February 22, 1856:  Sacramento Valley Railroad completed from Sacramento to Folsom.
   "At 11 am on Washington’s Birthday, the Sacramento Valley Railroad inaugurates service to Folsom, as the locomotive “Sacramento” with a string of passenger and flat cars in tow leaves “Old” Sacramento’s Front Street and heads up the tracks of R Street. It is soon followed by the “Nevada,” which breaks down before covering the full 22.9 miles to Folsom. But the politicians and local citizenry from both locomotives eventually arrive at Folsom’s Meredith Hotel where they enjoy a “Railroad Ball” that lasts until the next morning. While the Sacramento Valley Railroad incorporates on August 4, 1852, making it the first railroad west of the Mississippi, the Arcata and Mad River Railroad becomes operational sooner on December 15, 1854. The business plan calls for the Sacramento Valley Railroad to run through Folsom up to Marysville but construction costs are 50 percent more than anticipated so the line terminates at Folsom. The railroad’s chief engineer is Theodore Judah, a railroad engineer from New York, who later holds the same job with the Central Pacific Railroad and is one of the early advocates of running track up and through the Sierra Nevada to create a transcontinental railroad. Judah doesn’t live to see it happen, dying of yellow fever in November 1863, which he contracts in Panama returning to New York from California." -Friends of the California Archives

Source: Friends of the California Archives
http://friendsofcalarchives.org/2014/02/february-22-1856-maiden-run-of-californias-first-railroad/

We got some wonderful Customer pictures today from Joseph Goldenson who lives in Arizona. The railroad looks fantastic with our Mountain Spring Snow Backdrop. Thanks for sending us the pictures Joseph! You're set up looks amazing!

February 16, 1855, the Panama Railroad officially opened.

"It's September 1995 on the Santa Fe Emporia Sub and the C-TPRR Red Rock Coal train is passing thru the countryside between El Dorado and Augusta, KS.  This train was handed off to the Santa Fe in Topeka, KS and is bound for OGE in Red Rock, OK."

"In reality it's 2017 in my basement and the stinky yellow UP engines are being led by a single Santa Fe SD40-2. " 

​Eric

This week we have launched our revised website! Take a look around and let us know what you think. We have added a video page and tried to streamline all the backgrounds to make it easier for you to find what you need.

Model Railroad from Alphonso of Philadelphia, PA.  Looks great! 

The beginning of February has seen a lot of train history and the 5th and the 6th are no exceptions. 

February 5th, 1883: First through passenger trains between Los Angeles, California and New Orleans, Louisiana, leave their respective terminals.

​February 6th, 1951, in Woodbridge, New Jersey, 85 people died when a Pennsylvania Railroad commuter train plunged through temporary overpass.

February 4,1970, near Buenos Aires, Argentina, 236 people were killed when an express train crashed into a standing commuter train.

We are working on a new look for Trainjunkies! Keep a lookout for it and let us know what you think!