Occassionally you will see someone on here post a “what is your favorite railway” question. I find these amusing just to see whether older railroads, modern mega railroads, shortlines, regional, etc. seem to be dominant.
However, I have also noticed that almost to the person, their favorite railway will be a railway that they were or are geographically associated with, went through their home town, etc. Thus, I think the favorite railway question is more indicative of the geographic origin of TRAINS readers rather than any indication of what railroad is the most interesting. (I am no different, my southern Illinois birthplace undoubtedly has something to do with my preferences of the Illinois Central and Chicago Illinois & Midland).
I think the more interesting question is “what is your favorite railway that did not play a major part in the geographic region that you grew up in/live in?”
Mine is the Milwaukee Road. I have never even seen a live Milwaukee Road diesle, but the pictures of that railroad are something to behold and there is a mistique about it that railway beckons me to all that we have lost as railfans. If good railfaning and scenic pictures sold freight, the Milwaukee Road would be giving UP the finger right about now.
…Under the above discription of “favorites”…mine would have to be the Sante Fe RR. 30 plus years ago I and others had the responsibility of running automotive [truck transmissions], tests in the desert area around Kingman, Az. which included a bunch of desert running, even through famous Oatman…and the Sante Fe tracks pass right through that area. I was so impressed with what I saw over a period of a year and a half with the motive power in the silver and red and even passenger trains passing with the full length domes…I simply became impressed and that is my choice.
All the little guys with big aspirations who never quite made it.
OCA&A/ Oklahoma City, Ada & Atoka
New Mexico Central
St. Louis, Rocky Mountain & Pacific (Swastika and all)
Garden City, Gulf & Northern
Cincinnati Northern (Little Giant)
Beaver, Meade & Englewood
Kansas Central
Denver, Laramie & Northwestern
Colorado-Kansas RR
Colorado Midland RR
Laramie, Hahns Peak & Pacific
Omaha Lincoln & Beatrice
and so on…
I kinda have taken to the Toledo, Peoria & Western RR (TP&W aka the “Tip Up”) since I first discovered it several years back. In fact, if I hadn’t been so entrenched with Burlington locos and rolling stock on my HO layout at the time, I would have seriously considered modeling the TP&W instead.
According to my reading at the time, at one point in their history, they were owned by the Santa Fe and Pennsy, IIRC, who used them as an alternate route to get around having to go through Chicago. Sounded like a bridge line which would allow me a greater variety of equipment to be run through on the layout. But I would have plenty of local online switching on the layout as well, including TOFC.
Haven’t been to their yard down in Peoria in a few years, but it was very accesible at the time as long as you “checked in” with whomever was in the tower first, behaved yourself, and used common sense. Don’t know if that has changed by now, though. At least the new layout will have them as an interchange railroad.
The TP&W is a great railroad. It may have made my list were it not for the fact that I live close to it, thus disqualifying it for the question. I highly recomend following it (on Route 30 I think). It has all of the charm of a small mom and pop railroad but is big enough to have many different aspects to explore. I wi***hey would have preserved their Alco 4-8-4s.
It is not as fun since Rail America took the rains (but what railroad is?).
I would say the Milwaukee Road, with thier electrified zones through the Rockies and Cascades.#2 would be the New Haven with a substantial electrified segment, and a wide variety in thier diesel roster.[8D]
I too, was born and raised in Southern Illinois, although I think probably a little more southern than you. It sounds as if you are in the Central part of the state, what with your discussions on TPW, IC, and CIM.
I am familiar with all three of those, having grew up 1 block from an IC branch and having travelled Central Illinois for years as a salesman. I recall spending time at Watseka and watching the MOPAC/Chessie trains slam the diamond on the TPW and also spent a little time around the CIM yard in Springfield.
BTW…is the tower still in operation in Springfield? I think it is Ridgely or Ridgeway Tower and it is at the junction of the UP/CIM on the old GMO mainline. I think my favorite railroad environment today is an operating tower.
As a young railfan in the 70’s I was fascinated with the Erie Lackawanna. I had planned during spring break of 1976 to go to Huntington Indiana and railfan the EL for a day or so before going home. However…mom called and said “when will you be home?” I passed on the EL and went home. It was a great decision, although it took a few years to realize it!
Lots of great memories of Central and Southern Illinois.
Well, my favorites would be Milwaukee Road, Wisconsin Central, and Wisconsin & Southern, but that’s 'cuz they’re close by. And also The Milwaukee Electric and the North Shore.
Favorite non-local railroads:
Northern Pacific - love the color scheme and some of the engines they ran.
Kankakee Beaverville & Southern - they used to run Alcos, otherwise just a cool railroad
Baltimore & Ohio - a friend of mine like the pre-Chessie B&O, and I guess it kinda grew on me too.
MidSouth/Kansas City Southern - both just a little “south” of unusual!
Excluded (where I grew up): D&H and EL [Binghamton, NY]
AT&SF and SP [Redlands, CA]
B&M and PC [Cambridge, MA]
Therefore: Western Maryland. Not that many route miles but sure looked like a heavy-duty mainline. Judging by all the small museums along its route it has a lot of fans {like an eastern Rio Grande}
Also: Winston-Salem Southbound. Always a non-smoker but really like the name!
It’s on U.S. 24. From Gridley towards Peoria it runs right next to the highway. It splits off near Washington and heads to East Peoria.
When you get to Route 29, you can follow that north next to the IAIS (Iowa Interstate). Do watch for deer on 29, they’re out there (I’ve seen the most northbound outside of Henry, just about the spot where you see the yard limits marker.)
MP57313…Grew up not too far from Western Maryland RR…and yes, from all I’ve read and heard…and witnessed…The WM was a well built route. Some areas a better route than the B&O over the Alleghenies. Too bad it was not chosen to stay with us. I have walked over the 1500’ viaduct near Meyersdale, Pa…[now a Trail bridge], and that is an impressive structure.