California Limited

20190708

The Santa Fe’s fastest scheduled train in 1905 was the all-Pullman California Limited, with a Los Angeles–Chicago running time of 66 hours. Compact 4-6-0 No. 54 does the honors on this day with six cars in tow. Santa Fe Railway photo […]

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Broad way

20190716

The Pennsylvania Railroad’s wide four-track main line was known as the “broad way,” as seen at Braddock, Pa., near Pittsburgh. The name eventually migrated to the road’s passenger fleet, giving rise to the famed Broadway Limited. Union Switch & Signal Co. photo […]

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A Tiffany jewel

20190705

Chicago & North Western SD45 No. 905 and SD40 No. 927 make a fine sight leading eastbound train No. 576 across the Tiffany Stone Bridge at Tiffany, Wis., on Feb. 15, 1977. The arch bridge, which spans Turtle Creek, was built in 1869. David Franzen photo […]

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A switcher saved

20190701

Western Pacific EMD SW1500 No. 1503 is one of only three such units built in 1973 for the fan-favorite western railroad. Today, it resides at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, Calif., after being retired by successor Union Pacific. Vic Reyna photo […]

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75,000th

20190715

This Alco PA, the company’s 75,000th locomotive, made its well-publicized debut on Track 61 at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The company would make 16-cylinder PA-1 locomotives for Santa Fe, Rio Grande, Erie, New York Central, Union Pacific, and others. Alco photo […]

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The Canadian departing Toronto

20180702

An FP7 and F7B depart Toronto with Canadian Pacific Railway train 11, The Canadian, in 1964. The 13-car train will rendezvous at Sudbury, Ont., with a section from Montreal, then continue west to Vancouver, B.C. J. David Ingles photo, Brian M. Schmidt collection […]

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Spuyten Duyvil panorama

New York Central Railroad at Spuyten Devil

A mid-1940s view from the Henry Hudson Parkway bridge near the north end of New York City shows the converging New York Central lines at Spuyten Duyvil. An electric multiple-unit train out of Grand Central pulls away from Spuyten Duyvil station to head up the main line along the Hudson River. The West Side freight […]

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Santa Fe parade at Joliet

20180713

FT diesels on a westbound Santa Fe freight idle in front of Joliet (Ill.) Union Station, waiting for the Chief, visible in the distance, to clear the block ahead in Fall 1951. Wallace W. Abbey photo […]

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RDC test on Baltimore & Annapolis

20180730

On Dec. 9, 1961, Budd Company RDC1 demonstrator 2960 approaches a grade crossing in Glen Burnie, Md., during an 18-day experimental resumption of passenger service on former interurban Baltimore & Annapolis. Today, Glen Burnie is the end of a light-rail line from Baltimore. Ara Mesrobian photo […]

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