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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Richmond Beach

20191216

Two Great Northern E7s skirt Puget Sound at Richmond Beach, Wash., with the eastbound Empire Builder in April 1953, two years after its re-equipping. Soon, F units will replace the Es. David W. Salter photo […]

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Inside scoop

20191203

The truss bracing in the sides of cab units helped support the locomotive’s weight, so cab units required a thinner underframe compared with switchers and road switchers. This is an F unit being assembled at EMD’s La Grange, Ill., plant. Electro-Motive Division photo […]

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Hummingbird

20191205

Louisville & Nashville’s Hummingbird passes between the engine terminal and coach yard as it backs towards New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in 1954. Visible at left are locomotives of Illinois Central and Kansas City Southern. James G. La Vake photo […]

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