IRVINE, Ky. — Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp., the organization restoring Chesapeake & Ohio Kanawha-type 2-8-4 No. 2716, has announced an agreement to bring the locomotive to the Railroad Museum of New England as the first stop of a year-long “residency program” following completion of the restoration project. Announcement of the plans to operate at the […]
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CICERO, Ill. — The back and forth between the Chicago suburb of Cicero and BNSF railway, the town’s largest landowner, over flooding and taxation continues. The Chicago Tribune reports a state legislator is seeking to pass legislation aimed at the railroad over what the town says is neighborhood flooding caused by pavement and work to […]
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NEW ORLEANS — A former Amtrak on-board services attendant has been charged with wire fraud for allegedly selling spaces on a non-existent New Orleans-New York City trip, and for allegedly submitting false sick benefit claims to the Railroad Retirement Board. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana says in a press release […]
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ATLANTA — A CSX rail yard in Atlanta has become one of four “pop-up” inland ports to ease congestion at the Port of Savannah, Ga., but some nearby residents have mixed feelings. They’re concerned about a resulting increase in truck traffic, but also have felt the supply-chain issues the temporary facility is meant to address. […]
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CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and potash export firm Canpotex have announced a new seven-year contract between the two firms, a successor to a current 10-year agreement that expires in 2022. The new agreement runs through 2028. “We are pleased to have entered into this agreement and incredibly proud to continue our successful relationship with Canpotex,” […]
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CHICAGO — BNSF Railway has agreed to reimburse the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for part of the costs of the cleanup at the site of a metal foundry in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. The Chicago Sun-Times reports H. Kramer & Co., which operates the brass and bronze foundry; BNSF; and the City of Chicago will share […]
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Q: I have two HO scale steam engines that both have the same problem. Their front trucks are always derailing. They are very light. Do you have any ideas how to fix this? – Ted Zieger A: Your locomotives’ front trucks should want to stay on the track of their own accords. If they’re derailing, […]
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At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Class I railroads furloughed train crews as volume sank at its fastest rate ever. When volume rebounded, crew members were not called back to work at the same rate as traffic returned because railroads were moving their tonnage on fewer but longer trains. Then three things happened […]
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Few years pass without railroads facing disruptions from natural disasters. This year was no different, with events including flooding that caused a Union Pacific derailment in Utah in July, Hurricane Ida hitting rail operations from New Orleans to New England in August; and devastating tornadoes in December, including one that derailed a CSX train. But […]
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In the October 2000 issue of Classic Toy Trains, photographer William Zuback and I photographed performer Mandy Patinkin’s layout. We spent a couple of days with he and his family. Joining us was Rich Roman, whose highly successful layout building firm, East Coast Enterprises, was responsible for much of the design and look of Mandy’s […]
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Industrial switcher locomotives add realism to any layout. Don’t believe me? OK, time for a show of hands. When you pass by a rail-served industry, do you take a quick glance to see if there’s a switcher on the property? That’s what I thought. I’m guilty of this, too. Today, thanks to satellite images on […]
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