A 24th PED XING sign in South Minneapolis. The sign is on the Metro Transit light rail tracks near Downtown.

Burlington Railway Post Office Car at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI.

Seen inside the Green Bay Railroad Museum, an exhibit of historic railroad drumhead signs, once mounted on the observation cars of famous American passenger trains. These illuminated signs served both as branding and a wayfinding tool for travelers during the golden age of rail.

• 20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
• Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
•The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
•The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
•The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
•Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
•Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
•Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

•20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
•Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
•The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
•The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
•The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
•Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
•Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
•Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

An abandoned wooden railroad bridge curves over the Mississippi River at Nicollet Island in Minneapolis, a quiet remnant of the city’s industrial past. Once part of a freight spur serving nearby mills and factories, the structure now stands unused, adorned with graffiti and framed by spring foliage. In the background, the tan brick towers of Riverplace and surrounding condominium developments reflect the area’s transformation from rail and river commerce to modern urban living.

BNSF train goes through intersection at Harrison Sreet in Northeast Minneapolis during sunset.

A view down the center of two freight lines in Mason City, Iowa, where rows of grain hoppers and boxcars stretch toward the horizon under a late afternoon sky. The tracks form a precise, symmetrical corridor through the city’s industrial district, emphasizing the scale and geometry of Midwestern rail logistics. These sidings remain active for grain and material shipments, a reminder of Mason City’s long-standing role as a freight hub connecting rural industry to national transport networks.

A line of freight cars stretches into the distance in Mason City, Iowa, where the local rail yard serves as a crucial link between agricultural and industrial distribution networks. The weathered hoppers and boxcars sit idle under a calm Midwestern sky, their rusted sides revealing years of steady use. In the background, grain and cement facilities mark the industrial edge of town—part of Mason City’s enduring role as a regional transportation and manufacturing hub.