Canadian piggyback flatcars from Rapido Trains

flatcar schemes

Canadian piggyback flatcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70 Era: 1966-1976 (Canadian National), 1973-late 1980s (Canadian Pacific) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com  Canadian piggyback flatcar features: Heavy die-cast metal center sill Photo-etched deck surface Upright and collapsed hitches Wire grab irons […]

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Pacific Car & Foundry class B-70-69/71/75 boxcars from Rapido Trains

boxcars in a variety of paint schemes

Pacific Car & Foundry boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70, six-pack Era: 1972 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com Pacific Car & Foundry boxcar features: Separate, factory-applied metal grab irons, uncoupling levers, and door […]

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Canadian piggyback trailers from Rapido Trains

various schemes of 26-foot can cars

Canadian piggyback trailers Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.95 each Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada, 905-474-3314, rapidotrains.com 26-foot Can-Car Industries dry van features: Landing gear with two separate pieces to simulation in-motion or parked positions Separate, factory-applied mudflaps Detailed wheel and axle area Upright and collapsed hitches […]

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Canadian National launches new focus on operations

Train with red locomotive approaching curve

BOSTON — Canadian National is taking a back-to-basics approach under new CEO Tracy Robinson. The first order of business is to improve the railway’s velocity, which since last fall has generally been running below 2020 and 2021 levels when measured by the average number of miles cars travel per day. “As we bring the schedule […]

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Durango & Silverton suspends operations because of fire danger (updated)

Steam locomotive leads train onto dirt street

DURANGO, Colo. — The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge temporarily suspended operations this week because of fire danger just eight days into its spring season, reflecting new operating rules the railroad agreed to as part of a settlement with the federal government earlier this year. The Durango Herald reports trains stopped running as of Sunday, […]

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Top DC Metro officials resign in wake of operator certification problem

WMATA (DC Metro) logo

WASHINGTON — The fallout from DC Metrorail’s failure to maintain retraining and certification for its train operators has claimed its two top officials, as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board accepted the resignation of outgoing General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld and Chief Operating Officer Joseph Leader. Meanwhile, the transit agency took another hit on […]

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Metrolink adds chief safety officer

Portrait photo of man with black coat and red tie

LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink has named Frank Castellon as its chief safety, security, and compliance officer. Castellon’s background includes safety and security systems with Portland-area agency TriMet, Valley Metro in Phoenix, LA Metro, and Bombardier Transportation North America. Most recently, he was vice president of environmental, health, safety, and quality for Peak […]

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Pacific Surfliners to add on-board program for small pets

Logo for Amtrak Pacific Surlfiner

ORANGE, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner is adding a carry-on pet program beginning May 20, expanding the locations where the passenger operator allows passengers to bring along small dogs and cats. Dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds may be brought aboard in a carrier which should remain under the passenger’s seat. There is […]

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No long-distance routes meet FRA on-time standard in latest Amtrak stats

Passenger train passing station

WASHINGTON — Sixteen of 43 Amtrak routes, none of them long-distance operations, met the 80% customer on-time performance threshold established by the Federal Railroad Administration in first-quarter 2022 statistics released Tuesday by the FRA. The latest quarterly stats are the first to use all of the metrics established by the FRA [see “FRA publishes final […]

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Second RS1325 may be preserved

Orange locomotive passes brick building

SANFORD, N.C. — One of just two RS1325 locomotives built by EMD, which had been in danger of being scrapped, may be saved following a Facebook post from a local railfan sounding an alert about the diesel’s status. Former Chicago & Illinois Midland No. 30 has been at North Carolina’s Atlantic & Western Railway since […]

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News photos: Gettysburg & Northern GP10s on borrowed time?

Black locomotive leads train across highway

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Time may be short for the GP10 locomotives that handle traffic on the Gettysburg & Northern, a 27-mile Pioneer Lines short line connecting to CSX Transportation at Gettysburg and Norfolk Southern at Mt. Holly Springs, Pa. Photographer William Anderson reports that the railroad is currently testing a CEFX (CIT Rail) lease unit, […]

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American Z Line May 2022 locomotive announcements

blue and yellow locomotive

American Z Line May 2022 locomotive announcements Scale: Z (1:220) Price: Contact manufacturer Era: Southern Ry. Alco PA-1, 1953 to 1965; CSX Electro-Motive Division SW1500, 2002 to present Manufacturer: American Z Line, 6142 Northcliff Blvd., Dublin, OH 43016, 614-764-1703, americanzline.com CSX EMD SW1500 features: AutoLatch couplers Directional light-emitting-diode lighting Blackened metal wheels Traction tires Adapters […]

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