Just Railroads

History...Explanations...etc.

What started out innocently fifteen years ago as the start of a collection of Railroad Logos or Heralds as the case may be has grown to something else.  The Logos had to be cataloged and then the Railroads had to be cataloged in order to keep track.  Then the interest grew to creating a "Definitive" historical listing that no one else had really done.   The need to confine this listing to the North American Continent becomes obvious by the quantity of listings; now well over 17,000 from day one to now.   Taking advantage of the World Wide Web as the source for all this material has been an adventure and learning experience throughout.  The shear quantity of links, over 34,000, provides the viewer with almost a never-ending source of information.  As links are constantly changing the quantity assures at least something always being available for the viewer.  And to this day, Just Railroads, goes through a constant checking and updating and will continue to grow.

NAMES:   The entire listing is alphabetized, sequentially, hopefully.   I always have to insert a little humor now and then.  One would think that the most important part of any entity would be the NAME.  This has proven to be an adventure in itself establishing what a particular Railroad's name really was and show it in its original form.  Therefore, the use of words like "Railroad" "Rail Road" "RR" "Railway" "Ry" "Rwy" "and" "&" "Company" "Co." "Incorporated" "Inc."  "The", etc. or even the lack thereof is used as best determined by the author from the myriad information available on the WWW.  The one criterion that would hold precedence over other materials would be a "Legal" NAME.  And even that would get lost in the shuffle sometimes.  The use of "d/b/a" means "doing business as" or "A/K/A" means "Also Known As".

NEXT:  The use of (Parenthesis) after the initial listing is "supposed" to show the sequential lineage of that particular listing.   This is followed by the original listings "Call Letters" in (Parenthesis) where known or given.

Dates:  More fun again.  The first date given is when it is first mentioned somewhere, if at all, and has no relation as to when that listing actually began.  Unless a second date is given which is when it "supposedly" ceased to exist as an entity.  More fun.  Now if a "/" appears that means it has started up again as another entity with the same NAME, maybe.  An example is a Railroad changed to a Railway and then back to a Railroad all with the same NAME.  Again, "Legal" papers would take precedence.

Reporting Marks are given next and have no relation to a Railroad's call letters.  It was the listing of Reporting Marks which brought out more listings of a commercial nature as compared to a pure Railroad but are still valid by virtue of there being ownership or operation of Rail equipment, or rail.  

States are listed in which the listing operates and/or is registered as owned.

Links are self-explanatory. Suffice to say that as many as is practical are given to afford the viewer more choice as possible with the ever-changing linkages.  

Logos or Heralds show a particular Railroads lineage and are not set in any sequential order.

The author does not authenticate anything shown on the site and has added little "humoristic" notes here and there.  The information is only as accurate as many well-intentioned people meant it to be and nothing more.  There is an attempt to stay away from just pure "Railroad Clubs" and  "Commercial Railroad Hobbies" per se with exceptions of course.  Others handle those areas quite well.  The hundreds of E-Mails received over time have also been greatly appreciated by their support and updates, so keep them coming and....

Happy Railroadin'

Carter S. Pawlus