MONTREAL and PITTSBURGH — Canadian National has placed an order with Wabtec to modernize 60 Dash-9 locomotives in CN’s existing fleet, the two companies have announced. The new order builds on a previous 50-unit order and will bring the total modernized fleet to 110 locomotives. The locomotives involved will be converted from DC to AC-powered […]
Railroad: Canadian National
CN’s outlook dims due to economy, port strike, and fire and flood impact
MONTREAL — Canadian National has lowered its outlook for the year in light of the slowing economy and the impact of Canadian wildfires, flooding, and the two-week port strike in British Columbia. CN, in reporting lower earnings on Tuesday, pushed its volume recovery expectations into next year instead of later this year. Second-quarter volume was […]
News & Products for the week of July 24th 2023
News & Products for the week of July 24th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 24th 2023. […]
Indiana man arrested following CN derailment
VAPARAISO, Ind. — A 39-year-old Indiana man has been arrested on charges related to the derailment of a Canadian National train in Valparaiso early Saturday, WBBM-TV reports. James Rockhill, of Kouts, Ind., was being held at the Porter County Jail on charges of railroad mischief, criminal recklessness, and leaving the scene of a crash. He […]
Canadian National main line to Halifax washed out by flooding
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Canadian National’s main line to the Port of Halifax, Canada’s fourth-largest port, has been washed out as a result of flooding that caused “unimaginable” damage, according to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. Reuters reports a storm that arrived on Friday left more than 10 inches of rain in a 24-hour period […]
BC port workers to vote Tuesday on tentative agreement
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Port workers on Canada’s West Coast will meet on Tuesday to decide whether to accept a tentative contract agreement, and union leadership said Friday it will recommend members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada accept the deal. A brief notice from ILWU Canada President Rob Ashton said union members […]
LPG cars involved, but no leaks reported, in CN derailment in Minnesota
FIELD TOWNSHIP, Minn. — Two carloads of liquefied petroleum gas were among those involved in a derailment of nine cars of a Canadian National train in rural northern Minnesota on Monday, July 17, according to a press release from the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. As reported by KRFO radio, the derailment occurred about 8:20 […]
British Columbia ports strike ends with tentative agreement
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Workers have returned to work at British Columbia ports after their union and employers reached a tentative agreement on Thursday, ending a 13-day strike. The two sides accepted terms drafted by a federal mediator on Thursday morning, about 10 minutes before a deadline set by Canadian labor minister Seamus O’Regan, according […]
STB announces investigation on Sunset Limited timekeeping, sets procedure
WASHINGTON — Responding to an Amtrak request from late last year, the Surface Transportation Board announced today (July 11) it will open an investigation into Sunset Limited timekeeping issues. Today’s board decision also outlines the framework for the process — a detailed procedure that will continue well into 2024. Establishment of that framework is necessary […]
Short steam era passenger cars
What is the largest radius curve on your layout? If you said anything less than 24”, you won’t be running 85-foot passenger cars any time soon. Even then, a 24” curve is extremely tight for those cars to navigate. Fear not, I have the solution for your long passenger car dilemma: short steam era passenger […]
British Columbia dockworker strike continues to hit Canadian rail traffic
The dockworker strike at Western Canadian ports has dragged into its sixth day today (Thursday, July 6), putting a dent in Canadian rail traffic. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City have both issued embargoes for certain types of freight moving to Vancouver and, in the case of CN, Prince Rupert, British Columbia. “CPKC is […]
Strike shuts down British Columbia ports
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Port workers in British Columbia went on strike Saturday, an action with the potential for impacts on the Canadian and U.S. economies and immediate significance for three Class I Railroads. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada’s Longshore Division walked out at 8 a.m. Saturday. The move affects about […]