# Your favorite railroads



## Modeltrain-newb (Jun 12, 2013)

List your top ten railroads here rules: 1 you MAY list fictional railroads. 2 you may have a top 3, 5, or 20 if you either just can't part with some railroads or you can't think of 10. 3 you can have multiple lists. 4(optional if you have more than 1 list) you may use the same railroad/company in multiple lists. 5(if you have more than 1 list) your personal favorites must be in a SEPERATE LIST(s) aside from what you think were(are) the most important in a category.

Now that we have our rules here are my top 10 lists(personal favorites(steam era), personal favorites(diesel era), and most modeling potential(like southern pacific's L-window cabs & Pyle lights) list 1(steam era(1930s - 1950s) 

#1 southern pacific(cab forwards, daylights, and a wide variety of train types and terrain give the sp/tn&o/ssw number 1 in all category's)

#2 Baltimore & Ohio(class S1 Santa fe's lots of variety in terrain/train/locomotive types not to mention it was the first class 1 railroad to last more then a hundred years give this almost forgotten railroad it's rightful place in #2) 

#3 pennsylvania railroad(a railroad that seems to pull more trains in the 21st century as HO, or N scale models than it did in the 1940s/50s the unique squared off fire box area, and other prototype details not seen on other railroads give this almost over-modeled railroad it's almost obvious place in the top three as number 3 just cutting it enough to get in) 

#4 (just missing my top 3 but still making the top 5 is that railroad everyone knows the atchison topeka and Santa fe with lots of variety in tegunrrain huge santa fe and Texas type engines gives this well known railroad it's rightful place in my heart)

#5 Denver and rio grand western narrow gauge(let's admit it we have all dreamed of seeing an outside frame narrow gauge engine running and this railroad did it so well that it lasted in mainline steam service until 1974 and about 80% of their roster still runs on the C&TS and D&S) 

#6 Norfolk and western(coaling and grades to the extreme and who can forget those great mountains and y3b and A class mallets? I certainly can't) #7

#7 Chesapeake and Ohio(oh come on have you seen those hunky beasts I love all their steam but the articulated mallets and the 2-8-4 engines ooooh baby)

#8 great northern(its great its northern iiiittttttssss---- yeah I'm getting kind of bored and running out of ideas great northern everybody)

#9 New York Central(NUFF said)

#10 Burlington Route

List #2:

#1 southern pacific(1970s - 1990s)

#2 Baltimore & Ohio(1940s - 1960s)

#3 chessie system(1980s)

#4 Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe(1940s - 1970s/1990s)

#5 BNSF(formerly Burlington Northern And Santa Fe)(2000 - this second)

#6 Union Pacific(late-1980s - 1990s/2000 - this second)

#7 Burlington northern(1970s)

#8 Penn Cental(1980s - 1980s)


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Modeltrain-newb said:


> List your top ten railroads here rules: 1 you MAY list fictional railroads. 2 you may have a top 3, 5, or 20 if you either just can't part with some railroads or you can't think of 10. 3 you can have multiple lists. 4(optional if you have more than 1 list) you may use the same railroad/company in multiple lists. 5(if you have more than 1 list) your personal favorites must be in a SEPERATE LIST(s) aside from what you think were(are) the most important in a category. Now that we have our rules here are my top 10 lists(personal favorites(steam era), personal favorites(diesel era), and most modeling potential(like southern pacific's L-window cabs & Pyle lights) list 1(steam era(1930s - 1950s) #1 southern pacific(cab forwards, daylights, and a wide variety of train types and terrain give the sp/tn&o/ssw number 1 in all category's)#2 Baltimore & Ohio(class S1 Santa fe's lots of variety in terrain/train/locomotive types not to mention it was the first class 1 railroad to last more then a hundred years give this almost forgotten railroad it's rightful place in #2) #3 pennsylvania railroad(a railroad that seems to pull more trains in the 21st century as HO, or N scale models than it did in the 1940s/50s the unique squared off fire box area, and other prototype details not seen on other railroads give this almost over-modeled railroad it's almost obvious place in the top three as number 3 just cutting it enough to get in) #4(just missing my top 3 but still making the top 5 is that railroad everyone knows the atchison topeka and Santa fe with lots of variety in tegunrrain huge santa fe and Texas type engines gives this well known railroad it's rightful place in my heart) #5 Denver and rio grand western narrow gauge(let's admit it we have all dreamed of seeing an outside frame narrow gauge engine running and this railroad did it so well that it lasted in mainline steam service until 1974 and about 80% of their roster still runs on the C&TS and D&S) #6 Norfolk and western(coaling and grades to the extreme and who can forget those great mountains and y3b and A class mallets? I certainly can't) #7(to be edited I'm ******* bored add your lists while I'm gone)



You ought to space it out so we can read it or else it all looks like this,


HHGGTTRREWWSFGHUIUDXVBKIUDXCBHJYTSHIU*Y&TU%REDGHIURSFCGVHBUTIURSGGGTZXSZXC
GVHKJGVBNCGDSADZXCVFNGHJ<GYHVHBBKJHGKHJKL><ML:>:L>:?><ERFFDYUIOOKHFSASERTYUBVDFGH
WERGHJHFDFFGUGFDSFGHJKJHGFDSFGHJHGFDFGHDFGHDFXGCFHJHGDSDFGHDSFGHSDFGHSDFGH

And leave out the cussing too! :smokin:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Newb,

Post editted.

PM sent.

Please refrain from using foul language in your posts. This is a family-friendly forum.

(Thanks for the heads-up, Ed.)

TJ
Mod Team


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## California RailFan508 (Jul 2, 2013)

Hmm...

*Favorite Railroads (Active/Fallen Flags):* Southern Pacific, Great Northern, Union Pacific, Santa Fe, Burlington Northern, Chesapeake and Ohio (Chessie System), Norfork Southern. 

*Favorite Steam-Era:* any 2-6-2, any 4-6-4, 4-6-6-4 Union Pacific Challenger, 4-8-8-4 Union Pacific Big Boy, 4-8-8-4 AC-12 Southern Pacific Cab Forward, Southern Pacific GS-4 #4449 4-8-4 Daylight.









*Favorite Diesel:* EMD F3, ALCO PA-1's, SD70MAC, General Electric AC4400CW, EMD SW1500, Union Pacific GTELs, and EMD E9.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Southern SOU
Seaboard Air Line SAL
Atlantic Coast Line ACL
Lancaster and Chesterfield L & C
Southern Atlantic Seaboard SAS (my layout)
The Four from Monopoly


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Mo Pac
UP
N & W
Sou Pacific
BN
Rio Grande
Texas & Pacific
I C
Conrail
Amtrak


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

So the trick to a TJ appearance is curse words? That's *&!)^# good to know! :smilie_daumenpos:

As for favorite railroads, I guess I'm partial to Illinois Central, Chicago & Northwestern, Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, the Carson & Colorado, Trona Railway, and Chessie System. I just like that little kitten!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

(accidentally clicked "undo" and undid the last 20 minutes and I am NOT *********** DOING IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!)


So looks how he edits it.
Thinks he is slick. :smokin:


Edit, since Tooter edited his edit, I am editing his quote above.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Sorry, Ed. Didn't mean to step on your toes. I received a complaint about the post and cleaned it up. 

Greg


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tooter said:


> Sorry, Ed. Didn't mean to step on your toes. I received a complaint about the post and cleaned it up.
> 
> Greg


No problem, what you edited was still showing from the quote I quoted.
So I xx'ed it out.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Oh... I missed that. 

Greg


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

eljefe said:


> So the trick to a TJ appearance is curse words? That's *&!)^# good to know! :smilie_daumenpos:


:laugh:

... lurking in the shadows ...


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## Steve S (Jan 7, 2012)

My favorite railroad was recently shut down. The Manufacturers Railway was owned by Anheuser-Busch and served the brewery and other industries in south St. Louis. They had one of the nicest liveries of any railroad as well as one of the prettiest engine houses. Unfortunately A-B was bought out by InBev and the suits decided to sell off the railroad.

Here's a shot of one of their engines and engine house. (not my pic.)

http://skipg.homeip.net/gallery/Pho...way_Engine_Number_252/MRS_252_11_10_21_01_STL

Steve S


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Horrors, the fuel tank is rusting away.


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## Modeltrain-newb (Jun 12, 2013)

big ed said:


> You ought to space it out so we can read it or else it all looks like this,
> 
> 
> HHGGTTRREWWSFGHUIUDXVBKIUDXCBHJYTSHIU*Y&TU%REDGHIURSFCGVHBUTIURSGGGTZXSZXC
> ...


 better?


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

1 PRR

2 B&O

3 C&O

4 Ohio River and Western

5 W&LE

6 CSX

7 Georgia and Florida

8 SAL

9 ACL

10 SCL


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## Hellgate (Nov 9, 2011)

Strasburg Railroad is my all time favorite!
It's like going back in time for me everytime I visit


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

1. PRR
2. B&O
3. Western Maryland


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

B&O

Grandpa worked for the B&O. He started when he was 14 in Pittsburgh. Don't really know if he was with the B&O up there, he certainly could have been. Definitely B&O when he moved to Baltimore.

Worked his way up to a train auditor before he retired, spent alot of time on the line.

PRR

NYC

Favorites are the old passenger trains.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Modeltrain-newb said:


> better?


Yes. :smokin:


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

1 - Burlington Northern
2 - Denver & Rio Grande Western
3 - Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern
4 - Union Pacific
5 - Reading 
6 - Illinois Central Gulf
7 - Chessie System

I made my list based purely on paint schemes of the diesel locomotives, not any physical plant attributes or locomotive rosters. Personally, I can't see enough differences between an Alco built 4-8-4 and a Baldwin built 4-8-4 to distinguish them. In other words, to me, any steam locomotive in the same wheel arrangement looks about the same as any other (excepting the cab forwards and camelbacks, obviously) so they don't really interest me all that much. I suppose the same could be said for diesels, but for whatever reason, I just like diesels better. And what better place to put a good lookin' paint job than on a diesel?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I'm not posting my list for safety reasons. Somebody might use it against me. Pete


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

norgale,

HUH?WHAT?WHY?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

rogruth said:


> norgale,
> 
> HUH?WHAT?WHY?



The original posters own words, :smokin:

Modeltrain-newb
Hobo

Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Not giving my location for safety reasons
Posts: 8
Scales Modeled: N-scale(currently working on 3/8 layout), HO(loop of EZ-track and one GP35)


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## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

Northern Pacific
Burlington
Milwaukee
Great Northern
Rock Island
C&NW


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

big ed said:


> The original posters own words, :smokin:
> 
> Modeltrain-newb
> Hobo
> ...


I repeat my question.
What is he on a protected witness program of some kind?


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

No but NIMT is.


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## 05Slowbalt (Dec 19, 2011)

Very large fan of Eire Lackawanna Rail Road!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

rogruth said:


> I repeat my question.
> What is he on a protected witness program of some kind?


Pete is retired from the CIA, has to keep a very low profile.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

big ed said:


> Pete is retired from the CIA, has to keep a very low profile.


I'm CIA too. Catholic, Irish, Alcoholic. It's a small world!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

rkenney said:


> I'm CIA too. Catholic, Irish, Alcoholic. It's a small world!



:laugh::appl:


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

big ed said:


> :laugh::appl:


:appl::hah:


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

OK.I think I might be sorry I asked but I'm not sure that I should be.


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