The All Aboard Podcast by All Things Trains

Phil reviews the 1967 book "The Man from Steamtown," about the late F. Nelson Blount, founder of Steamtown USA. This episode comes just as the railfan world is about to celebrate Union Pacific Big Boy #4014's visit to the present-day Steamtown in Scranton, PA where she will be reunited with sister #4012, herself acquired by Blount. All Aboard Episode 075, 6/13/26 ____________________...

What does the Bricks & Minifigs LEGO controversy have to do with model railroaders & rail memorabilia collectors? Find out on today's episode of The All Aboard Podcast by All Things Trains.________________________________________www.allthingstrains.com is your hub for...ALL THINGS TRAINS!

In the May, 1959 issue of Trains Magazine, editor David P. Morgan discussed the factors that led to passenger rail's decline and what could be done to fix it. This was less than 15 years after the end of WWII and shows that even then, American passenger rail was dealing with big problems. Phil analyzes the article and tells us what it means for the trains of today.

What does a long-gone investment company in Richmond, VA have to do with a shortline railroad in Mississippi? Phil tells the story, from the Greenberg's Train & Toy Show in Richmond, VA _______________________________ Reference: Trains Magazine, October 1982 Issue. "The Railroad That Came Home to the People." Dolzall, Gary W.

Union Pacific & Norfolk Southern made news this week, but it's not what you think. Phil Bell breaks down what happened and why.

We dive into Illinois' reorganization of Metra, CTA, and Pace, plus take a look at the Ameristar Rail & its leader Scott Spencer's plans for LibertyLiner 250, presently known as Amtrak's Acela Express! ______________________________Visit us on the web at www.allthingstrains.com

Hot off the presses! Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern just filed their merger application and it's a long one! Phil will dive in and take a look, so you can get an idea of what is it takes to build America's first coast-to-coast railroad!_______________________________Visit us on the web at www.allthingstrains.com!

In this joint episode with the Parkview Institute's Center for Transportation Advancement, Phil Bell and C4TA Executive Director David Ozgo discuss the merger, the opposition, and the outlook. This is a MUST for every railfan, rail industry policymaker, and investor._____________________________________Get Your Tickets for the Advancing Transportation Conference Today! It's coming up soon...

Coming to you from the Greenberg's Train & Toy Show in Edison, NJ, Phil gives the full story about his time as a lobbyist for GoRail. Please join us on May 7, 2025 at Railroad Day on Capitol Hill to help support freight rail and meet fellow lovers of railroading!______________________________Railroad Day on Capitol Hill: https://www.aslrra.org/events/railroad-day/GoRail: www.gorail.org____...

Have you ever seen a truck trailer or shipping container on a train...and wondered how it got there? Well, David J. DeBoer's book, Piggyback and Containers A History of Rail Intermodal on America's Steel Highway tells the story, starting from farm wagons on the Long Island Rail Road to the Santa Fe's "Super Fleet" Intermodal Days. Phil Bell gives his video review right here!_...

What if I told you that almost every aspect of Penn Central succeeded? Would you believe me? Phil Bell, host of the All Aboard Podcast, challenges everything you know about Penn Central. Let's hear your thoughts, too! ____________________________ Show Bibliography: 1. The Wreck of the Penn Central. Daugen, Joseph; Binzen, Peter. 2. The Fallen Colossus. Sobel, Robert. 3. No Way to Run A Railroa...

In Episode 61, we talked about what was wrong with Amtrak. In Episode 62, we hear Phil's plan to improve America's passenger trains by building on Amtrak's best assets. Tune in, and in the comments below, let us know if his plan is good, bad, or downright ridiculous...and share your ideas! Like, Share, & Subscribe! _____________________________________ Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllThi...

Phil loves to ride the train and he's had good trips on Amtrak. But let's be honest, it is a Factory of Sadness for those who want to see improved passenger rail service in the USA. In Part I of 3, Phil talks about the reasons why Amtrak simply cannot succeed. Like, Share, & Subscribe! _____________________________ Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllThingsTrains⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.all...

The Erie Lackawanna is a beloved railroad among rail enthusiasts, historians, and those who lived along its route. But was the Erie Lackawanna a bad idea? Should it have been created in the first place? The All Aboard Podcast dives in! All Aboard Podcast Episode #60 ____________________________ Source Material: 1. Erie Lackawanna: The Death of an American Railroad, 1938-1992. Grant, H. Roger. 1994...

Tune in for our weekly review of railroad news, here at The All Aboard Podcast. We cover a brewing controversy with the ownership of N&W 611, the NTSB Report on the East Palestine derailment, and much more! Stop, Look, & Listen! #robberbarons ________________________ Show Bibliography 1.Indication for Amtrak Gulf Coast Service Looks Grim. Accessed 7/1/24 https://www.railwayage.com/regulato...

Amtrak might be making big changes to its Washington, DC-Chicago, IL Capitol Limited and New York, NY-Miami, FL Silver Star. Phil thinks it's a bad idea, since it's grounded in something that failed way back in the 1990s. Tune in to find out what's got Phil so worked up... _______________________ Show Bibliography: 1. "Superliner capacity not a new issue." Cane, Mark S. Train...

Enjoy our episode on the Belt Railway of Chicago, Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, Indiana Harbor Belt, and other ways railroads avoid Chicago! _______________________________ Show Bibliography: 1. About. Belt Railway of Chicago. Accessed 6/18/24. https://beltrailway.com/about-2/#:~:text=History,a%20terminal%20railroad%20in%20Chicago. 2. EJ&E Railroad History. Dale, Stephen. Accessed 6/18/24. http...

When most people think of Commuter Trains, they think of the big city systems that were operated by private railroads in days gone by. Today, we talk about two "new start" systems that have evolved, long after commuter rail in big American cities declined. _____________________________ Patreon: ⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/AllThingsTrains ⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠ https://www.allthingstrains.com ⁠⁠ R...

If you've been around trains for any length of time, you've heard someone mention an "SD45-2" or maybe an "AC60" or even a GG1. If you don't understand all of that, it's ok, we're going to give you some insight into how what locomotive designations mean and how you can get an idea of what you're hearing when you're out on the main line. _____________...

Our clapback to Wendover Productions' YouTube Video "The One Tiny Law That Keeps Amtrak Terrible," sure did stir up a hornet's nest! So, Phil responds to viewer comments on his take and discusses everything from Amtrak's truncated Adirondack to why so many people don't understand the purpose of the railroad. As always, Stop, Look, and Listen! _____________________________...

Many rail passenger advocates believe that passenger trains are unfairly hurt by freight train interference and that freight railroad executives privately sit around looking for ways to hurt passenger trains. YouTube channel Wendover Productions put out a particularly objectionable video, "The One Tiny Law That Keeps Amtrak Terrible ( The One Tiny Law That Keeps Amtrak Terrible - YouTube) , w...

For our 50th Episode, we take a look back at one of Phil's favorite magazines: The April, 1980 issue of Trains Magazine. This includes the UP-MP-WP merger, paying for Penn Central, Amtrak's Hlltopper and Floridian, and diesel-electric locomotive depreciation! As always, thanks to all of our fellow #RobberBarons out there, and as always, Stop, Look, & Listen! _______________________ Sho...

Many rail enthusiasts love the 1st Generation EMDs, such as the E8, F7, F3, and GP7. We talk about the Electro-Motive Division itself, and why these locomotives are so significant. _________________________ 1. Erie #5012, an example of the Electro Motive Corporation's early days building self-propelled railcars. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3865931 2. A Chuck Zeiler pho...

We all love to talk about "preserved" rail equipment...but what is rail preservation and why does it drive so many people absolutely crazy? Today, Phil covers good, bad, and absolutely fugly examples of railroad preservation and how it can be improved. _______________________ Show Bibliography: 1. Discover the Joy of the Strasburg Railroad. Eden Resorts. Accessed May 15, 2024 https://ede...

For nearly 4 months, Norfolk Southern was engaged in a bruising battle with activist investor Ancora Holdings, which ended in a draw on Thursday, May 9th. Tune in to find out what happened and the outlook for the Thoroughbred of Transportation. #RobberBarons #StopLookListen The All Aboard Podcast is a proud part of The All America Network _________________________ Past NS-Anocra Episodes: -Episode...