Locomotive (Trains Magazine Special Issue)

When I got home from work today and checked my mailbox, I got a nice surprise: A big letter from the PR department of Kalmbach Publishing containing the latest Trains Magazine Special Issue - “Locomotive”. Looks like my blog here is now worthy of the attention of PR departments - who would have thought. Well, anyway, I certainly appreciate the gesture and the free magazine (thanks, Matt!) and last but not least the opportunity to take a look at it before most everybody else - since it’s actually only supposed to hit the newsstands on October 3 (BTW, you can also order your copy online).

I’ve only taken a quick look at the magazine so far, but it certainly looks interesting. It gives a good overview over modern motive power in the United States, also taking note of export models manufactured by the U.S. locomotive industry and what I especially appreciated is that it did not omit the passenger side of the business - there are dedicated articles about the recent success of MotivePower Inc.’s MPXpress passenger locomotives (aka MP36PH-3 - one of my personal favorites) and also reports about modern electric locomotives. Other sections detail the recent efforts by both GE and EMD to build modern, clean and efficient diesel locomotives (with the GEVO and EMD 70 series engines) and yet another article describes the recent trend towards GenSet-powered switcher engines.

But the “older” models are also given their due - longtime railroading stalwarts like the SD40 and F40PH, among others.

All in all, it promises to be an enjoyable read - and not to forget the 170+ photos!

Here’s an extract from the table of contents:

Cover Story:
“Evolution revolution”, GE’s Evolution Series

Feature Articles:
- Power for the people - a look at modern passenger locomotives
- Photo section
- Look at EMD now - new ownership and a new locomotive line
- Living legends - a photographic tribute to the SD40(-2)
- The need for speed - Amtrak’s Acela and HHP-8
- Pocono mountain majesties: Big Alcos on Delaware-Lackawanna

New Power Profiles:
- GE Evolution Series foldout
- EMD 70 Series foldout
- RailPower’s Green Goat
- GenSets: The next big thing

Old Soldiers:
A series of articles about older models