s 101A and 103 lead train 3, the Abraham Lincoln for St. Louis, away from Chicago Union Station. Classic Trains coll. […]