This story was last updated April 7, 2020

By TIM BLACKWELL/Cowcatcher Magazine

Plans are in place for the nation’s railroad community to keep trains moving as the U.S. continues its fight with COVID-19. Operations are ongoing, although the industry and others have been forced to function remotely to comply with health recommendations and state and national stay-at-home mandates.

And rail fans aren’t alone. They’re feeling the trickle-down effect that’s forcing cancellation and postponement of spring shows, meets and get-togethers.

Steve Allen Goen returns to publishing in a big way with the release of the first of 10 books showcasing passenger trains in Texas.

“Passenger Trains of Texas Cotton Belt” debuted last fall. His first book since 2006, it features passenger operations of the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad (more commonly the Cotton Belt) between the Victorian Era of the 1890s to the railroad’s last mixed train in 1958.

Goen tells the story of the Cotton Belt’s historic run of passenger service through Texas with his signature style of photos and descriptions. However, he goes a step further with interesting tales that re-create the railroad’s journey through major cities and small towns in an age when rail was a major mode for moving people.

The 144-page hardback is his ninth book and includes color and black-and-white images of the Lone Star and Morning Star trains, as well as the Jitney in East Texas, gas electrics on the Stephenville, North & South Texas Railroad, and mixed trains to Sherman and Gatesville.

FRISCO, TX — The Museum of the American Railroad (MAR) had a showing in December of a 1:32 scale model of the historic Hotel Settles in Big Spring, TX, that was built for TrainTopia, the museum’s massive G-scale layout at the Frisco Discovery Center.

The model, produced by B&T Model Railroad Design, rises to six feet above the busy streetscape of TrainTopia and was delivered in November after 10 months of research and construction. It will be a permanent part of the 2,500-square-foot operating model train exhibit.

The hotel opened Oct. 1, 1930, and was built by Will R. and Lillian Settles. At 15 stories and 150 rooms, it was the tallest structure between El Paso and Dallas and featured a restaurant and pharmacy.

Among its guests were Elvis Presley, Lawrence Welk and President Herbert Hoover, as well as Big Spring native Jerry Allison, who drummed for Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

The encore to the revival of Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 is well underway on a multi-state tour through 12 states west of the Mississippi that kicked off in late September.

The world’s largest operating locomotive came back to life and showed off its renewed chuff in the Great Race Across the Midwest to much fanfare earlier this year.

The Great Race Across the Southwest – a round-trip tour of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah – began in Cheyenne on Sept. 27. The massive locomotive is currently touring California and will be on display today and tomorrow in Bloomington, a suburb of San Bernadino.

From California, the tour dips into southern Arizona and near New Mexico’s panhandle before arriving in El Paso late in the afternoon on Oct. 20 to start a 23-day run across Texas. After a two-day public display, the Big Boy will be idled until Nov. 1 when it leaves for Fort Hancock, TX.

Some toys and scale models got a temporary reprieve Tuesday from tariffs to be imposed on goods from China arriving on U.S. shores beginning Sept. 1.

The United States Trade Representative delayed imposing 10 percent tariffs on some Chinese imports until Dec. 15. The announcement came a few days after two major model railroad manufacturers said they were raising prices for products currently on the water due to arrive Sept. 1 or later.

The Trump administration, responding to fears that deteriorating trade relations with China are hurting the economy, delayed a 10 percent tariff on only a portion of $300 billion in goods earmarked in May. USTR said that certain products were being removed from the list based on health, safety, national security and other factors. Among them are toys, including riding toys other than bicycles, puzzles and reduced-scale models.

Other items on the list are cellphones, laptop computers, video game consoles, computer monitors and certain items of footwear and clothing that typical are on holiday shopping lists.

Meeting at Ogden Union Station

Big Boy No. 4014 and Living Legend No. 844 have met.

On Thursday the iconic steam locomotives faced head-to-head for Union Pacific’s celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad’s completion. The two met like Jupiter and No. 119 did at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869, when the UP and Central Pacific Railroad connected.

A ceremony was held at Ogden Union Station about 50 miles from where the Golden Spike was originally tapped into place. Union Pacific removed its tracks near Promontory Summit to support the scrap metal projects during World War II.

“This celebration is Union Pacific’s way of reflecting on our ancestors’ remarkable achievements that connected the nation while reminding us of the enormous responsibility we have for our nation’s future,” said Scott Moore, senior vice president – Corporate Relations and chief administrative officer. “We are proud our employees live and work in thousands of the communities we serve, delivering steel to construct schools and stores, lumber to build homes, the food we eat, clothes we wear and electronics we rely on.”