Washout likely cause of CN derailment in Ontario

Canadian National logo

NAISCOOT, Ontario — Two crew members were reported to have suffered minor injuries when a Canadian National train derailed late Saturday, reportedly after hitting a washout. CBC News reports a CN spokesman said a locomotive and 24 empty intermodal cars derailed on Canadian Pacific’s Parry Sound Subdivision; a Transportation Safety Board of Canada representative told […]

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News photo: VIA stainless steel cars return

Silver and yellow locomotive followed by stainless steel cars

Two refurbished stainless steel business cars trail P42 locomotive No. 905 on VIA Rail Canada’s Ottawa-Quebec City train No. 28, on its way to Montreal’s Central Station on July 22. Absent from the Quebec-Windsor, Ontario corridor for more than a year during the reduced service of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cars are again in use […]

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California legislators seek change to power requirement for high speed rail

An illustration from the California High-Speed Rail Authority's new business plan shows a station for the high speed line. California High-Speed Rail Authority

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A group of California state legislators are asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to reconsider a requirement for catenary electrification for the state’s high speed rail system, seeking the option to use battery or fuel-cell power to avoid the expense of stringing overhead power lines. The Los Angeles Times reports state Assembly […]

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Southern California’s Metrolink names new CEO

Smiling man in blue coat and tie

LOS ANGELES — Darren Kettle, currently executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission, has been named as new CEO of LA-area commuter rail operator Metrolink. Kettle succeeds Stephanie Wiggins, who in June became CEO of L.A. Metro, which oversees bus and light rail operations in the LA area and is one of the five […]

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CSX coal train derails in Richmond, Va.

Derailed coal hoppers, some on their side

RICHMOND, Va. — Thirteen cars of a CSX Transportation coal train derailed in Richmond on Friday afternoon, reportedly sending some of the coal into the nearby James River. WRIC-TV reported the derailment occurred about 1:30 p.m. There were no injuries. Initial reports said the waterway was not affected, but drone footage on Saturday showed coal […]

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Ice reefer innovation

Freight car generator attachment

Ice reefer innovation Attaching a portable precooling motor (right) with a belt to the shaft extension on the generator enabled the ice-cooled car’s own fans to precool a load while standing still. This helped keep ice-cooled cars cold when loading. Preco photo […]

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Accurail HO twobay covered hopper kit

Accurail two bay covered hopper

Accurail, well-known for its line of HO scale freight car kits, has added a new model to its product range, the American Car & Foundry (ACF) 2,970-cubicfoot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper. The injection-molded plastic car features a mix of molded and separately applied parts, two-piece pneumatic-gravity discharge gates, and Accumate couplers. Prototype background. […]

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George Campbell’s HO scale Campbell Road

Overview of track plan

The layout at a glance Name: Campbell Road Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 11 x 30 feet Prototype: freelanced, Norfolk & Western, and Louisville & Nashville Locale: Cincinnati, Ohio, to Appalachia Era: autumn 1942-1945 Style: around-the-walls Mainline run: 82 feet Minimum radius: 22″ (main), 18″ (sidings) Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Benchwork: open […]

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