Yellowstone National Park railroad

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On Sept. 25, 2007, a Montana Rail Link local in Livingston, Mont., heads onto an old branch line that once went to Gardiner, Mont., and the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The GP35s are taking four wood chip cars and a caboose (for the return back-up move) to a lumber mill about a mile […]

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The mystery of vertical split rims

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Vertical split rims affect the outer edge of the wheels and are caused by pent-up pressures and stresses in the wheel material. Two photos, Transportation Safety Board of Canada A rare wheel defect is posing a mystery for researchers. The problem is called a vertical split rim, but why it happens and how to prevent […]

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Video Review: Chicago, America’s Railroad Capital

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Chicago-America’s Railroad Capital Kalmbach Publishing, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Approx. 60 minutes kalmbachhobbystore.com Generations of railfans have been impressed at the magnitude of railroad operations in and around the Windy City. Currently, the Chicago area sees 25 percent of US rail traffic and almost half of the nation’s intermodal shipments. Chicagoland, of course, […]

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Switching to greener railroad operations NEWSWIRE

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LSOX No. 1001, a new Tier 4 switcher built by Knoxville Locomotive Works in east Tennessee. James Graham KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Locomotive Works has begun delivery of its largest order of low-emissions Tier 4i locomotives. The order for nine switch locomotives, KLW SE10B and SE15B models, are being supplied to Locomotive Solutions for service […]

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Broken rails: an unexpected pain

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The manufacture and maintenance of rail is as old as railroading — and so are broken rails. Though today’s rail is much harder, stronger, and of higher quality than rail made even 40 years ago, railroads and metallurgists have just recently begun to understand why rails still are breaking. As railroads installed new rail in […]

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The fine science of friction control

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Hydraulic flange greasers are activated when a wheel rolls over an actuator, as shown on CSX’s Indianapolis Line Subdivision. Two photos, Eric Powell Forgive the pun, but it’s a slippery slope that railroads have to deal with, in terms of rail and flange lubrication. Too much or too little grease on the track can cause […]

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CSX to close down hump at Osborn Yard in Kentucky NEWSWIRE

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CSX Transportation’s Osborn Yard Google Maps LOUISVILLE, Ky. — CSX Transportation’s Osborn Yard in Louisville will be the third yard in less than two weeks to have its hump operations shut down. CSX spokeswoman Laura Phelps tells Trains News Wire that after a thorough review of the railroad’s Louisville-region operating plan, the railroad has informed […]

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Minnesota steam engine to use Big Boy fire grates NEWSWIRE

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Grates from the firebox of Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 are going to use in the firebox of Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261. Though of different size and design, they were both built by the American Locomotive Co. in the 1940s and can share certain components. Erik Hoofnagel MINNEAPOLIS — In an example […]

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Grupo Mexico to acquire FEC

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – GMéxico Transportes S.A. de C.V., the transportation business unit of Grupo México, and the Florida East Coast Railway Holdings Corp. have entered into a purchase agreement to acquire FEC in an all-cash transaction for an undisclosed value. FEC President and CEO Jim Hertwig says, “The FEC team looks forward to working with […]

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Albany & Eastern Railroad releases 2017 excursion schedule NEWSWIRE

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An Albany & Eastern excursion operated east from Lebanon on March 17. Here it returns westbound in late morning. Brian Schmidt ALBANY, Ore. — The Albany & Eastern Railroad in Oregon has published its 2017 schedule for its Santiam excursion trains. This year, several holiday themed excursions trains will take passengers along the 17-mile Sweet […]

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CN completes CTC on former Missabe Road main line NEWSWIRE

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An ore train passes old and new signals on Canadian National’s Missabe Sub in September 2016. Steve Glischinski DULUTH, Minn. – Canadian National has activated centralized traffic control signaling on the last portion of its former Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway Missabe Subdivision main line. CTC has now been activated over the 6-mile stretch between […]

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