Nearly 100 years ago, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad celebrated its first century of service with the expansive and lavish Fair of the Iron Horse. The multi-acre event, that took place in the southwestern Baltimore suburb of Halethorpe, MD, opened to the public September 24th 1927. Originally scheduled to run for two weeks, the event …
America the Beautiful!
The current fast-paced world frequently obscures how impressive our great Nation really is! Despite the urban clutter that we move through daily, cities, suburbs, country side and beyond offer awe-inspiring vistas that we frequently take for granted. The fact that we have so much to admire beyond the magnificence of Nature is due in part …
Orange Blossom Special
To winter weary wealthy from the north, it was once a speedy and fashionable escape from the bitter cold. In the late 1930s it proved to be a savior for a railroad trying to enhance its reputation as a leader in first-class transportation. To bluegrass musicians, it represented a classic folk tune that set the …
Too Many Wheels
The recent development and deployment of high horsepower, high adhesion diesel-electric locomotives represent the culmination of efforts to build a more powerful, efficient and reliable form of motive power. Midway in that technological journey 100 years ago, railroads built larger steam locomotives that featured too many wheels and not enough steaming capacity to make the …
Big Freight Haulers of Today
All too often, the only view the public has of contemporary mainline railroading is when a freight car derails, then tank cars explode and soon an entire town is evacuated. In Baltimore, site of the early MTS, favorite targets for criticism are the aged infrastructures on CSX, including the Howard Street Tunnel and the notorious …
Fun With Trains
The battle rages on between those model railroaders that are perfectionists when creating every aspect of their model railroad and its climate-controlled environment and those satisfied with something less perfect but fully satisfying. The battle started early in the scale movement and was not confined to actual craftsmanship and size of a model railroad empire …
Powering Amtrak’s Future
Amtrak’s fleet of new Charger and Sprinter locomotives materially changed the operation and visual image of US passenger service. Adapted from the successful. EuroSprinter designs, both classes of locomotives are delivering reliable performance and maintain creditable safety records. The electric locomotives are designed to be capable of accelerating 18 Amfleet cars to maximum speeds as high as …
Owl-Faced Outings
Getting out on the railroad is essential to better understand prototype railroad operations and experience the thrill of the mainline first hand. That experience can provide the motivation to more deeply research a specific carrier or route and later, share that experience in writing or model building. The demise of the traditional commuter locals, many …
NMRA President That Never Built A Model
One would expect hands-on model-building experience to be a prerequisite to lead that driving force in the hobby. Lawrence W. Sagle proved otherwise. Sagle was President of the National Model Railroad Association during its formative years between 1944 and 1945 and left an indelible mark on the NMRA, the greater acceptance of the hobby, and …
A Star in Erie Railroad History
New passenger train inaugurals have historically commanded attention of the public. Any new travel option and adventure of discovery touches the heart of our desire to be in motion accompanied by the hope for a memorable journey. All of that came to life on June 2, 1929 when the Erie Railroad introduced its primary, namesake …