Rayden-Tron's Railroad Resource Center
Photo courtesy of Amtrak
This page is intended to be a resource for all who wish to delve into railroad history and modern operations. There is much to be learned, for the history of the railroad is the history of America. All sites linked here have been screened for information quality, ease of use, and trueness to the spirit of railroading. Whatever your real-world railroading interest, one of the links here will aid in its fulfillment or take you somewhere else that will. This list is by no means comprehensive yet. If you wish to submit a favorite link, e-mail me at rayden-tron@yahoo.com .
The Shore Line Trolley Museum of East Haven, CT is one of America's leading centers dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of trolley technology. Cheap, flexible, and efficient, trolley systems once knitted America's growing cities together with their outlying areas and were undone only by skulduggery on the part of oil companies, tire companies and auto manufacturers. Now trolley technology is making a comeback, combining with traditional railroad technology in "light rail" hybrids. Go back to the future with the Branford Electric Railway Association.
Steamtown National Historic Site of Scranton, PA is operated by the National Park Service. This website has been built by volunteers and functions as a guide to Steamtown's extensive attractions. The steam era is the focus of their collection but vintage diesels and trollies are featured as well. Steamtown also allows glimpses into shop and yard operations for a strong, overall demonstration of railroading in its first golden era.
The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum : Showcases one of the biggest company towns ever, Altoona, PA. and is dedicated to railroad employees everywhere. The scale and variety of facilities built here by the Standard Railroad of the World, the Pennsylvania, seem almost inconceivable today. Covers what life was like for Pennsy employees, from the execs in the boardroom to the mechanics toiling in the shops. Also operates Horseshoe Curve National Park.
The National Railroad Museum : A large, growing, comprehensive facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin with a specialty in the Chicago & NorthWestern. Has rolling stock on display, extensive grounds, regular excursions on both its own equipment and Amtrak, holiday specials, and special educational programs for teachers and class groups.
The Indiana Transportation Museum : Located in Noblesville, Indiana. Features Nickle Plate Steam Engine #587 and an operating 1924 Chicago Rapid Transit trolley car.
The Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum : in Bellevue, Ohio. The largest railroading museum in Ohio plus a cool website loaded with links for railfans of all persuasions.
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad . Located in Colorado. For those who like their railroad equipment vintage. Other steam-oriented excursion railroads include The Conway Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire, The Black Hills Central Railroad's 1880 Train in South Dakota, The Roaring Camp & Santa Cruz Big Trees Railway in California's redwood forest, and The Tennessee Valley Railroad , home of the Chattanooga Choo-choo.
Have I missed a few tourist roads? More than a few? If I were perfect, I'd be making money at this..Here's another link to find the rest.. Rails USA Tourist Road Directory
Signal Computer Consultants : Makes Train Dispatcher simulation software for home computers as well as software and equipment for operating railroads. I have Train Dispatcher v 2.0 and have found it to be quite accurate. Try it and you will quickly learn the meaning of being "characteristic qualified". Overall, this program is easy to learn, highly customizable, and riveting. Also, unlike a real dispatcher, you can hit the "pause" key to go to the john.
Corporate Strategies Inc. : Makes Train Master locomotive engineer simulation software. This is the first attempt I know of to do for trains what flight simulator videogames have done for planes. The market is theoretically out there and this company is trying to gain critical mass to improve the product and get it going on its own momentum. So, no, its not up to par with flight simulators, starting with its lack of a cab view and less-than-polished graphics. Technical detail-wise, though, I've found it to be on the mark. Like Signal Computer Consultants, CSI also works with the pros.
Abracadata : Creator of several railroad-related programs including Train Engineer and Train Engineer Deluxe locomotive simulator programs. These do have the "cab view" but as of now have not been field tested by me nor any actual railroaders I know of. Freight Train is a non-cab view freight operations simulator. Uses an overhead view, colorful track/train/freight car graphics, and strategy-intensive game objectives. Not field tested by me at this time. For those brain-dead moments or long coffee breaks, there is their Trains: The Screen Saver . Drive your boss crazy while you're indisposed or away by having freights and track run all over that dull spreadsheet you spent the last three hours on.
The Federal Railroad Administration : An agency of the federal government which oversees freight railroads and all but a handfull of passenger lines. Responsible for setting safety and inspection protocols, rule development and approval, and distributing federal grant money for research and development.
The Federal Transit Administration : Oversees the rest of the passenger railroads, those largely isolated from other systems and within a city's limits. Has a broader mandate to develop integrated, intermodal public transit systems in cities. Also involved in research and the distribution of grants.
The Association of American Railroads : A group founded by North American freight railroads and Amtrak to promote their interests and pool their resources in the resolution of problems and the development of new railroad technology. Known for their massive Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado that serves as proving grounds for new equipment designs, and their development of the grade-crossing safety program known as Operation Lifesaver .
The American Public Transportation Association : A group composed of transit operators, manufacturers and suppliers. Sponsors the yearly Rail and Bus Roadeos, contests where employees of various member organizations demonstrate their skills in operations and maintenance for recognition and prizes. Broad-based participation is characteristic of this organization. Their latest project, currently underway, is an education and outreach campaign, Public Transportation, Wherever Life Takes You , calling on Americans to support and develop their transit networks for the wide-ranging benefits they bring to everyone from the individual to the community to the nation.
The American ShortLine Railroad Association : As many of the mainline AAR railroads get bigger and more efficient at moving large quantities of freight long distances opportunities open up for smaller railroads to take over lower-density lines and give personal service to smaller shippers. This group's members represent a new frontier in railroading and are often owned and operated by people who love to railroad and hate to answer to short-term-focused shareholders. For employees, working for a shortline can be a tough path, requiring mastery of two or more crafts and working in fits and starts as a typically neglected infrastructure and customer base is resurrected. Lobbying government becomes critical to encourage industrial development along these lines instead of the middle of suburban nowhere. If they succeed, this is the base from which American railroading will begin to grow again.
The High Speed Ground Transportation Association : This is an advocacy and action group for next-generation train technology, covering the spectrum from established steel-wheel systems to maglev research. Composed of rail supporters, government officials, transit operators, manufacturers, suppliers, and researchers all dedicated to making fast trains an ordinary reality, especially in North America.
For a glimpse into the premier high-speed project in the US, check out Acela. Now in service on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, this program could become a model for development of high-speed rail along densely-populated mid-range intercity routes.
Unions: Most of the important chapters in the history of the modern American economy were written on the railroad. The skills acquired by railroad employees, along with their large numbers, and their "don't mess with me" attitude caused by the resourcefulness, flexibility, and free-ranging required by railroading made them early and enduring union loyalists. Railroad unions were critical in restoring some of the balance of power between employers and employees as the industrial revolution and capitalism spread across a nation of cottage craftsmen and subsistence farmers. The struggle still continues on many fronts to this day. For a look at modern railroad operations from the employees' point of view, try some of these websites operated by major transportation unions:
The National Association of Railroad Passengers : A non-profit activist group dedicated to the improvement of passenger rail service in the United States. They are willing to take on government to promote sound transportation planning and fight against automobile favoritism and ugly suburban sprawl. Thinks globally by working with large environmental organizations and locally through various affiliated regional chapters. They have their work cut out for them.
The National Railroad Historical Society : A North American non-profit organization of over 17,000 members dedicated to the study, preservation, and enjoyment of the railroad past. Sponsors conventions and excursions popular with railfans. Includes local chapters which may focus on specific railroads, operate museums, or become involved in book publishing.
The Market Street Railway : This is the all-volunteer group that adds to and maintains an enormous rolling museum, the San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI). As a result, vintage cable cars, trolleys, and buses are in everyday use for everyone, resident and tourist alike, to enjoy. Their work has paid off to the extent that San Francisco is known worldwide and is symbolized by its historical, colorful, distinctive, and clean transit system.
New York City Subway Resources : An all-volunteer group with detailed information on that massive granddaddy of American public transportation systems. Covers the system's history and modern operations. Also contains links and information about other rail systems in the region.
The Unofficial Guide to the Long Island Rail Road : One viewpoint that is often missed in railroad studies is that of the people who use the railroad frequently. This site draws from user experiences of the nation's largest commuter rail system, the LIRR. With quips, cartoons, and anecdotes that range from the humorous to the spleen-venting, this site details survival in an often-harsh environment. There are many lessons for railroad managers here in terms of scheduling, equipment maintenance, and getting information to the operating crews, but the biggest revelation would have been no surprise to Sartre, "Hell is other people." Commuters, you are your own worst enemy, and we working railroaders are playing a losing numbers game.
Trains Online : Sponsored by Trains Magazine, a colorful, accessible publication that is a good place for fans to start exploring all that railroading has to offer. The magazine covers both modern and historical, passenger and freight, and the railfan scene.
Railfan.com : Sponsored by Railfan and Railroad Magazine, a mellow, intelligent, in depth source of railroad information. Solidly researched, focused articles cover various periods of railroad history, operations, and equipment. Excellent for the intermediate or fast-learner fan looking for more insight into the richness of railroading.
Once you've mastered the basics that the fan sites teach, you might want to get professional. These two sites are sponsored by the leading trade magazines in the railroading field. Covers not just systems and innovations, but also key players in the industry, strategies, and forecasts. If you can absorb this level of information, you might be ready to tackle the help-wanted ads both magazines carry: Railway Age and Progressive Railroading
Pentrex : The 800lb gorilla of the railroad video industry. If you have a train or railroad that you're curious about, from either the present or past, chances are Pentrex has a video with it in action. A good place to start if you want to build a collection. Also included are some classic and recent Hollywood films featuring trains, though, as always, the factual integrity of said films about the railroad is, at best, questionable and, at worst, laughable.
Other railroad video retailers include Green Frog Productions, Mark 1 Video, Trackside Video, Steam Powered Video, and Herron Rail Video.
Historic Rail : Catalog and Internet retailers of rail merchandise that goes far beyond the usual rail buff collectibles. Many items here are genuine teaching tools from past and present. As an added incentive, the items are listed by categories like type of engine (steam, diesel, etc), type of railroad (Amtrak, specific freight lines, regionals, interurban, fallen flags), and special categories like Stations, Military, etc.
Jane's Information Group Transport Section : One of the most comprehensive gatherers of transportation-sector information. If you have the money and/or are looking for railroad-related employment, I suggest springing for a copy of their Jane's World Railways . Just fish in their catalog and you'll find it. Or, if you're lucky, your library will have it in the reference section. This book is a remarkable reference to railroading internationally in the here-and-now. For every railroad of significance in the world, it provides an overview of its operations, issues, revenues, revenue sources, a roster sketch, and contact information. Heavyweight enough for the pros with million dollar decisions on their chests, an education in itself for the bright amateur.
Reviews of some broad-based railroad history, transportation policy, and modern railroading books can be found in my Bookshelf .
Railfan.net : A massive site operated by and for railfans. Catch up on the latest railfan news, chat, then go off and explore the numerous links covering different topics and areas of interest. Exchange pictures, learn some history, even take a "virtual train ride into the past".
Railroad.net : Another massive news-and-forums-oriented board..and a very good source of hard information, because I know for a fact a lot of "pros" lurk and post here. So, go ahead and ask your question on one of the topic-specific bulletin boards. You might just get a first-hand answer from a knowledgeable railroad employee or experienced commuter. Get a quick taste of railroad life from the articles contributed by active workers..And, yes, shop too.
RailroadPix.Com : An online photo gallery and swap site. Send in shots of your own prime catches or glance at those that got away. They've got it all, neatly sorted into categories, plus a search engine (not a type of locomotive) for the occasional odd request. Spans the world, all types of railroading (including the miniature kind), including museums and vintage trains.
The Webville and Hypertext Railroad Co. : It was bound to happen - a Class I railroad built in cyberspace..and the amount of traffic it carries is truly impressive..A massive information source on just about any railroad topic you can imagine..and the most comprehensive set of links I've seen yet.
The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association : A fan page by S. Berliner, III for the Brooklyn Trolley Project, an all-volunteer effort led by Bob Diamond to restore rail service through Red Hook and re-activate the abandoned Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. I stopped by their shop when the project was in its earliest stages...looks like they've made some progress...wish it wasn't such a long hike to get there from the subway...but then, I guess that's what they're there for. They hope to eventually reach Borough Hall with their tracks and it would do a world of good for this mixed-use neighborhood.
RailMaster's Home Page : Loaded with information and graphics about railroad history and operations in Michigan.
Train Muses of Al Turner : Poetic essays inspired by railroading moments in the author's life.
Still want more? Go back to my Transit page and explore the Railroad Webring!
