Winter 2001

Winter 2001

By Angela Cotey | October 19, 2020

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

Classic Trains is a quarterly magazine celebrating the “golden years of railroading.” Each issue covers the North American railroad scene from the 1920s to the late 1970s with extraordinary photographs and compelling writing. Giant steam locomotives, colorful streamliners, down-home local trains, great passenger terminals, recollections of railroaders and train-watchers . . . they’re all in the pages of Classic Trains.

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Glory Days: Ready to Serve the Nation

By Robert S. McGonigal

Soldiers’ signatures recall a time when railroaders and railroads answered an urgent call.

The B&O Goes to War

By Bob Withers

Records from early December 1941 show the effects of global conflict on Baltimore & Ohio’s St. Louis line.

Inspiring the Home Front

By Michael Zega

When war suddenly inundated them with traffic, the railroads switched advertising strategies.

Hitler’s Rail-Wreckers

By Peter A. Hansen

Some of America’s great railroad landmarks were prime targets in a daring Nazi sabotage plot.

GI with a Paintbrush

By Robert S. McGonigal

Lt. Gil Reid’s artwork captured the railroad scene around Naples, Italy, in 1944.

Photo Classics

An all-color look at wartime railroading on the Santa Fe, Soo Line, C&IM, Atlantic Coast Line, and Key System.

A Soldier’s “Wartime Fan Trip”

By Fred N. Houser

How a man rode trains over 20,000 miles in 2 years, courtesy of Uncle Sam.

EMD’s Shock Troops

While helping to defeat the Axis abroad, early E units, FT’s, and switchers battled steam at home,as shown on an EMD map from 1944.

Recalled to Active Duty

By William D. Middleton

Marginalized by highways and the Depression, electric interurbans served with distinction during the war.

Troop Cars

By Patrick C. Wider

Boxcar-inspired troop sleepers and kitchen cars were answers to the railroads’ wartime capacity crunch.

Close Call at Clevilas Tunnel

By Ed King , Jim Scribbins

One night during the war, a Virginian Railway operator’s quick thinking prevented a catastrophe.

Departments

Editor’s Page

The Greatest Challenge

Fallen Flags Remembered

Western Pacific

A Classic Year

1941: Motive-power milestones

The Way It Was

On SP’s Narrow-Gauge, 1949 Became the 1880’s, by Chard Walker • Water-Plug Prankster • The Rock and Little Rock, by Cornelius W. Hauck • The Gift, by Curtis L. Katz • Unexpected Treasure, by David Lustig • The Electric Shay, by C. K. Marsh Jr.

Second Section

Danger Lights movie no longer in danger

Bumping Post

Washington Union Station

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