Dusty descent

Norfolk & Western Pocahontas

Norfolk & Western’s Cincinnati–Norfolk Pocahontas descends Christiansburg Hill west of Roanoke in a cloud of dust on April 21, 1971. Ten days before its discontinuance upon the arrival of Amtrak, the “Pokey” still carries healthy head-end traffic and an ex-Wabash dome coach. Photo by J. David Ingles […]

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Minnesota Commercial Railway owner John Gohmann dies

Balding caucasian man wearing eyeglasses and brown coat.

John Gohmann, owner of the Minnesota Commercial Railroad — a notable early success story in the shortline industry that developed in the wake of Staggers Act deregulation — has died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Libertyville, Ill. He was 73. Gohmann began his railroad career as a yard clerk for the Chicago & […]

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