Baltimore & Ohio-Linking 13 Great States with the Nation

Baltimore & Ohio connected the Eastern Seaboard with Appalachia, the Ohio River, the Great Lakes and the Midwest.  Baltimore & Ohio's slogan was "Linking 13 Great States with the Nation."

Kansas City-Truly a Railroad Town

Kansas City has historically been a hub of America's railroads.  At Kansas City, railroads from the West intersect with railroads from the Midwest and the Gulf Coast.
Class 1 railroad Kansas City Southern calls Kansas City home.  Kansas City is also served by Class 1's BNSF, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern.  Kansas City is also served by the Amtrak Southwest Chief and the Missouri River Runner.

Rock Island- A Favorite Railroad to Many

Rock Island was known as the "Route of the Rockets."  Rock Island connected the Midwest with the Gulf Coast.
Rock Island was a favorite railroad to many as it was well known in pop culture, however it struggled as an underdog alongside competing railroads.  Rock Island gained fame with the popular folk song "The Rock Island Line" performed by artists such as John Lomax, Lead Belly, Lonnie Donegan and Johnny Cash.

Trains of the Midwest

The Midwest has a rich history of railroads that connected its people, places, agriculture and industry.  Historically, many of the Midwest's railroads connected the Midwest with the Gulf Coast, the Northeast, and the West.

Many of the Midwest's railroads have become part of today's Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Canadian Pacific or Canadian National.  Quite a few of the Midwest's shortlines and regional railroads remain.  Shortlines and regionals perform much of the key first mile/last mile service in unison with today's Class 1 railroads.

Drawing of the Day August 19- Canadian National General Electric ET44ACTier 4 Locomotive

Today's drawing is a new Canadian National General Electric GE Transportation ET44AC.  This Canadian National ET44AC is from Canadian National's first order for GE Transportation Tier 4 Locomotives.
The development of the Tier 4 locomotive is a crowning achievement in locomotive progress.
Canadian National's transcontinental Canadian mainline serves the ports, agriculture, industries and communities of Canada.  Canadian National also is a key railroad in the United States, serving communities, industries and ports throughout the Midwest, the Northeast and along the Gulf Coast.

Chicago-America's Railroad Hub

Chicago is truly America's railroad hub.  Railroads from the Northeast, the Southeast and Gulf Coast and the Midwest and West join at Chicago.  Historically, Chicago's shortlines and belt railroads have served Chicago's industries and have linked the railroads that interchange in the Windy City.
Steel from the Steel mills of Chicago and Northern Indiana provided a key source of traffic to Chicago's railroads.  Steel from these mills helped build America.

Missouri Pacific Train at St. Louis

A Missouri Pacific freight heads south out of St. Louis.  Today's train carries freight bound for Memphis and New Orleans.
Missouri Pacific was known as the "Route of the Eagles."  Missouri Pacific connected the agriculture, industries and communities of the Southern Midwest states and the Gulf Coast.  Midwest became a part of Union Pacific in 1982.

Conrail-A Railroad That Truly Lives in Our Hearts

Conrail is truly a railroad that lives in our hearts.  Conrail served the mining, manufacturing and industries throughout the  Northeast, Midwest and New England.  Conrail is deeply loved by its employees and fans.
I briefly lived in Altoona, Pennsylvania during the Conrail era.  I remember watching Conrail's "Big Blue" as it rolled by, ready to conquer the Horseshoe Curve.
Conrail truly was a story of triumph.  It was a story of people and management working together to weave a handful of struggling railroads into the success story that it became.  Conrail will always live in our hearts.

Santa Fe All The Way

Santa Fe linked the Midwest gateways of Chicago and Kansas City with the Southwest.  Known for its scenic mainline and its streamlined trains such as the Super Chief, Santa Fe not only connected people and places, but it stood in the hearts of many.

Chicago Great Western-"The Corn Belt Route"

A mile-long Chicago Great Western freight makes its way across the Iowa prairie.  Today's train is under the command of five F-units.

Chicago Great Western became known for its mile long trains and its ability to work with what it had in a Midwest full of competitors.  Chicago Great Western, "The Corn Belt Route," eventually became part of the Chicago and North Western.