In Volume 2 of the tracks of the old Missouri Pacific, we’ll continue in the St. Louis Missouri area and across the Mississippi River in the East St. Louis area with Green Frog’s professional railroad photographer Rich Scheid.
Continuing coverage of Conrail’s Executive Train, this last installment shows scenes of this dual-purpose train taken at track level, whereas our first two volumes were cab rides.
We capture these trains on the southern part of the Buffalo Line, plus empty and loaded coal trains, CP detour trains, and a CP high and wide. We also see the North Shore Railroad at Sunbury going onto the Shamokin Valley Line.
With all gearing exposed and all wheels powered, Geared engines were some of the strangest looking steam engines ever built. Join Trains magazine in taking a look at these fascinating steam engines in the Great American Steam Locomotives: Geared and Logging DVD.
In volume 16 of Railfanning with the Bednars, it’s the late 1980s and Conrail is still busy removing the Lehigh Valley mainline. We go back in time with some found footage from the Bednar Collection.
In 1988 Illinois Central Gulf dropped the “Gulf” and began a concerted effort to repaint locomotives into what railfans dubbed the “Death Star” scheme. There wasn’t much else on the Mainline of Mid-America by the mid-90s. The new IC was sleek, efficient and profitable – just not as colorful.
Trains Magazines does a deep dive into the Pacific type steam locomotive. A workhorse for many railroads, the 4-6-2 deserves the in-depth coverage we get here. Interviews, video, history and a look at the Pacific’s legacy – plus great footage including a Santa Fe Pacific in steam, Reading & Northern’s Four & a Quarter, Soo Line 6719 and more.