Nostalgia & History > What Railroad do you miss the most?

So just like the subject line says, which Railroad do you miss the most?  Maybe it would be good to open it up to rail line, or operation (favorite yard, locomotive shop, etc).

On my list:

The EL in general.  It was the carrier of my youth that was the always the underdog and almost a success story.  Lots of business (most of it end to end which is what is desirable today), hot UPS van trains, lots of auto traffic - both finished autos and components.  Interesting motive power fleet, interesting Commuter operations - even after NJDot became involved.

I also miss the DL&W and Erie even though they were before my time. 

More recent, I miss the D&RGW.  It seems like somethings wrong with the a world where they are part of the UP.  BNSF - yeah but maybe....

Has to be the Southern Pacific of course...

I miss the Western Maryland Railway the most as they were well maintained, their management was easy to work with and they enjoyed the operation of excursion trains. They did not gauge the groups sponsoring the trips, they only wanted to make a reasonable profit. Their railroad went through some of the most spectacular scenery in the eastern half of the country.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

You will probably get at least 50 replies to this question, that's good! I posted one a few years back about favorite F unit paint schemes and got a lot of participation.

Here's Mine: Western Maryland Railway, neat operation, small enough to know the whole system, neat equipment, kept their locomotives spotless, family atmosphere.

For me it's the SP in Southern California, but I am a bit prejudice as I have lived here around the SP all my life. SP had such a variety of motive power and they were everywhere in California. This was at the (railroad) east end of Dike siding on Cajon Pass from January 1979.-BMT



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/17 07:57 by UPNW2-1083.

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In order:

D&H
WM
EL
DRGW

Then the list of ones I wish I'd seen, but didn't

NP
CBQ
pre-PacMan CP
 

OF COURSE.....

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I imagine the answer is largely determined by what RR you experienced first hand in most cases.

That's certainly true for me as I grew up with the SP in the 70's and 80's. I got to see the D&RGW first hand a little in the 1970's and mostly the 1980's and later on studied it and really wish I could have seen it more.

I think many of us wish we could jump into a time machine and go back and rail fan. That's a dream of mine all too often.

Cheers, Jim Fitch

I'll add to this list, and there will be many more additions I'm sure.

GN-ATSF-BN-WC in that order. And there are others along the way including the NP, Q and NKP.

Now, what railroad do you miss the least? None is not an acceptable answer.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

miss most:

Milwaukee Road
WP
SAL
UP before MP merger

miss least:
PC

ft

Pennsylvania RR, especially the Elmira Branch which was done in by hurricane Agnes in 1972. Beautiful scenery and interesting operation especially during the steam era.
Also the D. & H. line over Ararat which has also been abandoned.

Probably as follows:

Milwaukee Road
SP
WP
Rock Island
BCR (British Columbia Rwy)

but the order can change day to day...



Allen

Boston & Maine (and RF&P)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/17 09:34 by RFandPFan.

NYC

SP.

The ATSF, SP and MoP
Cheers
Charlie
MP 52.8 on the BMSF Topeka Sub

I miss the Central Pacific. :)

Most missed:

1. Rock Island, hands down. All day, every day. Twice on Sunday.
2. Milwaukee Road. Wish I had fanned it more.
3. Illinois Terminal. it was cool as a diesel operation, I can't begin to comprehend how cool it must have been when the wire was still up.
4. The "original" TP&W.

The one that "got away", i.e., I never saw...North Shore Line.

Least missed: Penn Central. C&NW used to be #2 on this list for its killing of CGW, M&StL and a few other cool roads, but now that it's part of The Borg I have softened my view somewhat.

NZ

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL).

All of the fallen flags!


Chris