Deepen your passion for model railroading. Learn about the history of trains and locomotives in the United States dating back over 100 years ago.
Referring to a class-one railroad as a rip-track – a remote, unmaintained siding in a rail yard where obsolete equipment is broken up and parts are salvaged – is anything but complimentary. But that is how one Great Northern official described a historic Midwestern line in its final days. Another rail authority described the line …
To those faithful to the rails, May 10th, 1869, will always be remembered for the Driving of the Golden Spike. Countless articles, books, and an epic motion picture have been produced, all celebrating that milestone in U.S. and transportation history. Contemporary trends have altered the concept of popular history, and national focus has shifted to …
Pennsylvania Railroad Class S-2 It was positioned to forecast modern railroad motive power and to remind the world that the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) had not lost its way. It also gave steam locomotive builders and coal mining interests promise that their respective markets would not be decimated by the new Diesel-Electric locomotives that showed early …
Continue reading “The Winning Loser – Pennsylvania Railroad Class S-2”
The Norfolk & Western Railroad (commonly known as the N&W) was a legendary railroad whose legacy lives on today. Its rich history and reputation were built on nicknames such as King Coal and becoming famous for manufacturing its own steam locomotives and hopper cars. The N&W was also the last major railroad in the United …
Continue reading “History of the Norfolk and Western Railroad”
Our theme this month includes the legend “second section”. Seasoned railroaders know that symbolized traffic that was so heavy that another section of a schedule train was required to handle crowds. Those crowds normally peaked during traditional holidays but became more a part of “standard operations” during summer months. Railroads themselves started early on promotions …
This month we pay a special tribute to the railroads of Great Britain. Just as Britain influenced colonial America, they too influenced the development of railroad transportation in the US. England holds claim to the earliest experiments with railroads and practical application of steam locomotives. In 1802, Richard Trevithick designed and built the first (unnamed) steam locomotive to run …
Continue reading “A Tribute to Rail Transport in Great Britain”
Canadian Railroads have always attracted special interest due in part to their expansiveness and diversity of routes and services within. Commanding scenery and scores of specialized and well-maintained locomotives and cars brought color, drama and financial success to that great stage of transportation. The first railway in Canada was the Champlain and Saint Lawrence Railroad. It …
Rail romantics fondly recall the aura of the traditional passenger train, fielded by private railroads and indeed, the once-named “Grand Conveyance” left an indelible mark on the history of transportation. Most of those recollections center on the luxury trains and lavish Pullman cars that were once so much of our Nation and culture. They were …
Each region of our Nation has its own unique characteristics that make them unique and that in turn shape the type of railroad service that evolves. The South provides an excellent example to look at with respect to railroading. Due in part to slower development and modest farms and manufacturing, the south lagged behind early …
Green has been extensively employed by our railroads almost since their inception. The exact color and shades that railroads frequently utilized underscored open spaces and tranquility. Early steam locomotives often displayed a riot of color accented with polished brass and copper fittings. Frequently green was used as a base color for the boiler, cab and …