WHAT'S NEW
Recent additions and changes to this site.
It had been 40 years since I had crossed the Atlantic Ocean. This trip lasted a week and a half. In London, with a quick round trip by train to Scotland. Then the Eurostar train to Brussels, and the Thalys train to the Netherlands for the final few days. (added September 28, 2018).
After a recent trip to Europe, this section is highlighted here, covering the great passenger stations in London and the comprehensive railway system in southeast England. Along with the impressive railway network in the Netherlands. And how these rail systems continue to handle frequent intercity and commuter trains. Includes new photos of the stations. (added September 16, 2018).
Zoomable Google Maps now show known lost stations throughout the states of Illinois and Indiana and Michigan. This information is currently being added for the state of Wisconsin. (added August 4, 2018).
More detailed information on the histories of service at discontinued commuter, suburban and neighborhood stations in Chicago and various suburbs. (added March 31, 2018).
Historical information on interlocking towers and interlockings, in the four states surrounding Chicago, is now easier to find through this new links page. More recently, added to some of these tower pages is information on early CTC installations. (added December 1, 2017).
This "railfan timetable" section now covers nearly all of the railroads in the four states surrounding Chicago. (added November 15, 2017).
Track diagrams for most railroads in Chicago and vicinity have been recently verified using Google satellite imagery. (added December 30, 2016)
More detailed histories of commuter railroads in Boston New York and Philadelphia areas since 1930, including years which marginal branch routes were discontinued. Most recently enhanced with information for the New Bedford and Fall River area south of Boston, and for the commuter railroads connecting Philadelphia and Camden with southern New Jersey. Also recently, Google Maps showing present and past commuter routes were enhanced, to more completely show past interlocking towers and locations. (November 3, 2016).
Included is more accurate information, when the most obscure commuter operations in the country were discontinued. (added October 6, 2016).
This section has been expanded from its original focus on streamliner trains, with the addition of brief histories of most of the named passenger trains operating in the United States from the 1940's, up to the 1971 formation of Amtrak. Including trains which generally were not fully equipped as streamliners. Added more recently is information on diesel locomotives in passenger service, most notably the E-units. And added most recently is information on steam locomotives which were streamlined with shrouding. (added September 16, 2016).
Sample departure and arrival times have been added for medium size cities, in addition to larger cities previously included. Section had earlier been enhanced to provide greater emphasis on the larger and grander stations. Including more details on the grandness of those stations, including number of tracks, whether through or stub, and interlocking control. A grandness unfortunately no longer necessary at stations in most US cities. (added July 16, 2016).