Locomotive profile: Sharknose diesel electric locomotive

New York Central Sharknose RF16 type diesel electric locomotives at West Detroit, Michigan, in 1961.

Sharknose •YEARS BUILT: 1948-1953 •MANUFACTURER: Baldwin •OPERATED ON: Baltimore & Ohio; New York Central; Pennsylvania Railroad; Elgin, Joliet & Eastern •NAMES: DR-6-4-20, RF-16, DR-4-15 •QUANTITY: 187 total A&B units combined •HORSEPOWER: 1,600 for RF-16 and 2,000 for DR-6-4-20 •KNOWN FOR: Distinctive nose/cab design by Raymond Loewy, based on the Pennsylvania Railroad’s streamlined T-1 steam locomotive […]

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Lesser, CEO of LA Railroad Heritage Foundation, dies NEWSWIRE

Josef Lesser, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation, died earlier this week at his home in Los Angeles. After 45 years of film production experience, Lesser, working with his wife Jo Ann, founded the organization in 1999 along with Ronald Gustafson. He passionately promoted and expanded the foundation’s mission to diligently […]

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“Most dangerous task I ever performed”

GTW8090

The little door below the headlight on an Alco switcher like Grand Trunk Western S4 No. 8090 led to a veritable chamber of horrors for a young roundhouse worker. J. David Ingles I know there are many dangerous occupations. My wife’s ancestors were coal miners in Pennsylvania after coming to America, having mined coal in […]

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News Wire Digest second section for Wednesday, Feb. 26 NEWSWIRE

Metra_Flossmoor_Lassen

Residents of Flossmoor, Ill., are unhappy with proposed changes to the Metra Electric schedule. TRAINS: David Lassen More Wednesday morning rail news: — Residents and government officials in the Chicago suburb of Flossmoor, Ill., are balking at proposed changes to the Metra Electric District schedule spurred by positive train control implementation, the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle reports. […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-10-2 Santa Fe type steam locomotive

Chinese-built Iowa Interstate Railroad's 2-10-2 Santa Fe type steam locomotive pulls a passenger train at Rock Island, Illinois.

Chinese-built Iowa Interstate Railroad’s 2-10-2 Santa Fe type steam locomotive pulls a passenger train at Rock Island, Illinois.  Jim Wrinn 2-10-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1903 to 1931 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Lima, Brooks, Canadian, Montreal, China •OPERATED ON: Burlington Route; Baltimore & Ohio; Wabash; Atlantic Coast Line; Boston & Albany; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; Southern Railway; among […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-6-6 Allegheny type steam locomotive

Chesapeake & Ohio Allegheny-type 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive No. 1622 pulls freight in West Virginia in the 1940s.

Chesapeake & Ohio Allegheny-type 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive No. 1622 pulls freight in West Virginia in the 1940s. B.F. Cutler 2-6-6-6 •YEARS BUILT: 1941 to 1948 •MANUFACTURER: Lima •OPERATED ON: Chesapeake & Ohio, Virginian Railway •NAMES: Allegheny on C&O, Blue Ridge on Virginian •QUANTITY: 68 •BOILER PRESSURE: 260 psi •KNOWN FOR: Hauling freight on steep mountain […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam locomotive

Pere Marquette 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam locomotive No. 1225 steams near Owosso, Michigan.

Pere Marquette 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam locomotive No. 1225 steams near Owosso, Michigan. Jim Wrinn 2-8-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1924 to 1949 •MANUFACTURERS: Lima, Alco, Baldwin •OPERATED ON: Multiple large railroads •NAMES: Berkshire, Kanawha (Chesapeake & Ohio) •QUANTITY: 611; C&O had the most with 130 on the roster in 1947 •BOILER PRESSURE: 240 psi •KNOWN FOR: […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-8-8-2 Y class steam locomotive

Norfolk & Western 2-8-8-2 Y class type steam locomotive hauls a coal train in Virginia in 1958.

Norfolk & Western 2-8-8-2 Y class type steam locomotive hauls a coal train in Virginia in 1958. Jim Shaughnessy 2-8-8-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1909 to 1952 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Numerous railroads that required power to pull heavy freight trains upgrade •NAMES: Chesapeake (Chesapeake & Ohio), Y (Norfolk & Western) •QUANTITY: 844; Norfolk […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-8-0 Mastodon type steam locomotive

Strasburg Rail Road 4-8-0 Mastodon-type steam locomotive No. 475 pulls a tourist train in Pennsylvania.

Strasburg Rail Road 4-8-0 Mastodon-type steam locomotive No. 475 pulls a tourist train in Pennsylvania. Jim Wrinn 4-8-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1890s to 1935 •MANUFACTURERS: Brooks, Rogers, Alco, Baldwin, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Jersey Central, Lackawanna, Union Pacific, Winston-Salem Southbound, Norfolk & Western, Delaware & Hudson, Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Illinois Central, Missouri Pacific, Southern […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive

Frisco 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive No. 1522 hauls a tourist train near Swedeborg, Missouri, in 1994.

Frisco 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive No. 1522 hauls a tourist train near Swedeborg, Missouri, in 1994. Jim Wrinn 4-8-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1911 to 1948 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baltimore & Ohio, Lima, Canadian, Montreal •OPERATED ON: Numerous large railroads requiring power for fast freight and passenger trains •NAMES: Mountain, Mohawk (New York Central) •QUANTITY: 2,201; New […]

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Premier power

20200228

Santa Fe FT No. 100 was not only the railroad’s first mainline freight diesel, but part of the first order for mainline freight diesel power by any U.S. railroad. Eventually, the railroad would use 320 of the Electro-Motive products to dieselize its transcontinental main line. Santa Fe photo […]

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