The All Aboard Podcast by All Things Trains

The All Aboard Podcast by All Things Trains

All Aboard!! Join us where we talk...All Things Trains...including the business of railroading, the coolest trains and locomotives, and even the best places to eat while chasing trains. All Things Trains Chairman Phil Bell brings you each episode from the E. Hunter Harrison Chair at the Bell Institute for Advanced Railroad Studies.

Episodes

March 19, 2025 21 mins

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!_______________________1. Amazon Lin...

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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!

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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 Railroad: The Untold Story of the Penn Cent...

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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/AllThingsTrains⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠https://ww...

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January 13, 2025 36 mins

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.allthingstrains.com⁠⁠ Rumble: ⁠⁠htt...

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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. Stanford University Press. 2....

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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

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Show Bibliography

1.Indication for Amtrak Gulf Coast Service Looks Grim. Accessed 7/1/24

https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/indication-for-amtrak-gulf-coas...

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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...

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Show Bibliography:

1. "Superliner capacity not a new issue." Cane, Mark S. Trains Magazine. July, 2024.


2. N...

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Enjoy our episode on the Belt Railway of Chicago, Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, Indiana Harbor Belt, and other ways railroads avoid Chicago!

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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.

https://www.ejearchive.com/page_...

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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.
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Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllThingsTrains⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠https://www.allthingstrains.com⁠⁠

Rumble: ⁠⁠https://rumble.com/c/All...

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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.
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Show Bibliog...

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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!
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Show Bibliography:

...

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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), which we will examine and point out ev...

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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! _______________________ Show Bibliography: 1. Trains Maga...

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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.

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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 photo of CB&Q #9908, the &quo...

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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.

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Show Bibliography:

1. Discover the Joy of the Strasburg Railroad. Eden Resorts. Accessed May 15, 2024 https://edenresort.com/experiences/attractions...

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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

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Past NS-Anocra Episodes:


-Episode 033: NS. vs. Ancora-Taki...

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Railroads, along with their suppliers and customers have an extensive advocacy network in Washington, DC and in all 50 states. This episode discusses some of this organizations and why it is critical for railroads to be engaged in public policy development.

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1. Association of American Railroads: www.aar.org


2. American Short Line And Regional Rail Road Association: www.aslrra.org


3. GoRail: www.gorail.org

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Tune in for Phil's review of Fifty Years of Amtrak Trains by David C. Warner and Bruce Goldberg, as we conclude Passenger Train Week. Also, Phil gives his thoughts on the sale of Kalmbach Publishing's train-related magazines.

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1. Fifty Years of Amtrak Trains: https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/book/83264


2. Fifty Years of Amtrak Trains: https://www.amazon.com/Fifty-Years-Amtrak-Trains-Compreh...

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To celebrate Amtrak's 53rd Birthday, we talk about several trains which Amtrak is no longer running, to help tell the carrier's story. Stop, Look, & Listen! #RobberBarons

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1. All Aboard Episode 042: Who REALLY Shot the Passenger Train: https://rumble.com/v4sdgjb-all-aboard-episode-042-who-really-shot-the-passenger-train.html


2. Fifty Years of Amtrak Trains: A Comprehensive Survey of Am...

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Since Amtrak's 53rd birthday is happening this week, Phil talks about who really shot the passenger train, and his answer may surprise you!

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If you like public policy, tune in to my friend Amanda Head's podcast, Furthermore. A link is right here: https://www.furthermorepodcast.com/

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Show Bibliography:

1. All Aboard Episode 035: ConRail Back In The Day: https://youtu.be/1JvbgwyZD2Y?si...

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