UP coal traffic has hit bottom, CEO says NEWSWIRE

A Union Pacific coal train heads east through Glen Ellyn, Ill., on Feb. 23, 2020. The railroad’s coal traffic has hit bottom as low natural gas prices lead to shutdowns of coal-fired power plans, according to CEO Lance Fritz. TRAINS: David Lassen MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Union Pacific’s coal traffic — which is down 30% […]

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News Wire Digest second section for Wednesday, Feb. 26 NEWSWIRE

Residents of Flossmoor, Ill., are unhappy with proposed changes to the Metra Electric schedule. TRAINS: David Lassen More Wednesday morning rail news: — Residents and government officials in the Chicago suburb of Flossmoor, Ill., are balking at proposed changes to the Metra Electric District schedule spurred by positive train control implementation, the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle reports. […]

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New model trains for the week of February 27, 2020

Bachmann HO scale 2-10-0 Russian Decapod steam locomotive HO scale locomotives 2-10-0 Russian Decapod steam locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Erie; St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco, with doghouse); Western Pacific; and painted black but unlettered. Dual-mode TCS WOWSound decoder; Keep-Alive capacitor; Chuffinity technology; cog V-belt flywheel drive; metal motor bearings; separately applied stack, domes, cab, […]

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Metrolink F125 locomotives poised for full operation by summer

LOS ANGELES – There’s a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel for Metrolink’s new Tier 4 F125 locomotive fleet. At a Saturday public meeting between railroad officials and residents of neighborhoods surrounding the carrier’s Central Maintenance Facility, Metrolink’s Neil Brown said that 32 of the new F125 locomotives are in service, 28 of […]

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News Wire Digest second section for Monday, Feb. 24 NEWSWIRE

More Monday morning rail news: — In response to an increase in onboard crime, Amtrak is moving many of its police officers out of stations and onto trains. The Washington Post reports. Amtrak had reportedly planned to reduce its police force last year [see “Union official tells paper Amtrak plans 20-percent cut to police force,” […]

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New model trains for the week of February 20, 2020

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division SD40-2. BNSF Ry. (four Burlington Northern patchouts); Burlington Northern (as-delivered scheme); Chessie System (Baltimore & Ohio reporting marks), Chicago & North Western (Stagecoach and Zito Yellow schemes); CSX (Chessie System patchout, “S” scheme, and YN2 scheme); and Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (standard blue-and-yellow and Mt. Rushmore schemes). Multiple road numbers […]

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WalthersMainline HO National Steel Car 5150 covered hopper

WalthersMainline HO National Steel Car 5150 covered hopper A National Steel Car 5,150-cubic-foot-capacity three-bay covered hopper has been added to the WalthersMainline HO scale product range. The newly tooled injection-molded plastic model features a one-piece body, a trough-style hatch cover, and 100-ton trucks. Our sample is decorated as Union Pacific no. 90687, a class CH-100-121 […]

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Trains News Wire Digest for Friday, Feb. 14 NEWSWIRE

Rail news for your Friday morning: — The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that Sound Transit may continue charging auto registration taxes, rejecting the argument in a class-action lawsuit that the taxes, known locally as car-tab fees, are unconstitutional. The Seattle Times reports the court ruled 7-2 for the transit agency. — LA-area commuter […]

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