What railroad(s) did we grow up by?

[Anonymous]

I grew up with GN, NP and Milwaukee. Also had Butte Anaconda & Pacific as a shortline. I have read a description of my city as "it looks like a model railroad with all of the train track all over the place."


John

[rexhea]

As a boy in Providence, Kentucky, it was the L&N and the Illinois Central
In high school, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, it was Southern, L&N, and GM&O
Now in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, it is Norfolk Southern, KCS, and AmTrak

[twhite]

The first three years of my life was spent growing up by the Nevada County Narrow Gauge RR here in Northern California. And I mean BY! Our house was right across the street from the terminal in Nevada City. Later, I grew up with SP's Donner Pass route in Truckee, CA. In fact, I didn't see my first WP until I was about eight, didn't see my first ATSF until I was about nine and visiting Tehachapi and heard the rat-tat-tat sound of an ATSF 2-10-2 for about three miles before I even saw it. Didn't see any other railroads until I was in college and traveling the west. Didn't see my first Rio Grande trains until I got out of the Air Force and traveled home via the original "California Zephyr." Being a native Californian, you'd think I model either WP, ATSF or primarily SP, right? Or even that ol' debbil' UP? Nope, being a native Californian, I quite naturally model Rio Grande. Is there a problem?

[bruce22]

grew up in Hamilton Ont. Bay View Junction was a great spot for trainspotting. Returned there a few years ago after an absence of more than 50 yrs, what a disappointment . Oh well I guess nothing is ever what it seems with our " selective " memory. Do remember steam tho of the CNR, CPR, TH&B, and NYC. in the area. Very fond memories.

[Anonymous]

the NS introduced me to railroading but here in Oklahoma City, I am influiced by BNSF. the Red Rock sub is awsome !

[Jetrock]

The ones I remember the most were Southern Pacific, during the era of filthy Geeps and SD's in bloody-nose gray and red (and rust and oil and grime and dust.) I sort of dimly remember seeing green and orange locomotives from time to time in the Seventies and early Eighties which, as it turns out, were Western Pacific and/or Sacramento Northern engines.

[Anonymous]

First trains I remember paying attention to were Erie-Lackawanna; I remember seeing what I now know are F-units pulling a passenger train into the station in the center of Passaic, NJ. Next was Conrail.

When we moved to VA, we lived very near the big RF&P yard just below Washington DC, and I remember seeing RF&P, CSX and NS engines there. We still live in the same area (actually a couple of blocks closer to the tracks now), but both the yard and the RF&P are long gone. So now its mainly NS, with the occasional CSX going through.

Funny thing is, I've always been fond of the Santa Fe, and that's what I've always modeled far back as I can remember -- and I never even saw an actual ATSF train until I was well into my 30's, on our first trip to L.A.. I don't know what prompted my fondness for Santa Fe, but there ya go.

[kog1027]

For the first 11 years of my life it was 4 unit sets of Frisco Red & White GP-7's on the Ardmore - Arkinda sub-division ( Now the Kiamichi RR. ) in Durant, Oklahoma.

That was 30+ years ago, I still miss the sights and sounds of the Frisco.

Mark Gosdin

[CP5415]

The Canadian Pacific Railway was the railroad of choice for me.
I didn't have to walk very far to railfan it.
Still don't

Gordon

[willy6]

my childhood was all GG-1's, PRR in Edison ,NJ

[AntonioFP45]

1960s:
New Haven (Penn Central)
New York Central (Penn Central)

1970s:
Seaboard Coast Line
Amtrak

Time goes by too fast!

[mustanggt]

I grew up mainly surrounded by the MBTA and guilford, Its a wonder I know what I know about trains because I never saw one up close until I was 6 or 7. The fitchburg branch of the T commuter rail ran by my elementary school. I probably saw one Guilford train in my whole 2 years there. then I moved to a trainless town[:(]

[Anonymous]

The title explains all, just post what railroad(s) you grew up by, maybe even talk a little bit about the company in your hometown...

I still live at home and am not old enough to have my own home so I'll have to talk about what I still see:

I live by the KCS, with the occasional BNSF run-through, the railroad serves a grain elevator and some anhydrous fertilizer tanks in town, north of town the road takes a small grade around a curve onto higher land, with the line running to Jacksonville and Springfield, IL. Usually 3-4, sometimes 5 trains go through a day, with anything from modern GE units to older SD50s and Tunnel Motors powering the trains.

So let's hear about your old hometown line...