Class I railroad employment down in 2017 NEWSWIRE

A Norfolk Southern conductor rides a tank car during a switching move at the CSX Transportation-NS interchange in Point Pleasant, W.Va., in September 2013. Chase Gunnoe WASHINGTON — There are 4,000 fewer Class I railroad employees than there were at this time last year, according to new data published this week by the Surface Transportation […]

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New model trains for the week of May 18, 2017

HO scale locomotives Illinois Central Paducah, Ky.,-rebuilt GP10 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes: Arizona & Eastern (Genesee & Wyoming scheme, two road numbers), Bloomer Line (two numbers), Carlton Trail Ry. (four numbers), Central Kansas Ry. (Okanagan Valley Ry. patchout, two numbers), Gulf & Mississippi (one number), Hudson Bay Ry. (one number), Louisiana & Delta (Genesee […]

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New model trains for the week of May 11, 2017

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP39-2 diesel locomotive. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern (two road numbers); BNSF Ry. (Burlington Northern patchout in two numbers); Delaware & Hudson (blue and yellow and blue with yellow nose in two numbers each); Missouri-Kansas-Texas; and Union Pacific. Four numbers per scheme unless noted. Direct-current model, $179.98; with […]

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Ringling Bros. Blue Unit makes last revenue load out NEWSWIRE

Circus wagons are loaded onto flat cars in Charleston, W.Va., in preparation for the last circus train run to Uniondale, N.Y. Chase Gunnoe CSXT ET44AC No. 3333 will lead the last ‘Blue’ unit circus train to Uniondale, N.Y., form Charleston, W.Va. Here, Watco’s Kanawha River Railroad is switching the train in preparation for its outbound […]

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W. A. Eby, PRR engineman and foster dad

Like many old steam men, PRR engineman W. A. Eby disliked diesels, but he manages a smile in the cab of S12 No. 8734 working the Bellefonte local in 1957. Michael Hauk collection I never knew Walter A. Eby, my dad’s foster father. He passed away in 1963, when I was two years old. I […]

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Video Review: Chicago, America’s Railroad Capital

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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Broken rails: an unexpected pain

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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New model trains for the week of March 23, 2017

Atlas Model Railroad Co. HO Bombardier Transportation ALP-45DP dual-mode locomotive HO scale locomotives Bombardier Transportation ALP-45DP dual-mode locomotive. NJ Transit. Four road numbers. Illuminated, directional light-emitting-diode headlights, ditch lights, and red marker lights; positionable non-functioning pantograph; factory-applied railings, air horn, and antenna; modeler-installed grab irons with drilling template; and Kadee couplers. Direct-current model with 8-pin […]

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