It's Time For A BIG Question

[RickKfoury]

In the United States, we have been blessed with a long and very varied railroad history. There have been hundreds of existing railroads, from shortlines all the way up through Class 1's from which we may pique our interests. Here at Railworks America I see a similar phenomena: thousands of users, each different from the last, all sharing a common goal and providing endless knowledge from which we can learn from each other. To such a varied and knowledgeable community I ask.....what is your favorite railroad?

But most importantly, why?

Is it the scenery of a certain railroad that grabs your attention? Is it the local railroad for you? Perhaps its locomotives or rolling stock? The industries it served? Its history? Its personnel? What about that railroad makes you strive to learn more about it, or even work to represent it in Railworks? For some the answer may be instantaneous, others may have to sit back and really think. I'll start...

As most of you can probably tell, the Boston & Maine Railroad has always been my main area of interest. This is due in part to it being the "home team", the only real substantial railroad in my part of the state for a long, long time. I suppose if I lived in a place like New York or Chicago, where numerous railroads met, my answer might be a little more challenging. But for me, it's been all about the B&M. I've always had a hard time getting interested in "foreign" roads outside of my region of New England because its been hard for me to relate to them. I find it much easier to be interested in a railroad whose right-of-ways I can walk and whose remnants are still everywhere you look (that is, if you know where to look) without having to travel far distances. I love being able to speak to those local folks who witnessed the B&M when it was still existent, and who can talk firsthand about the things I can only see in photographs today. I love hearing about my dad unloading boxcars at the family business during high school, or my grandfather calling the Manchester yard office during the McGinnis Era to ask where a shipment was. I love hearing my mom talk about waving at skiers from her backyard who were headed up north in B&M Budd Cars in the winter and at the conductors who sat in the windows of bright blue cabooses in the summer. I love finding those rare photographs of maroon and gold diesels at locations I see every day, many of which are only dirt paths now. Everything about the B&M interests me, from its up-country branches, overgrown with weeds and sporting ancient railroad covered-bridges, to the main line freights and passenger trains which roared through my state. The locomotives may have been dirty and faded, but they wore it with pride. It was always in trouble, it was never very profitable, but it was charming. It was New England, in a sense. Always willing to work through the hard times whether they be in the form of floods, recessions or corrupt administrations. In the words of Robert W. Jones, a railroad author, "Every foot of track on the B&M, mainline or branch, rain or shine, needed or not, was the scene of legitimate human endeavor, the daily earning of keep, the conducting of commerce."

I look forward to hearing your stories and your own personal preferences

[buzz456]

Oh gosh, grew up right next to the EJ&E. This RR was owned by US Steel and was the highest per mile profit railroad in the US. Had a whole lot of interesting and somewhat unique locomotives. If I ever got time I would love to model it. Now part of CN.

[DrewG]

Cool idea.

As many probably know I'm Canadian and since I'm around it all the time Canadian National has to be my favourite. It is the only railway at the moment that is a true transcontinental railway that spans from Halifax to Vancouver and even down to the Gulf coast. Ever since the beginning CN has thrived, swallowing other big railroads like the Canadian Northern or the Grand Trunk, just to name two, and has been able to stay on top ever since. To me, the history of CN is what counts. My grandfather, who is the man responsible for the railfan I am today always has a new story for me about the CNR when we email or talk in person, stories which will never happen again and are amazing for a teenager like me to hear.
One of my favorites he tells is when he was a kid growing up on the farm in Nova Scotia where he grew up in the 30's and 40's, where the railway cut across his lane way, He'd be picked up every morning to go to school like a bus service but a steam train. He says that when the train would come in the kids, himself included, would go to the front and try and get a cab ride, which since his father new the engineer, he sometimes got.
Another story which I quite love is when the first diesel came into Truro NS, where he still lives only 30 feet from the tracks. He says while working in the Scotsburn Dairy (then called Brookefeild) they heard the horn which they new was the Diesels the papers where writing about, so they, along with most of the town clocked out and migrated to the station where they saw the shining Black Red and White diesel rolling into the station (He doesn't remember seeing the green 1954 scheme every come through Truro).

When I was growing up seeing crossing lights flashing and seeing the CN logo roll past was always something I loved and when I visited him he'd walk down the tracks with me and we'd watch the trains roll by his home, which we still do when I go out east. Along with the amazing things CN has done, like build the CN tower, hold onto the only transcontinental rail line in North America, and continue to prosper which new terminals being built to add more capacity such as this new Milton Intermodal terminal CN is going to make close to me. This is why CN is my favorite Railway.

[ErikGorbiHamilton]

Really Interesting Thread.

I currently live in Algona Wa, Where once there used to be 5 Railroads Running. Near the East Side of the valley the Northern Pacific made its home. They had both a Inbound and Outbound Yard, Roundhouse, And Engine Facility's. Most of this was removed by the BN in the 1980's. The yard was rebuilt by the BNSF when they Reopened Stampede Pass. Its now a holding yard for Almost All road freights. The Great Northern also ran here with Trackage Rights to Tacoma. In the center of the Valley The Union Pacific Built through town as well, Later sharing the ROW with the MILW from Renton Wa to Portland Or. On the Western side of the valley, About 200 feet from the computer i am writing this from, is another old railroad, this one long since abandoned (Most people on the Forum weren't even BORN yet when it was ripped up). This was the Puget Sound Electric Railway which was built around 1911. It ran from Seattle to Tacoma. Now it is the Interurban trail, Which has 3 Sections. The Railroad went bust in 1929 (October Infact) and the ROW was ripped up about 1933.


As for my favorite Railroad it would be (obviously) the Burlington Northern. I was born 3 years too late too see any Real BN trains. My dad started work on the BN around April of 1990! So far he is an Engineer on the BNSF and has 25 Years of Service.


On a side note, This BN motor surprised me One night while out rail fanning. My jaw dropped at the fact even the Logo Remained:

[fraserm]

Hi, Rick. I grew up just north of Boston, MA where I used to watch the Boston & Maine switchers operate in a small yard supplying some small industries in the area. There was the oil distributor my father worked for, a greengrocer distribution warehouse, a paper converter, and a few others. I remember small switchers like SW1200s, or S2s. I don't remember exactly because I didn't know their designations at that time. There were also road switchers like the RS1/2/3 type. Occasionally there was a "long" (maybe 20 or 30 cars) freight dropping off at the small yard along Canal Street. Then there were the Budd RDCs going from Boston to Gloucester and back on the scheduled commuter runs. In fact the only "real" train trip I've ever taken was from my home city to Boston and back on the RDC.
That being said I really like the B&M repaints you and Diego and others have been creating. They bring back lots of fond memories. I would walk or bike from my parents' house to a rickety old wooden bridge above the tracks and spend lots of time just watching operations there. This was back in the '60s. Most of the trackage is gone now. Looking on Google Earth you can still see the ROW traces but no tracks any more.
In TS, running B&M equipment on Portland Terminal is one of my favorite activities. I can drive to the Rigby yard area in less than 2 hours from where I currently live so I can see their operations and the Amtrak trains at the Portland Transportation Center.
Thanks for the BIG Question. Brings back pleasant memories.
Cheers,
Marc