Amazing! The powers that be at the time allowed L&N steam to be back in the coalfields for the first time in thirty years. That mournful whistle reverberating up the "hollers" and hill... (more)

Fairly new and just off a recent CR train. Photo by Mike Dolenski, from my collection.

It's almost 48 years ago, the 45s were pure, loud gas hogs, glorious brutes. The ramshackle tower still stood, cabooses were required and the Kaiser ore train traversed the arid countryside with... (more)

Most everybody else bought small orders of these, if any, but SP jumped in with both feet. They were big, they sounded good and they were very flawed.

An eastbound intermodal is departing and headed for Beaumont Hill. Photo by Mike Dolenski. From my collection.

On Conrail. Photo by Mike Dolenski.

Maybe the only caboose hop I ever shot on the SP, this one was actually headed west around the loop as I recall.

An eastbound piggyback races through rural territory. At once one of the best and one of the worst temporary duty experiences I ever had.

Looking good, but hobbled by no transition and rail-spreading trucks, these six axle Alcos were exiled to slow speed yard service. Alco had problems under the hood but their products were big an... (more)

Fantasy paint scheme? I think this unit had white lettering that somehow came off. I like the variety. As a modeler I'd rather see some of the many real but ignored paint schemes be offered ins... (more)

There were a bunch of these that day and I enjoyed hearing the throaty roar of those 16-567s as they latched onto large cuts of cars. In the near future the only sound of locomotives will be a th... (more)

Though early orders of GP38-2s used oil bath air filters that was changed to paper filters on subsequent orders as evidenced by this unit. Photo bt TC Caughman.

Southern, like it successor, took a "wait and see" attitude toward new technology as evidenced by the use of oil bath air filtration on the early order of these units as built. This was changed i... (more)

To SD35s and one 45 are leading a section of a westbound freight. Photo by Mike Dolenski. From my collection.

The handwriting was on the wall when this huge string of power was stored, apparently due to a business downturn. Some operated until 1986 when their fuel tanks were removed to go to GP38s and th... (more)