Amtrak certainly has an interesting history. Since its inception 41 years ago, Amtrak has ferried passengers across the country’s rail network. Its routes have ranged from cross-country hauls to speedier service between closer destinations. Amtrak, which has never turned an annual profit, this week launched a new website (history.amtrak.com) dedicated to the railroad’s history. The site includes digital copies of ads, timetables and images. “Amtrak is woven into the fabric of America, providing a vital transportation service to the nation and connecting families and communities as part of an amazing and unfolding history,” Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman said in
The workers who laid tracks across the country were known as Gandy Dancers. The name is sometimes attributed to a Gandy Tool Co. that manufactured the tools used to build railroads, though the existence of such a company has been debated.
Gainesville Midland No. 116 was build in 1923 by Philadelphia-based Baldwin Locomotive Works. Before it went into service on the Gainesville Midland, No. 116 served on the Central of Georgia.
Davy Jones, the lead singer of the 1960s group, The Monkees, died recently. Thanks to The Monkees, Clarksville‘s name will forever be linked with railroads.
For years, the famed “Murmur Trestle” in Athens, Ga., has attracted R.E.M. fans from around the globe. But, time may be running out for the 130-year-old trestle, The Wall Street Journal reported.