Rock Island buys GM’s two Aerotrains for suburban service out of Chicago, where they join RI’s own Jet Rocket Talgo train, powered by an Aerotrain-style locomotive. . . . Illinois Central buys eight sleeping cars (four 10-5’s, four 4-4-2’s) from New York Central for City of Miami service. . . . Pullman-Standard’s first 85-foot flatcar […]
In his article “Boyhood Fascination with New York Central Steam” in the Winter 2008 issue of Classic Trains, author Fred Furminger recalls the mid-1950s when he, as a bike-riding teenager in Buffalo, photographed the final years of steam on NYC’s Michigan Central. Here’s a sampling of the 8mm movies he took then, including his homemade […]
In his article “The First PA’s” in the Winter 2008 issue of Classic Trains, author Peter A. Hansen examines Alco’s first postwar passenger diesels, Santa Fe Nos. 51L, 51A, and 51B. Here are scenes of Santa Fe PA’s in action from Herron Rail Video’s DVD program “Glory Machines, Vol. 5.” […]
As of October 1, 1958, Class I railroads own or lease 27,622 diesel locomotives, 1,532 steam locomotives, and 559 electrics. . . . Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line are mulling a merger. . . . New York Central unveils a system for transporting ballistic missiles in conventional 70-foot baggage cars. . . . […]
New Jersey challenges the constitutionality of the Transportation Act of 1958, under whose provisions the Erie and New York Central seek to discontinue their Hudson River ferry service. . . . Reading Company completes a $500,000 upgrade at its Port Richmond Marine Terminal on the Delaware River in Philadelphia; new ore-unloading machinery nearly doubles the […]
SP announces it is standardizing on silver livery for all passenger equipment; although Armour yellow will be retained for cars assigned to Overland Route trains, SP’s tow-tone gray and bright Daylight colors will fade away. . . . On August 12, the Transportation Act of 1958 is signed into law. Among its provisions are greater […]
July 1958 in railroad history One of steam’s greatest chapters comes to a close July 2 when class S-2 No. 746 makes the last revenue freight trip of a Nickel Plate Road Berkshire, Bellevue-Conneaut, Ohio. . . . Fan trips: Burlington Route assigns O-5A 4-8-4 No. 5618 to a July 4th weekend Railroad Club of […]
CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Commuters CTR: Southern Pacific Steam – Daylights […]
In the Spring 2008 issue of Classic Trains we look at the last weeks of steam on the N&W. See three clips of N&W 0-8-0’s and 2-8-8-2’s in action from the Herron Rail Video program Pocahontas Glory, Vol. 6. Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 1 Norfolk & Western Steam – Episode 2 Norfolk & […]
In the Winter 2007 issue of Classic Trains we look at the 1941 Hollywood motion picture Broadway Limited. Broadway Limited – Episode 1 Broadway Limited – Episode 2 Broadway Limited – Episode 3 […]
Track plan at a glance Name: Stove Pipe WellsScale: N (1:160) narrow gauge (Nn3)Size: 4′-1″ x 9′-0″Theme: mining short lineEra: 1870s to 1950s, depending upon rolling stock usedStyle: portableMainline run: 34′-6″Minimum radius: 10″Minimum turnout: no. 5Maximum grade: 5 percentOriginally appeared in the December 2006 issue of Model Railroader.Also appeared in 102 Realistic Track Plans.Click on […]
In the Fall 2006 issue of Classic Trains, we look at the Santa Fe’s great steam designs during the tenure of Chief Mechanical Engineer Charles T. Ripley. See clips of the giant 5001- and 5011-class 2-10-4’s on home rails in New Mexico and on lease to the Pennsylvania Railroad in Ohio from the Herron Rail […]
