Panel looks at PSR impact on Class I, shortline railroads

A trio of experts discussed the pros, cons, and reality of Precision Scheduled Railroading this week during the Midwest Virtual Rail Conference. C. Tyler Dick, a lecturer and principal research engineer at the Railtec program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says the late E. Hunter Harrison’s operating model aims to combine the best […]

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New model trains for the week of August 13, 2020

HO scale locomotives General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry. (as-delivered Heritage I scheme in three road numbers, Heritage I with yellow hood lettering in one number, and Heritage II), BC Rail (Dash 9-44CWL in red, white, and blue scheme), Canadian National (Dash 9-44CWL in North America scheme, three numbers), Chicago & North Western […]

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New model trains for the week of August 6, 2020

HO scale freight cars Bi-level auto rack. New paint schemes: BNSF Ry. (Oxide Red with circle-cross herald and yellow with post-2005 herald), Canadian National (white with red “wet noodle” herald, six road numbers), Conrail (brown with “can opener” herald), CP Rail (red), CSX (yellow), Kansas City Southern (yellow with dual heralds), Mexican Rail Transportation (yellow), […]

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Digest: Legislators decry new Caltrain funding proposal

Monday morning rail news: Change to ballot initiative could cut Caltrain funding, may be illegal, legislators say A proposed change to a ballot initiative meant to generate tax support for Caltrain could mean the San Francisco Bay commuter railroad receives little or no revenue from the tax, according to a group of legislators. The San […]

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New model trains for the week of July 9, 2020

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP38-2 diesel locomotive. Canadian National (red, white, and black with Illinois Central reporting marks); Canadian Pacific (with large herald in two road numbers, small herald in one number); Illinois Central Gulf (orange-and-white and orange-and-gray schemes, two numbers each); Missouri Pacific (1972 as-delivered paint scheme); Soo Line (red “SOO” lettering on […]

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Work on Lac-Megantic bypass to begin in 2021

More Monday morning rail news in brief: Lac-Megantic bypass work to begin in 2021, government says The government of Quebec announced Sunday that construction of a rail bypass around the town of Lac-Mégantic will begin in 2021. The Montreal Gazette reports that the 8-mile line relocation of the Canadian Pacific, away from the site of […]

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Derailment blocks UP line in Texas (updated)

Wednesday afternoon rail news in brief: Severe weather leads to UP derailment in Texas (updated) Union Pacific has informed customers that its route between Fort Worth, Texas, and El Paso has been disrupted by a derailment near Colorado City, Texas, caused by “a severe-wind weather event.” It is warning that shipments through the area could […]

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New England’s Pan Am Railways for sale

BILLERICA, Mass. — New England regional Pan Am Railways is for sale. The privately held company, owned by 78-year-old Tim Mellon and other investors, has enlisted BMO Financial Group to assist with a potential sale transaction, according to multiple railroad industry sources. Pan Am officials did not respond to a request for comment. Industry observers […]

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