Conrail Retrospective

Big Blue diesel locomotives were ubiquitous for those living in the Northeast and upper Midwest for many years of the last century. Although Consolidated Railroad Corporation has been gone for over 20 years now, let’s take a look back at 1990s Conrail freights in the state of Pennsylvania! […]

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First week of new LIRR schedules brings crowding, complaints

Overhead view of EMU train on three-track main line

NEW YORK — The first full week of the Long Island Rail Road’s new schedule, offering more trains systemwide and full service to the new Grand Central Madison station, has gone less than smoothly, particularly for those still taking the LIRR to Penn Station. There are now fewer Penn trains than there had been when […]

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NTSB expresses concerns about protective covers on tank cars

An "energetic pressure release" from a vinyl chloride tank car at East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 4, 2023. NTSB.

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board says it is “looking closely” at aluminum protective covers on tank cars involved in the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment, over concerns those covers melted on three of the cars, which may have hampered the performance of pressure relief devices. The issue occurred on three of the five cars […]

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Classic Conrail from Canaseraga

Green-and-yellow locomotive leads three blue locomotives in a classic Conrail scene with snow

When created in 1976, lowering the flags of several once-proud but troubled Northeastern railroads, it was shockingly new. But that was 44 years ago. Moreover, it’s been more than two decades since Conrail itself became a fallen flag.   Here is a photo of classic Conrail. The train is eastbound at Canaseraga, N.Y., 13 miles […]

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Largest 2-10-0 Decapod fleet: Pennsy’s I1 ‘Hippos’

Two steam locomotives lead a train through a city

The railroad with the largest 2-10-0 Decapod fleet should come as no surprise.   Throughout most of its history, the Pennsylvania Railroad called itself “The Standard Railroad of the World,” and yet in so many ways it was anything but “standard.” From position-light signals along its right-of-way to Belpaire boilers for its steam locomotives to […]

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Visiting the Strasburg Rail Road

People with hand-held cameras take pictures from the rear of a moving passenger train in rolling green countryside.

Visiting the Strasburg Rail Road History of the Strasburg Rail Road Visiting the Strasburg Rail Road is on the top of many a railfan’s bucket list. The Strasburg Rail Road, based in Strasburg, Pa., is the oldest railroad in America. It was founded in 1832 and is still running under its original name. It is […]

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Summertime era-swapping on the White River Division

A blue model diesel engine and train in rural New England

It’s been more than a decade since Lou Sassi photographed my HO scale White River Division for a feature in the March 2009 Model Railroader. A lot has changed since then. The track plan has been altered to better view and photograph scenes. I also eliminated the duckunder. Now a point-to-point layout, there’s a yard […]

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