Drawing of the Day April 17 2016 Amtrak E60 #603 From Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Today I drew Amtrak E60 #603. It is part of the collection of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

Drawing of the Day-March 5, 2016 SMS Lines S12 #300

Yesterday I drew SMS Lines S12 #300. SMS Lines provides transloading service in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is a member of American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Drawing of the Day-March 2, 2016 Juniata Valley SW9 #2106

Today I drew Juniata Valley SW9 #2106. Juniata Valley connects Lewistown, Derry Township and Burnham, PA, is part of the North Shore family of railroads and is a member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Drawing of the Day-Februray 26, 2016 Buffalo & Pittsburgh SD40-3 #3342

Today I drew Buffalo and Pittsburgh SD40-3 #3342.  Buffalo and Pittsburgh is part of the Genesee & Wyoming family of short lines and connects, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Erie.  Buffalo & Pittsburgh and Genesee & Wyoming are members of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Drawing of the Day February 9, 2016-Norfolk Southern SD70ACU 7319

I just drew newly rebuilt Norfolk Southern Corp SD70ACU 7319. SD70ACU 7319 was rebuilt from former Union Pacific SD9043AC 8247 at the Altoona Works.

Delaware and Hudson-A Favorite Among Railroad Enthusiasts

Delaware and Hudson is a fan favorite throughout New York, Pennsylvania and the Northeast.  Its classy gray and blue paint scheme is considered by many to be one of the most elegant paint schemes in railroading.
Delaware and Hudson also participated with many of America's railroads in painting elegant Red, White and Blue locomotives for America's Bicentennial.  Delaware and Hudson's "I Love New York" box car was painted as part of a greater campaign to promote tourism first to New York City and then to New York State as a whole.

February 1st-Happy Birthday, Penn Central!

Penn Central was formed on February 1, 1968 when railroad giants Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central merged.  Happy Birthday, Penn Central!

Tony Kimmel Was a Great Friend to Us All

I first met Tony Kimmel on Tom Davis's porch at The Station Inn while railfanning Norfolk Southern. I enjoyed looking at the photos he had taken, and, as the trains rolled by, Tony took quite a few new pictures of trains. Those were good days. Many of us have met trackside, and I feel that is where some of our best friendships come from. I will always remember Tony as a great friend, a friend to all of us, and I will always think of him as I watch trains roll by. Thank you Tony for the friend that you were to us all.

Drawing of the Day-January 21st, 2016-Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Bicentennial GP7

Today I drew Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Bicentennial GP7 1501. It worked in #Pittsburgh #PA #commuter service. I have now drawn GP7 #1501 in its later Pittsburgh & Lake Erie scheme, as a Youngstown & Austintown locomotive and as an Ohio Central locomotive. This engine is remembered by quite a few that worked on it.

Drawing of the Day- September 10, 2015 GE Transportation Concept ET44C4

I always like to see what classic paint schemes would look like on modern locomotives.  Today I did a concept drawing of a General Electric ET44C4 Tier 4 Locomotive inspired by GE Transportation's U25B demonstrators from years ago.
The development of the Tier 4 locomotive is a crowning achievement in locomotive progress.
GE Transportation Tier 4 Locomotives are being built in Erie, Pennsylvania and Fort Worth, Texas.

Watching Conrail While Living in Altoona

It was always fun to watch trains while in Altoona.  When I took a break from drawing, often we would go down by the railroad museum and watch Conrail go by.
Westbounds were just preparing to climb the Horseshoe Curve, and eastbounds prepared to cut their helpers off.  After a few hours, I was ready to go back into the studio and draw again.

Drawing Trains On Rainy Days in Altoona

While living in Altoona, Pennsylvania, I loved rainy days where I could sit inside and draw.  The stormy skies reminded me so much of the gray days I saw in my book on the Pennsylvania Railroad by Don Ball, Jr.

As the storms would lift, it was fun to sit and watch Conrail on a sunny day that followed.  Many of my drawings from that era were inspired in such a way.

Drawing of the Day August 14, 2015 Port Authority of Allegheny County "PA Train"

When is an F-Unit also a PA? When it is the "PA Train" of the Port Authority of Allegheny County! I just drew PA Train F-Unit #6690 for fans of the PA Train.
I read about the PA Train in Railpace magazine as a teenager and remember seeing its commuter trains side by side with Conrail and Chessie System locomotives.  I thought it would be a great Flashback Friday to draw PA Train F-Unit #6690.

Bessemer and Lake Erie Ore Train at Conneaut, Ohio

A Bessemer and Lake Erie train heads south from the ore docks at Conneaut, Ohio.  Its cargo heads to North Bessemer Yard and a connection with the Union Railroad.
Bessemer and Lake Erie and Union Railroad and sister Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range were all part of the US Steel Family of railroads.  These railroads worked together to haul iron ore from the Iron Range of Minnesota to the steel mills of Pittsburgh.

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.

Altoona, Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Railroad

In the mid-1990s, I called Altoona, Pennsylvania home as I studied the Pennsylvania Railroad and the railroads of the Northeast. I had read about Altoona in Don Ball, Jr's book about the Pennsylvania railroad and wanted to experience firsthand this key city that had been home to the Juniata Shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

I lived in Altoona during the era of Conrail.  Very quickly I became familiarized with the surrounding communities such as Hollidaysburg which housed the car shops which were still vital to Conrail.  I saw firsthand what a feat it was to cross the Alleghany Mountains at the famous Horseshoe Curve.

I saw in Altoona's architecture and industry the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad.  Altoona's great rail access makes it home to many well-loved small and mid-sized companies such Boyer Candies and Benzel's Pretzels.

The Reading: A Railroad That Lives in the Hearts of Us All

The Reading Railroad had a rich history of hauling anthracite coal.  From the mines to the mills and growing city centers of a growing Pennsylvania, so grew the Reading Railroad.  Coal from the ground helped to build America in the steel industry and helped fire the factories and houses that so many workers called home.
The Reading also provided the passenger service to the growing getaway of Atlantic City, where families took there weekend vacations not so far from home.  These moments in the summer sun and the familiarity of this railroad earned it a household name as one of the four railroads on the Monopoly board and in the hearts of Americans.
The Reading, truly a railroad that built America, and a railroad that earned a spot in the hearts of us all.