Title say's it all.
Pennsylvania- horseshoe curve
Utah - promontory point
Interesting topic! Not a state, but for Alberta I'd say Morant's Curve on Canadian Pacific would be it.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbl8ei28f_O7uKWepMA8bqaCGxM53POyqDZg&usqp=CAU
I didn't grow up there (my parents both did) but for Maryland I'd guess Helmstetter Curve on the Western Maryland line.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Alaska - Hurricane Gulch Bridge
https://www.graylinealaska.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hurricane-gulch-bridge/
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Also Rockville Bridge on the PRR mainline north of Harrisburg PA
California - Keddie Wye Where the Western Pacific's Feather River mainline and Great Northern's Inside Gateway met
New York - Can't make up my mind - ex-NYC mainline in the Hudson Highlands That;s the Bear Mountain Bridge in the background, New Haven's Poughkeepsie Bridge on the Maybrook Line (now a rail trail 200 feet over the Hudson), Grand Central Terminal 42nd Street facade and Concourse (Meet me at Golden Clock - site of the information booth) New York Connecting Railroad's Hell Gate Bridge linking the PRR and New Haven on the New York-Boston Shore Line. Lionel sold thousands of replicas of Gustav Lindenthal's triumph
New Jersey - S Curve south of Elizabeth on PRR's Philadelphia - New York mainline. Once out of this curve, it's 45 miles of straight running with the throttle wide open - the GG1 was good for 100 mph
Moffat Tunnel or Denver Union Station in Colorado.
Starucca Viaduct in Pennsylvania
Cinncinnati Union Terminal or Cleveland's Terminal Tower in Ohio
B&O's Grafton station and engine terminal in West Virginia
St. Louis Union Station or Kansas City Union Station in Missouri
British Columbia would be the Spiral Tunnels or the twin bridges at Cisco.
Alberta's Morant's Curve was already mentioned, most everyone would also recognize the Lethbridge viaduct.
I can't think of one for Saskatchewan, the place is pretty flat and empty. The abandoned and dilapidated South Saskatchewan River bridge at Outlook is probably the most distinctive site, it became a footbridge and tourist attraction but has since been closed as some of the piers are becoming unstable.
Manitoba would be Winnipeg Union Station or perhaps the grain terminal at Churchill if some of the famous local wildlife was present (where else can you see polar bears walking along the track?).
There's plenty in Ontario, but Bayview Junction in Hamilton is the hottest railfan spot.
Quebec, again plenty of options, but I'd pick the twinned double track east side of the Victoria Bridge in Montreal, one side slaloms around a St Lawrence Seaway lock so that trains can keep running even if a boat is passing through.
New Brunswick would be the Reversing Falls bridge in Saint John, or one of CN's massive steel bridges on the former National Transcontinental line.
For Nova Scotia I would go with the Canso Causeway or the Halifax VIA station with the container terminal next to it.
Prince Edward Island does not have any railroads anymore and neither does Newfoundland proper, though the Labrador portion of that province does. A set of CN's unique narrow-gauge EMD units fighting the legendary winds across the barren central part of the island is probably as distinctive as anything.
Yukon's only railroad is White Pass, so I'll go with their swing bridge at Carcross.
Nunavut has no railroads (yet, we'll see what happens with Baffinland Iron Mines in the future) and the Northwest Territories only have CN's Great Slave Railway line to Hay River and formerly Pine Point, so I'll go with the barge docks and yard at Hay River.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
The Golden Spike Tower overlooking Bailey Yard in Nebraska. If you love trains and haven't been there, it's worth the trip.
York1 John
ndbprrUtah - promontory point
Are you referring to Promontory Point or to Promontory, where the "Golden Spike" was driven, two different places about 30 miles apart? Railroads didn't reach Promontory Point until 1904, with the building of the Lucin Cutoff.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
For British Columbia, yes, the Cisco bridges and the spiral tunnels, but also the Stoney Creek steel double-arch-truss bridge. I might even add the Niagara Canyon cantilever truss on Vancouver Island, the oldest steel truss bridge in N. America.
Also in Maryland, the Thomas Viaduct.
Completed in 1835 and still in use today.
Sheldon
West Virginia:
White Sulpher Springs —
CSX - White Sulpher Springs, WV by d.w.davidson, on Flickr
Or Hawk's Nest —
Hawks_Nest by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
I'm glad captions are provided. Many of them I wouldn't have been able to name. Some of which I have even seen pictures of. Others I haven't heard of, let alone seen.
Last time I checked, I was a railfan.
Jeff
i was hoping some regional people would chime in as I sure can't provide an answer for every state. Canadians start your own survey. Provinces aren't states.
ndbprrCanadians start your own survey. Provinces aren't states.
You don't think there's enough room here to allow the Canadians to participate?
I've spent quite a lot of time visiting Canada and I'd sure like to see what they offer.
Toronto, anyone?
Toronto_81 by Edmund, on Flickr
Mexico, on the other hand DOES have states.
N-de-M_484 by Edmund, on Flickr
NdeM 4-8-4 Niagra 3031 on turntable at Valle de Mexico roundhouse Tlalnepantla, Mexico on September 10, 1966 (I don't expect anyone to recognize this location it's just a good representation of Mexican railroading).
Cheers, Ed
The triple crossing in Richmond, Virginia
The Natural Tunnel and the Copper Creek Viaduct in Virginia
The Huey P. Long Bridge in Louisianna
The station and diamonds at Joliet, Illinois
Cascade Tunnel in Washington
Portland Union Station in Oregon
The Powder River operation in Wyoming
The Great Salt Lake Fill in Utah
San Diego ATSF station and Tehachapi Loop in California
Think you native Minnesotan think! What is iconic besides the cold, the hot-dishes, and the passive aggression. Hmmmmmmmmm.
I honestly cannot think of much in my home state. I will say as a GN modeler the Cascade tunnel is fairly recognizable.
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
For Michigan it probably would be the Michigan Central Detroit station, although many photos have been of the abandoned hulk. Today Ford is rehab'ing the building, at a cost of about a $billion. An alternative would be the former C&O Badger carferry dock in Ludington.
Ore docks in Minnesota
The DT&I concrete cantenary arches in Michigan
Car ferries in Michigan and Wisconsin
Many things around Chicago in Illinois
The CSS&SB in Indianna
Colorado, Durango and Silverton:
DRGW_1966 by Edmund, on Flickr
Q: What is the one railroad location in each state every railfan can identify immediately?
A: A railroad yard. (Who wouldnt recognize a caboose instead of a pink flamingo in someones yard?)
Oh wait, you meant some kinda special location???? How about this one.....
PMR
SP's Pecos River bridge in Texas
Southern's Saluda Grade in North Carolina
The following countries have "States" and may participate....I think.
Oooooh! look Bear can Participate!
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thurmond, West Virginia
Mike
BATMANndbprr Canadians start your own survey. Provinces aren't states. The following countries have "States" and may participate....I think. ...New Zealand... Oooooh! look Bear can Participate!
The following countries have "States" and may participate....I think. ...New Zealand... Oooooh! look Bear can Participate!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
So far I only recognize maybe 25% of these pictures.
For example the Huelett unloaders don't say anyplace specific since there were Huelett unloaders in many states. We had some in Philadephia.
Gidday Batman, like Canada, New Zealand has provinces,
Ya Bear, that's kind of what I thought, but who am I to argue with Google way past bedtime?
I'll sit back and be an armchair participant for this one.
I said start your own message because Canada does have sufficient places to warrant its own topic not because I don't like Canada.
For Colorado, the Moffat Tunnel and the Silverton line are certainly worthy entries. However, since this is a model railroad forum, the often modeled Ophir Loop makes that an obvious contender.