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 23, 2020

See the latest model railroad products from Atlas, Broadway Limited Imports, Kalmbach Hobby Store, and more! HO scale locomotives Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotive. Amtrak (“Reliability, Efficiency, Mobility and Travelmark schemes) and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. One road number per scheme. Dual-mode TCS WOWSound electric locomotive sound package; fully remappable light functions, including blinking ditch lights, […]

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Digest: 50% capacity rule lifted for NJ Transit

Tuesday morning rail news in brief: New Jersey governor lifts 50% capacity limit for NJ Transit New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has lifted the 50% capacity limit on NJ Transit trains, light rail, and buses as of Wednesday evening. New Jersey Business magazine reports Murphy said the decision was “in anticipation of the fact that […]

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Digest: 51 new cars for Amtrak built or under construction

Monday morning rail news in brief: Equipment update reports 51 cars for Amtrak regional service built or under construction; first Charger due in early 2021 Fifty-one Siemens cars in the order for Amtrak state-supported service in California and the Midwest have either been completed or are under construction, according to the end-of-June report by the […]

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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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Railroads wait to see impact of rule approving LNG moves

Railroads have gained regulatory approval to haul liquified natural gas in tank cars. Now the questions are how quickly will an LNG market develop and how big will it be? Controversial new federal regulations governing the movement of LNG by rail are scheduled to go into effect next month. Previously LNG shipments required special permits […]

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Three injured as NS train hits truck, derails in Duluth, Ga.

DULUTH, Ga. — Three people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries after a Norfolk Southern intermodal train hit a truck and derailed at a grade crossing near downtown Duluth on Wednesday morning. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the accident occurred about 9:45 a.m., and two train crewmen and the driver of the truck suffered […]

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NS confirms idling of hump at Bellevue yard

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern has confirmed that it has idled the hump at Moorman Yard in Bellevue, Ohio, and is converting the largest classification yard in the East to a flat-switching facility. “Due to declining car volumes, NS will idle the yard’s hump and begin flat switching rail cars. This alteration will allow for […]

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UP derailment in Wyoming leads to explosions, fire

Sunday morning rail news in brief: Explosions, fire follow derailment of UP train in Rock Springs, Wyo. A Union Pacific derailment led to explosions and a wildfire near Rock Springs, Wyo., on Saturday, as the 26 cars that derailed included multiple cars of liquefied petroleum gas and alcohol, according to a report from the Sweetwater […]

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New model trains for the week of June 11, 2020

See the latest model railroad products in HO, N, and O scales! HO scale locomotives General Electric P42 diesel locomotive. Amtrak (phase 2 heritage scheme in two road numbers, phase 3 scheme in four numbers, phase 4 heritage scheme in one number, and phase 5 scheme in four numbers) and VIA Rail Canada (Renaissance paint […]

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