Railroads Across North America: An Illustrated History

262 Pages·2007·156.44 MB·English

by  Claude A. Wiatrowski

First published in 2007 by Voyageur Press, an imprint of MBI Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Publishing Company, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 300,
Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA Wiatrowski, Claude A.
Railroads across North America : an illustrated history I by
Copyright© 2007, 2010 by Mountain Automation Claude Wiatrowski.
Corporation p.cm.
Hardcover edition published in 2007. Digital edition 2010. Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-2976-4 (hardbound w/ jacket)
All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief ISBN-10: 0-7603-2976-1 (hardbound w/ jacket) 1.
passages for the purposes of review, no part of this Railroads-United State-History. 2. Railroads-Canada
publication may be reproduced without prior written History. 3. Railroad engineering-History. I. Title.
permission from the Publisher. TF22.W53 2007
385.0973-dc22
The information in this book is true and complete to the 2007007649
best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made
without any guarantee on the part of the author or Front cover: At the west end of the North Platte River's
Publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred Wendover Canyon at Cassa, Wyoming, a westward empty
in connection with the use of this data or specific details. BNSF coal train waits for a meet with eastbound loads under
an ominous June 2000 sky. Hal Reiser photograph Inset: The
This publication has not been prepared, approved, or New York Central's signature locomotive was the Henry
licensed by any Dreyfuss-designed Hudson, with a 4-6-4 wheel arrangement.
of the entities represented or depicted herein, past or Streamlined locomotive No. 5450 celebrates Independence
present, or by Day on July 4, 1941. www.cabincreekcds.com
their successors.
Frontis: Detail from a 1945 Pennsylvania Railroad
We recognize, further, that some words, model names, and advertisement.
designations mentioned herein are the property of the Voyageur Press collection
trademark holder. We use them for identification purposes
only. This is not an official publication. Title pages: The Chicago & North Western's Proviso
roundhouse, 1942. Jack Delano, LC-USW361-583, Library of
MBI Publishing Company titles are also available at Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
discounts in bulk quantity for industrial or sales
promotional use. For details write to Special Sales Manager These pages: Two locomotives head a huge passenger train,
at MBI Publishing Company, 400 First Avenue North, Suite including 4 baggage cars and at least 10 visible passenger cars.
300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA The odd, squarish shape of the boiler top near the cab of each
locomotive was called a Belpaire firebox. Invented in 1860, it
Editor: Dennis Pernu was more common in Europe than in America and was
Designer: LeAnn Kuhlmann standard on modern Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives.
Voyageur Press collection
Digital edition: 978-1-61060-136-8
Hardcover edition: 978-0-7603-2976-4
Printed in China
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my father-in-law, Evan Ammeson. Evan never got to meet my father, who died so young.
lt was my great fortune to marry Margaret and gain a superb new father-and one who was a railroad buff as well!
This book is also dedicated to my wife Margaret and children, Kevin and Karen. Their support was vital not
only to writing this book, but in pursuing railroad history and photography for most of my life.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............ .. ... ...... ...... ...... ..... 6
INTRODUCTION ... ....... ....... . .. . . ... ......... ... . . .....7
CHAPTER ONE THE RIGHT STUFF ....... ...... ...... .. .. ....... ......8
ROBBER BARON BOOM ............................
CHAPTERTWO .38
FADED GLORY ...... .... ............. .............. .. .
CHAPTER THREE 84
OLD PROBLEMS, NEW SOLUTIONS .. ........... .
CHAPTER FOUR .142
THE RIGHT STUFF, AGAIN ..... .... ... ....... .....
CHAPTER FIVE .190
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES AND
APPENDIX A
OTHER RAILROAD ORGANIZATIONS ........ ....
246
PRESERVED RAILWAYS, MUSEUMS,
APPENDIX B
AND HISTORIC SITES ......... .... ............. ....2 48
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... .. .. ..... . . ...... .... ............ . . ..2 52
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ......... . ................ ... ..........2 54
INDEX ..... ... .. .... ......... ...... ........... ..... ......2 55
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N
o project with as broad a scope The following organizations also pro
as this book could be completed vided assistance for which I am grateful:
without the help of many expert 7+ RAILROADER magazine; American
individuals and relevant organi Short Line and Regional Railroad Associ
zations. I especially thank my son, Kevin, for ation; Archives of Advertising; Association
all his help with ideas and reviews of copy of American Railroads; Baltimore & Ohio
and images. His help made this a much bet Railroad Museum; Belton, Grandview and
ter book. I also thank the following individ Kansas City Railroad Company; Bionik
uals for their assistance: Media Photo Lab; California State Railroad
Charles Albi, Evan Ammeson, Lindsey Museum; Colorado Railcar; Colorado
Ashby, Don Barnes, Bob Bartizek, Mark Railroad Museum; Durango & Silverton
Bassett, Brittany Bower, Ed Boyle, Richard Narrow Gauge Railroad; Friends of the
Braden, Bob Brown, Jerry Carson, John Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; Garden
Coker, Paul Conn, David Conrad, Steve Railways magazine; Genessee & Wyoming
Crise, Kyle Davis, Richard Davis, Holly Incorporated; Image Archives; Iowa Inter
Delants, Doug Doane, Karen Dougherty, state Railroad; Kansas City Southern; Leanin'
Michael Dregni, Stephen Drew, Greg Tree Museum of Western Art and Sculpture
Gardenour, Amy Getz, Bob Goldsack, Jack Garden; Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway;
Gurner, Marc Horovitz, Tom Janaky, Cody Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette; Nevada
Jennings, Dwight Johnson, Doniele Kane, Northern Railway; Norfolk Southern
Doug Kaniuk, George Lawrence, Josh Corporation; 0 Gauge Railroading maga
Leventhal, Bill Lock, Paul Loyd, Dan Markoff, zine; OmniTRAX, Incorporated; Railroad
Kara Marshall, Bill McBride, Scott Development Corporation; Royal Gorge
McCandless, Mel McFarland, Joe Minnich, Route; Shortlines of Chicago Historical
Linn Moedinger, Gordon Osmundson, Tom Society; Strasburg Rail Road; The Grand
Palmer, Bob Parker, Tom Parker, Wendy Scales Quarterly magazine; Tourist
Pifher, Ken Postma, Larry Powell, Teresa Railway Association Incorporated; Ute
Propeck, Kathy Przybylski, Dan Ranger, Phil Pass Historical Society; Valley Railroad;
Raynes, Alan Reff, Dave Reynolds, Ellen Verde Canyon Railroad; Water Valley
Roberts, Susan Robinson, Dave Schackelford, Railroad Museum; White Pass & Yukon
Steve Schroeder, Rene Schweitzer, Paul Scoles, Route; World Museum of Mining; and
Mike Shea, Sara Sheldon, Patrick Sirois, Yakutat & Southern Railroad Restoration
Brooke Smith, David Tanis, Wilma Taylor, Incorporated.
Karen Wiatrowski, Kevin Wiatrowski, Omitted are hundreds of friends with an
Margaret Wiatrowski, Jay Wimer, John interest in railroads who have contributed
Winfield, and W. Spencer Wren. indirectly to the creation of this book.
Top: This 1876 Santa Fe brochure appealed to tourists, settlers, and freight shippers. lt included a rather
sparse passenger timetable with only two eastbound and two westbound trains daily between Atchison,
Kansas, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.
W
hat is it that quickens the
pulse when a train passes?
If you have ever stood near "
a high-speed train (but not .~
too close!), you know of the roar of engines, J~
the blurring of colors, the shaking of the
ground. The experience is all the more :;;
moving if a steam locomotive is pulling the :
train. The smells of coal smoke and hot oil. ;,;;
o;
The shriek of the whistle. The clanking of ~
the rods. The rapid-fire sound of the ~
c
exhaust. It is no wonder that a large corn- 15
m unity of fans follows these steel monsters. :;.g:J'
Magazines are printed. Books are pub- ;
lished. Videos, computer games, and simu- ~
s
lations are produced. Miniature railroad
l
empires grow in basements! I understand
c
that fans exist for all modes of transporta- e
tion. But airplanes are too high to see en 6
"
route. Neither trucks nor buses have the size o
and majesty of a train. Ships spend most of
The Delaware & Hudson had the distinction of operating the first steam locomotive on a
their time on the high seas. Perhaps antique
commercial American railroad. Its 3-mile run so damaged the track- not designed for
automobiles come closest to trains m heavy 7-ton locomotives-that neither it nor its three sister locomotives were ever used.
inspiring aficionados.
It's not just the railfan who has an
interest. Almost everyone follows the trials page through the book and chose sidebars of interest to you. You might
and tribulations of the U.S. railroad pas enjoy topics of general interest such as Streamliners or Steam Locomotives.
senger service. Though they may not ride Or, consider reading the captions of photos you find compelling. Many tell
trains, they are sorry to see them decline, short, interesting stories about the image they describe.
because they know they are such an impor The history of U.S. and Canadian railroads would fill volumes. This
tant part of U.S. history. They also have a short volume is an abbreviated look at U.S. and Canadian railroads. I hope
vague, and quite correct, feeling that pas you find the time to visit a preserved railway or railroad museum-some
senger trains should be making their travels are listed in Appendix B-and experience how railroads once impacted the
easier if only they worked. Anyone who has daily life of Americans. Many such railroads and museums have gift shops
traveled the European railroad systems that feature a variety of additional books and videos on railroad subjects.
knows that U.S. policy toward rail trans Model railroad hobby shops and bookstores (physical or Web-based) are
port is seriously lacking. additional resources. Buy a few railroad magazines just to scan the adver
I know that you are interested in trains tisements. You'll find tour companies ready to send you riding trains in
or you wouldn't be holding this book in Colorado or China!
your hands. The basic thread of the text, Wave at a train. The engineer will almost surely wave back. There is a
presented in five chapters, is a short history long tradition of friendly communication between train watchers and rail
of U.S. railroads from their very beginnings road employees. Compare those friendly waves to the kinds of hand ges
to the present. Scattered among those chap tures sometimes exchanged between automobile drivers! For those of you
ters are dozens upon dozens of sidebars who remember railroads in their prime, I hope this book brings back happy
covering everything from Circus and memories. For younger readers, who know railroads only as coal trains
Carnival Trains to Snow Plows. If you are blocking their automobiles, you will find this book a pleasant surprise as
not up to reading every word, you might you discover the many facets of railroading.
Voyageur Press collection
The "Lightning Express" Trains: "Leaving the junction." Currier & Ives.
THE RIGHT STUFF
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