Ron Rosenberg of Ron’s Books, flanked by his son, Lee, and wife, Ellie, in 2010. Trains: Mike Yuhas HARRISON, N.Y. — One of the railroad hobby’s most notable booksellers has passed away. Ron Rosenberg, 76, the owner of Ron’s Books of Harrison, N.Y., died Sunday. A lifelong railroad enthusiast and steam locomotive lover, he specialized […]
Train Topic: History
Metra helps encourage visits to Pullman National Monument NEWSWIRE
A special Metra train promoting visits to the Pullman National Monument arrives at the 111th/Pullman station on the Metra Electric line. In the background is Pullman’s landmark Clock Tower building, surrounded in scaffolding for its renovation. Metra photo by Courtney Aubrecht Passengers on Metra’s special train to the Pullman National Monument detrain at Pullman. Metra […]
Railroads at war
Stuart tanks and crated loads on flatcars tell of the herculean effort of American industries, including railroads, to bring victory in World War II. Classic Trains collection […]
Al Buchan, retired railroader and former Pennsy historical society leader, dies at age 83 NEWSWIRE
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — Alan Buchan, 83, past president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society, passed away on June 4. He was a link between the real Pennsylvania Railroad and the current-day interest in studying and modeling the railroad. Following his graduation from college and military service, Buchan was hired by the Pennsylvania […]
Union stations
A CSX Transportation freight passes Marion (Ohio) Union Station. The site is now a museum with a restored interlocking tower. Brian Schmidt Q Why is the word “Union” used so often in the names of passenger stations and terminals? For example, Cincinnati Union Terminal, St. Louis Union Station, or Denver Union Station. Is there a […]
Master of the E&W Turn
New York Central SW8 8626 stands at the road’s Avon Yard near Indianapolis in 1966. Another EMD switcher powered the E&W Turn some 140 miles to the north. Louis A. Marre As a struggling schoolteacher in northern Indiana in the early 1960s, I worked a few summers as a brakeman on a couple of local railroads, […]
Historian Richard Sparks has passed NEWSWIRE
Richard Sparks in his studio painting a railroad book cover. Sparks family collection ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Richard M. Sparks, rail enthusiast, editor, author, historian, photographer, artist, and so much more, passed away May 12, 2019 after a valiant, prolonged bout with metastatic cancer. He was 77 years old. Richard was one of a handful who […]
Ask Trains: What is the meaning behind Union Pacific steam locomotive code numbers?
Question: What do the numbers and letters mean on the side of the cab of Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 No. 3985? — Ben Fairbank, San Antonio, Texas Answer: 21 – 21 4-6-6-4-4-69 ————— 404 UP […]
Ask Trains: What is the meaning behind Union Pacific steam locomotive code numbers?
Question: What do the numbers and letters mean on the side of the cab of Union Pacific Challenger 4-6-6-4 No. 3985? — Ben Fairbank, San Antonio, Texas Answer: 21 – 21 4-6-6-4-4-69 ————— 404 UP […]
Musical responses to the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike NEWSWIRE
OMAHA, Neb. — There have been all kinds of celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad this May – from ceremonies at Promontory Summit, Utah, to the Big Boy steaming to and from Ogden, Utah’s, Union Station, to special exhibitions at museums all along the original route — but the […]
Golden Spike commemoration draws huge crowd for hours of ceremonies NEWSWIRE
PROMONTORY SUMMIT, Utah — For one day on Friday, lonely, windswept Promontory Summit filled with thousands of visitors eager to celebrate the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago today. The morning began with positioning steam locomotive replicas Jupiter and No. 119, representing the Central Pacific and Union Pacific, respectively. Soon afterward, a […]
Promontory speaker says Transcontinental railroad offers hope in modern times NEWSWIRE
Cast members from the musical “As One” gather for a group photo on a stage at the Golden Spike National Historic Park on Friday. The musical was the main educational and entertainment event during ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney A sign near a re-enactors’ encampment […]