News & Products for the week of April 21, 2022

Photo of steam locomotive painted gold, black, and silver.

Large scale locomotives 2-6-0 Mogul steam locomotive. Denver & Rio Grande Western (yellow and black) and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (green and black with desert Southwest painting on tender). One road number per scheme. Dual-mode SoundTraxx sound decoder; separate, factory-applied tank piping, handrails, and ladders; and detailed cab interior with engineer figure. $699.99. June […]

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News & Products for the week of April 21, 2022

Photo of HO scale refrigerator car painted yellow, black, and silver.

Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 21, 2022.   HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe diesel locomotive. […]

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Meet the modeler: Ray Dunakin

Model diesel locomotive stopped at a depot

In a paragraph, how did you get started in the hobby? Meet Ray Dunakin: As a child, I had always been interested in trains and model railroads. When I was in junior high my dad gave me and my brothers a 4′ x 8′ plywood layout he had acquired from a friend. It came with […]

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Gulf Coast testimony confirms modeling did not explore operating changes: Analysis

Blue and yellow locomotive waiting on siding, as seen from train on main line

WASHINGTON — Two days of testimony that made up the second week of the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service delved into the intricacies of traffic modeling and its data inputs, and made clear both that Amtrak had no role in that modeling, and that consideration of changes to freight operations were […]

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Amtrak seeks control of Washington Union Station

People standing in line in hallway of railroad station

WASHINGTON — Amtrak is trying to gain control of Washington Union Station, the southern terminus for most of its Northeast Corridor operations, saying the move is necessary to expand and modernize the second-busiest station on the passenger operator’s network. The Washington Post reports Amtrak has moved to use eminent domain to gain control the facility, […]

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VIA Rail Canada sets restoration of most service

Passenger train with dome-observation car

MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has announced plans to restore most service by June, ending suspensions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the previously announced return of two weekly round trips for the flagship, Toronto-Vancouver Canadian, plans announced last week will see three weekly round trips for the Montreal-Halifax Ocean, tentatively beginning June […]

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Union Pacific to reopen Pine Bluff locomotive shop

Union Pacific logo with Building America slogan

PINE BLUFF, Ark. ­— Union Pacific is recalling furloughed workers to reopen its locomotive shop in Pine Bluff, Ark., the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. UP spokesman Mike Jaixen told the newspaper that he did not have information on the number of workers being recalled, but noted that open positions in Pine Bluff include boilermakers, electricians, mechanics, […]

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Washington heritage railroad regains some insurance

Logo of the Chehalis Centralia Railroad and Museum

CHEHALIS, Wash. — After being shut down for more than a month when insurers declined to renew its policy, the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum has acquired insurance that will allow some activity to resume. The Centralia Chronicle reports the heritage rail operation acquired premises-liability insurance as of April 8, allowing work to resume at the […]

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Norfolk Southern adds three locations to $5,000 bonus for conductor training

Norfolk Southern logo

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has added three locations to those offering $5,000 starting bonuses for its conductor trainee program. Bonuses are now available for trainees in Bellevue, Ohio; Elkhart, Ind.; and Fort Wayne, Ind., the company said in a press release. The railroad offers similar bonuses at a dozen other “priority locations” announced in February […]

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