Features:

Baltimore & Ohio: The Last Outposts • by George Hiotis — Time finally caught up to a world where armstrong towers still protected the CSX main line in the wilds of Appalachia.

Metra: Chicago’s Towers • by Marshall W. Beecher — Staffed interlocking towers help thread hundreds of commuter trains through Chicago’s busiest junctions day in and day out, but for how long?

Southern Pacific: South Bay Sentinel • by Ted Benson — Photographer Ted Benson looks back at Niles Tower in California that protected a crossing between Southern Pacific and Western Pacific until 1985.

Erie Lackawanna: Tower Tales • by Arthur J. Erdman — Tower operators throughout Erie Lackawanna’s busy New York Division had to be quick on their feet to keep a busy schedule of freight and passenger trains moving smoothly.

Departments:

Camera Bag/tips and techniques: Scott Lothes

Departures/commentary: Alexander Benjamin Craghead

LocoNotes/diesel spotters: Kenneth M. Ardinger

Markers/additional thoughts from your editors

On The Menu/railroad dining, art, and culture: James D. Porterfield

Parting Shot/Steve Barry

Preservation Topics/this stuff is old, man: Justin Franz

Railnews/top news stories and photos from our readers

Railroadiana/new product, book, and video reviews

Through My Lens/trackside memories: Kevin EuDaly

Timetable/railroad event listings submitted by our readers

Transit Currents/transit news: Bob Gallegos