I’ve written an article for the Missouri Pacific Historical Society about the history of the Oak Hill branch in south St Louis. It’s 8 pages long and will appear in the Fall 2024 issue of the MPHS’ Eagle newsletter. It is available to download here. I want to thank the MPHS for the opportunity to…
With the success of the southern Illinois book, I am moving on to Northern Illinois in the same format. This book will cover all of the major railroads from the Iowa/Wisconsin borders down to the same I-70 dividing line used for the Southern Illinois book. Rail lines I aim to cover include: the Santa Fe,…
In a reboot of my 20-year-old YouTube channel, I have launched a new semi-weekly show called The Rails Around Train Guy Show! It is a general-audience video podcast that will feature museums, volunteers, excursions, historical societies, reputable railfan photographers, fellow authors and unique collectors of railroadiana or even model railroads. The first 3 episodes are…
Ina is a small town on Rend Lake, just south of Mt. Vernon. A retired couple casts their lines as a Texas-bound Union Pacific train with all-MP blue on the point crosses the lake in April, 1985. At Benton, this train will head southwest for Gorham, where it will connect to the busy St. Louis-Texas…
Yes, the Wabash ran PAs on the Banner Blue. Here’s proof, July 1964 @ Bement, IL, about to pass under the old Illinois Terminal overpass on its way to Chicago. Photo by my dad, Michael J Kelly. Image was taken with iPhone of the 16×20 enlargement, as the original slide was lost some years ago…