Despite its small size, grand scale railroading – well-known for miniature train rides at parks – can be full of uniqueness, character, and history that is as big as the 1:1 scale. The Milwaukee County Zoo’s North Shore Bank Safari Train is a grand example of this as I’ve come to learn of this 15-inch […]
Allentown kaleidoscope When I was a young boy in the 1960s, my family lived within earshot of the Lehigh Valley’s West End industrial branch that traversed the north side of Allentown, Pa. Weekday summer entertainment included a run to my backyard whenever I heard an approaching diesel switcher. As the local passed, I faithfully counted […]
Learning the route Because trains have a maximum speed, most people assume they move at that speed constantly. Not so. You can’t simply set the cruise control at 79 mph and forget it. With the exception of very flat, sparsely populated terrain, you’re constantly applying or releasing the brakes and manipulating the throttle. There are […]
Railroad History Railroading exists everywhere we look, and in our travels we often get a glimpse into railroad history in places we least expect — like the half-dozen U-turns I’ve performed in ranch country where rust boxcars have been repurposed for storage. It’s an encounter with railroad history beyond the right-of-way. Drier climates in the […]
As a teacher in Oklahoma, the sharing and showcasing of history is nonstop for 25-year-old David Weston. This includes serving as a seasonal conductor for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad during the summer break, while also documenting the life and times along the narrow gauge line through Instagram with approximately 45,000 followers digitally going […]
The Nevada Northern Railway might be the most remote railroad attraction in the Lower 48, and it’s also one of the most valuable. Just ask any of the thousands of people who make the trek each year out to windswept Ely, the east-central Nevada town that hosts one of our finest steam operations. Headlined by […]
Montana’s U.S. Route 2 The former Great Northern “Hi-Line” across Montana is BNSF’s primary route to the Pacific Northwest. The BNSF route across Montana is paralleled by U.S Route 2 instead of an interstate highway and is a boon to the railfan. For 557 miles, U.S. 2 is alongside BNSF from Whitefish in the western […]
Buffalo Central Terminal The recent reopening of Detroit’s Michigan Central Terminal rekindled thoughts about another neglected terminal, this one resides in Buffalo, N.Y. What turn of events would need to take place to revive Buffalo’s Central Terminal? There may be significant roadblocks, but could they be overcome? Blast from the past First, some background. As […]
Amtrak National Limited service began operation on May 1, 1971, linking New York City and Washington, D.C., with Kansas City. It carried Nos. 30-31. The route roughly paralleled that of Interstate 70, which links Baltimore and Kansas City. The name was a nod to a Baltimore & Ohio train serving Washington and St. Louis, but […]
Although a latecomer to the hood unit market, EMD became the dominant builder of road switchers with the GP7. Dynamic brakes are indicated by a protruding housing (“blister”) with grids atop the middle of the long hood, with rooftop cooling fans above it. The radiators are at the end of the hood, with an intake […]
Of all the mainline steam locomotives running these days — and there is an uncanny amount of them — I can’t think of one with as many distinct transitions as Reading 4-8-4 No. 2102. By my count, she’s a cat with at least five lives, with four more to go, if you believe that sort […]
Track The radio comes alive: It’s a transmission about another engineer. We’ll call him Mike Smith. “Mike Smith, what track are you on at Harriman Junction?” I’m northbound on Norfolk Southern train No. 216, a hot-shot piggybacker on the Kentucky Division — the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway, the Rat Hole — between […]
