December 2011

By Angela Cotey | October 19, 2020

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

Trains magazine covers the broad spectrum of railroading with authoritative content, dazzling photography, and a mix of content designed to appeal to everyone from the casual enthusiast to the seasoned professional railroader.

Trains offers something for everyone who has a spark for railroading: Railroad news, insight, and commentary on today’s freight railroads, passenger service, transit, locomotives, technology, preservation, fan opportunities, and more. You’ll also see images and read stories from railroading’s glorious past, and explore the bright future of railroading. It’s all in the pages of Trains magazine.

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Features

December 2011 Trains Express PDF

This month’s PDF package includes stories about railroads clearing snow, all for $5.95

Ice Railroaders

By Tom Murray

Despite minus-18-degree temps and 4 feet of snow per month, the Alaska Railroad acts like a Class I railroad … with both coal and passengers!

Map of the Month: Extreme Weather Railroading

By Mike Smith and Steve Pryor

We map the rail lines subject to the worst weather in the U.S.

Postcards from the Extremes

By various photographers

Where the elements seek to do their worst, railroading’s finest triumph

Best Show in the Snow

During the harsh winter of 2010-’11, railroads put their plows to work. Photographers turned out to see the show

Bonus Content: Read the tales behind the photos! The photographers blog about their ordeals

Expression of Gratitude

By Pat Hiatte

BNSF Railway’s Holiday Express makes memories as it salutes the troops

In My Own Words: The Night I highballed the ‘Crescent’

By Jim Wrinn

Would the train stop needlessly or accelerate as I waved the lantern?

NEWS

News & Photos

Regulation fight heats up
Norfolk Southern’s re-entry into steam is different
Q & A with new Metra boss

Bonus Content to come: Read more of Trains’ interview with Metra CEO Alex Clifford

Don Phillips

Railroads are joining the fight for photographic freedom

Fred W. Frailey

Confessions of a reluctant photographer

City Rail

By Ken Fitzgerald

North Texas’ Denton County Transportation Authority receives new railcars

Technology

By Bill Fahrenwald

Web-based programing expands railroad information tracking on a national level

Passenger

By Bob Johnston

Amtrak adds Wi-Fi in Northeast

Locomotive

By David Lustig

First Tier 3 environmental control unit makes a debut in basic EMD blue

DEPARTMENTS

From the Editor

Norfolk Southern returns to running steam locomotives on the main line

Preservation

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum celebrates its 50th anniversary and the return of Norfolk Southern steam to the main line

Ask Trains

• Calculating track grade
• Pandrol rail fasteners
• Circus train routing

Trackside

2012 Photo Contest rules
Nevada Northern Railway and Trains Magazine’s Steam, Steel, and Strobes Scholarship

December 2011

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