What railroad(s) did we grow up by?

[Vampire]

The Conrail mainline was closest to my childhood home. I'd hear the locomotive horn and pedal down to trackside to watch the trains roll by. One day I kept hearing horns but could find no trains in either direction. I followed the sounds eastward and wound up near the Amtrak station. That's when I discovered the Chessie System and the diamonds where it crossed the Conrail tracks. That became my new favorite train-watching spot for many summers! I luved those colorful Chessie diesels... so much more exciting than "Conrail Blue" (to me anyway... no snipe intended for Conrail fans!).

The DT&I also went through town farther to the east... too far for my bike riding. I do remember once walking through a DT&I diesel painted in Bicentennial colors in 1976. My first up close and personal look at a diesel locomotive.

[TDouglasH]

I grew up in Toronto and the CN & CP were all around. Remember the large yard in the north end and the larger yard near the water front ( large roundhouse) and lots of steam. I also remember when steam was going downhill lots were stored at the north end. Things sure have changed now, hardly the same place it seems.
Douglas

[Anonymous]

The Long Island Railroad.

[Anonymous]

Soo Line and Green Bay & Western in town. CNW and Milwaukee road nearby. I still recall how excited I was seing for the first time the new GP-30's in the red/white decoration crossing the Wisconsin River Bridge here! What a bold change from the old Soo maroon and gold.

[BRAKIE]

For me it was PRR.NYC,N&W,C&O and B&O in the Columbus Ohio area.

[NevinW]

I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and spent my time watching the Union Pacific. Each year my parents would put me on a "City" streamliner to Evanston, Wyoming to visit my grandparents. I still have thing for UP E units and small EMD switchers. - Nevin

[Anonymous]

I grew up (and am growing up) along CSX, CP, NS, and the local shortlines, Grand Rapids Eastern and Mid Michigan.

[Anonymous]

Grew up with the main line of the Soo Line and the "Valley" main of the CNW, with a branch of the Milw. Rd. The MILW branch went first about '82, then the CNW was downgraded and the Clyman Sub was abandoned in the mid 80's. The CNW "Valley " main was sold to the Fox River Valley RR in '87, and the Soo Line sold their main to the Wisconsin Central the same year. Then WC absorbed FRVR in the early '90's, and we all know what happened to the WC....[banghead][censored]

[Anonymous]

Erie/Erie-Lackawanna on the Pascack Valley line in New York State. When I got older, I could bike out to Nyack to watch NYC & Penn-Central trains on the West Shore Line.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

The first 14 years of my life was arround the Southern Pacific in Eugene Oregon, After that time was around the Union Pacific in Portland, OR and Nampa/Boise Idaho.

[Anonymous]

I was raised near the Illinois Central and Pennsylvania crossing in Effingham Illinois.

[dphusman]

A few blocks from the Milwaukee Road in SE Minnesota.

[dharmon]

Some more than once.

at what point do I stop growing?

New Haven / PC
MoPac / SP / MKT
ATSF / BN / HBT
CR / NJ Transit
CSX / NS
GRS / MCL / Safe Handling / SLR
BNSF
and the italian National Railway....

[Anonymous]

1950s--Western Pacific a mile to the west, Southern Pacific 2 miles to the east. I'm only sorry that I didn't take more pictures.
By the way, guess where?
Angus Macdonald
Petaluma Valley RR

[Anonymous]

Southern Pacific, then Union Pacific after the take over. A line with filthy bloody nose units flying by every few mintutes. Lots of activity left an impression that led to my creation as a railroader.

[egmurphy]

I grew up in southern Connecticut, in the heart of NY, NH, & H country, although there were no tracks very near our house. My uncle, who was a car inspector for the New Haven, lived out in East Haven, with a house that backed up on the mainline. I used to spend time at their house in the summer, and did see a lot of trains. Unfortunately, I wasn't a diehard railfan at the time and didn't pay close attention to what I was looking at. I don't remember seeing any steam, although it's possible that I saw some of the last remnants. This would have been in the 50's.

We'd go to "The City" (New York) once or twice a year and would always take the train.

It's a little known fact, but the main waiting room in Grand Central Station is really the center of the universe! [:D]


Regards

Ed

[jpmorrison]

in 1960-1970 i grew up along milwaukee road what a great time

jeff

[darth9x9]

Why Chessie of coarse!

[ozzy01]

Growing up in Dayton,Ohio it was the B&O,EL,PRR and NYC. Then Chessie System,EL and PC. Mid 70's Chessie and CR and DT&I via trackage rights on CR. After GT bought the DT&I it was Chessie,CR and GT/DT&I. Now , where I live it's CSX

[Fergmiester]

CN The double main line ran east/west through Ricmond Hill North of Toronto. I lived just about a mile South of Steeles Ave. I can still hear the Diesels rumbling up the gade as the train passed under Young St. working a freight towards the Yard in Concord. Use to go to the tracks with a friend and take pictures with an old Kodak Bellows Camera. Someday I will dig up those old photos.

[cisco1]

Lived two miles from the CB&Q, watched red and white Geeps and F units (and the occasional U-boats) turn to BN green after the brief riot of color during the merger in '70. Later on in the early '80s, had the good fortune to see a few of the FRISCOs fine machines before the green tide covered them. Oh yeah, almost forgot, the Rock Island ran through my Grandmas backyard until its demise in the late '70s. All these and Grandmas house too are gone now but what memories!

[Green Bay Paddlers]

BN along the "racetrack" from Aurora to Chicago. Triple-Tracking! Metra & AMTRAK run as well as a variety of mixed freight inbound/outbound to the Cicero yard and points east...

[Anonymous]

I grew up with the DM&IR, DWP, Soo and BN all within a very short distance of my house. My father was a DM&IR fireman on the steam and an Engineer later on. I and my friends use to hop the DWP freights to get to various places in town. Wasn't the brightest thing to do but it was fun.

[cpcolin]

I still live by CNW (now UP) and Soo Line (now CP) by Mayfair Junction. Lots of METRA trains and the local for the Weber Industrial lead (UP). Amtrak runs by along the CP with the Hiawatha to Milwaukee and the Empire Builder. We still get a few freights for CP mostly cofc and tofc. When Soo line was operating there would be more general merchandise trains.

[Anonymous]

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western-Peapack, Gladstone branch till Kindergarten then Central Railroad of New Jersey, High Bridge Railroad branch. Even commuted from Raritan, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ of the CNJ in my 30's. Now live accross the Allegheny River from the Buffalo & Pittsburgh, a division of the Gennessee & Wyoming!

[CBQ_Guy]

Chicago, 1960's...

B&O, C&O, Pennsy, C&OCT in the old house. IC/GM&O in the new house. ATSF "near" my first apartment after marriage (Corwith Yard, no less!)

Currently BN (just sold off to Illinois Railnet) and CSX/IAIS (Ex RI).

I've been in "Train"ing my whole life! [:D]

[Anonymous]

I have always seen CONRAIL, NS, and THE EAST BROAD TOP

[Anonymous]

DM&E until I moved, then BN a hair before the merger to BNSF.

[trcarson]

C&O with red, then yellow, then blue, and then back to yellow Cabooses. Didn't like the B&O engines showinfg up...thought that the B&O was taking over. Didn't learn 'til later that it was the other way around.
Now I live near the joint line. Enjoyed railfanning before theose ugly yellow and gray things showed up.

[SP9811]

Southern Pacific, in California, from day one.
Thom