On June 2, 2014, Trains Passenger correspondent Bob Johnston was in the cab of Amtrak ACS-64 electric locomotive 600, joining engineer Darren Avila, road foreman T.C. Williamson Jr., and signal supervisor Joe DiGiacomo aboard Northeast Regional train No. 184 from Washington D.C., to Wilmington, Del. His cover story in the January 2015 issue, “Amtrak’s new […]
A month in the life of 4 freight cars
This map shows how four freight cars, threading their way through the North American railroad network, can take about two weeks to cross half the continent. The shippers using these four cars enjoyed tremendous efficiencies by sharing the costs of train crews and locomotives, track and signaling, classification yards, and overhead expenses with the other […]
Video Review: Big Boy: On the Road to Restoration
Big Boy: On the Road to Restoration By Trains Magazine Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187; 1 hour and 30 minutes, NTSC format. The steam story of the decade is Union Pacific’s announcement that it is going to repatriate and restore one of the eight surviving 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotives. Folks […]
Book Review: On Track: A Field Guide to San Francisco’s Historic Streetcars & Cable Cars
On Track: A Field Guide to San Francisco’s Historic Streetcars & Cable Cars By Rick Laubscher Heyday, P.O. Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709, 510-549-3564; 128 pages, color photos; softcover, 4.5 x 9 in.; $14.95 Only in San Francisco can you ride a fleet of historic PCC and cable cars through one of the world’s most […]
Former NJT U34CH takes first steps to restoration NEWSWIRE
U34CH No. 3372 in transit in late October. Michael William Sullivan BOONTON, N.J. – For the first time in more than a decade, a General Electric U34CH rolled along the NJ Transit main line. Last week, the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey moved the world’s last surviving U34CH, No. 3372, from the New […]
Vermont Rail System locomotive roster
NOTES: 1. Owned by Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority 2. Lettered Washington County Railroad 3. Painted in 50th anniversary scheme 4. Built as ACL GP7 No. 103 in 1950, rebuilt by SCL to GP16 ABBREVIATIONS: CLP – Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad GMRC – Green Mountain Railroad NY&OC – New York & Ogdensburg Railway VTR – […]
Crestwood loads 1,000th unit train at Bakken transload hub NEWSWIRE
Jeff Robertson EPPING, N.D. – Crestwood Midstream Partners has loaded its 1,000th crude oil unit train at its COLT Hub in Epping, about 15 miles northeast of Williston. The facility began service in June 2012 with an original capacity to load 80,000 barrels per day, but now handles up to 160,000 barrels per day after […]
Detroit trolleys to be auctioned NEWSWIRE
DETROIT – Among hundreds of surplus vehicles to be auctioned by the city of Detroit in November are half a dozen narrow-gauge trolley cars. They are the remnants of an urban redevelopment plan that ran out of steam more than 10 years ago. The Detroit Citizens Railway has been dormant since mid-2003, its cars tucked […]
Western Pacific 0-6-0 No. 165 nears first hydro test NEWSWIRE
Former Western Pacific 0-6-0 No. 165 rests in the Portola shop during its lengthy restoration. Mike Mucklin Staff works to install the new cab on No. 165. Mike Mucklin PORTOLA, Calif. – The Feather River Rail Society is moving ahead with restoration of Western Pacific 0-6-0 No. 165. Chris Allan, Feather River Rail Society steam […]
2014 Holiday Trains
The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes a stop in La Crosse, Wis., in 2010. Photo by Travis Dewitz. Please scroll to the bottom to download this content in PDF form. ALABAMA Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum Calera hodrrm.org North Alabama Railroad Museum Huntsville northalabamarailroadmuseum.com ARIZONA Grand Canyon Williams thetrain.com ARKANSAS Arkansas & Missouri Springdale amrailroad.com […]
Iowa Pacific purchases Illinois Central E units from CN NEWSWIRE
Nos. 100 and 101 running around an excursion train in Wisconsin in December 2012. Steve Glischinski CHICAGO – Iowa Pacific Holding is the top bidder for two Illinois Central E units from Canadian National. The two units, E9s Nos. 100 and 101 were put up for sale earlier this year after CN deemed them surplus. […]
Museums, railroads prepare to move N&W 2-8-8-2 to Roanoke NEWSWIRE
N&W Y6a 2-8-8-2 No. 2156 sits at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. David Huelsing ST. LOUIS – One of the strongest steam locomotives ever built is just weeks away from a long-awaited homecoming. As of this week, Norfolk & Western Y6a 2-8-8-2 steam locomotive No. 2156 is awaiting final approval to begin a 700 […]