The History of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway

With less than 1000 route miles to its name, the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad was very much an underdog of mainline railroads. It was however a critical link for rail operations in the Pacific Northwest. Never intended for a prolonged existence, the railroad was jointly operated by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific for …

The Modern Era (1970-2021)

Following the Transitional Era, railroads were no longer the primary method for moving people and goods; they now had to adapt by shedding unprofitable services and aggressively embrace new freight car designs, partner with shippers to advance unit train operations and improve diesel-electric motive power designs. Working in concert with trucking companies, railroads developed trailer …

120th Anniversary of the Pacific Locomotive

ModelTrainStuff is celebrating the 120th anniversary of the Pacific-type locomotive, wheel arrangement 4-6-2! The Pacific dominated high speed passenger service and express freight service in the United States from 1902 through 1950 until steam locomotives surrendered to Diesel-Electric locomotives. The Missouri Pacific was the first US buyer in 1902 and accordingly the 4-6-2 was christened …

Founder’s Day – Honoring the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

This month at ModelTrainStuff we’re paying tribute to the founding of America’s first common carrier the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad on February 27th, 1827. The B&O Railroad Museum once issued a poster with the legend “America Grew Up on Trains” and the B&O railroad started our Nation on that glorious journey. The B&O had to …

The History of the Chicago and North Western Railway

The Chicago and North Western Railway was in many ways the quintessential midwestern railroad. Operating thousands of miles of trackage primarily serving agricultural customers, the company was also known for its high speed intercity passenger services. At its peak, the railroad was ranked as one of the largest owners of total track mileage in the …