With Christmas Day this next week, as we all have the chance to sit back and relax, I thought this would be a good time to post:

What railroad(s) do you consider your favorite(s)? With the members of this forum being from many different towns and cities across the country, what railroad was, as the saying goes, in your own backyard? What was it that got you hooked?

Was it the friendly wave of a conductor from the caboose, an offer for a cabride, the yard goat shoving cars over the hump, the switching of a local industry, the fast freight, the crack intercity passenger train, the daily commuter, or the friendly station agent or tower operator?

Thinking back, or even now, as the distant whistle echoes across the hills, fields, lakes, or down the valley, and knowing that the next train is about to come through town, what memories does this conjure up? Whether it's pulled by a steam engine, an electric, a covered wagon A-B-B-A lashup, an early Geep, a Shark, an H-12-44, a pair of RS3's, an SD40-2, a 6 axle Century, an SD45, a U-Boat, a C30-7, a GP60, a C44-9W, an SD70MAC, or a GEVO, what train on what railroad is about to whistle for the next crossing?

For myself, living in the city "where there's a coffee shop on every corner" I feel an affinity for the era of Cascade Green lashups, and as someone who has ridden Amtrak from a young age, I guess that explains my habit of tracking down passenger cars. Though I suppose what I truly miss are the Melbourne W2 trams on the Waterfront.

Well, the tree is up, so where'd I put the diagram of last year's O gauge layout?

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The D&H I remember walking to the post office here in Delanson with my grandfather and being afraid of the steam locomotives. In later years us kids spent a lot of time around the railroad.
Al

Ah, I have several -- see Railroad Glory Days for many photo essays telling why.

Special mention to the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin and the D&RGW narrow gauge (stories are included at Railroad Glory Days).

For me, the READING COMPANY. Never will I forget one days adventure when I took a bus to Norristown PA, hiked across the river, up into the tower and introduced myself to the operator. I think I was 13 or so...

The Tower Operator was friendly and took the time to show me all around. My tower visit ended when he arranged a cab ride through Abrams yard to the then newly constructed shop facility.

Had I died and gone to railfan heaven?

Once there, I was introduced to the Shop Manager. He showed me all around, the work on locos they were doing, even gave me an extra set of plans to the building. (which I should still have but can not locate)

This fellow even took me home when his shift was done, drove maybe 15 miles out of his way to see that I got back safely.

Never once on my wanderings on the READING did I ever meet a grumpy or miserable employee. From the Reading Terminal to Pottsville, from Birdsboro to Bloomsburg, from Lansdale to Lurgan. It was like a big family that came together every day to get a job done. These are my fondest railroad memories, I miss the READING to this day...

Would have to be the Strasburg Railroad. My grandfather was an engineer for Penn Central/Amtrak, and along with my parents, fostered my love of trains. Video footage exists of me at Cherry Hill (my favorite spot along the line) of a little Jimmy on consecutive weekends at Strasburg (an hour and a half drive for us) just so that I could see choo-choos. My grandfather loved taking me on rides as well - until his untimely death when I was in third grade. I often wonder what he'd think of my "hobby" (read: obsession) now. :)

I grew up in Hixson, Tennessee in the 1970s and driving into Chattanooga required crossing the CNO&TP main line at Hamill Road or driving under it at Tenbridge. Plenty of chances to see trains heading north or south being pulled by the Southern's tuxedo black, high hood EMDs-often running long hood leading. It was always fun to see if you could spot the railroad that the units were assigned to. Only rode one Southern Steam Excursion Program train as a youth, and that was behind the Big 610 (T&P 610).

In the 1980s, we bought a vacation house in Middle Tennessee and would spend many weekends there. The drive took us through the heart of NC&St.L country. We spent many hours watching trains at Cowan, Tennessee where the southbound trains would pick up pusher units for the trip up the mountain. Nothing like standing there, feeling the ground rumble as the pushers came thundering by on the rear of the train.

In the 1990s I hired on with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum as a passenger trainman and was promoted quickly to Conductor. I worked year round as a part time employee. My favorite steam locomotive there was definately the Little 610-USATC 610. When speaking of any locomotive numbered 610, you might be asked to clarify which one you were referring to. I spent ten years working on that road.

So, I suppose that my list would be this:

Class One:
1) Southern Railway System-CNO&TP Rwy.
2) Louisville and Nashville Railroad-NC&St.L Rwy.

Short Line:
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum