News & Products for the week of September 3rd 2024 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 September 3rd […]
Type of Train: Freight
BLET leaders criticize tentative contract deals other unions reached with Norfolk Southern
The general chairmen representing the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen on Norfolk Southern have criticized tentative contract agreements that the railroad has reached with nine unions — and say they’ll never support a similar deal for engineers. The SMART-TD union that represents conductors was among the unions to reach tentative contract deals with NS. […]
As coal declines, BNSF and UP have no plans to remove capacity in Powder River Basin — yet
With their Powder River Basin coal volumes down by more than 22% this year — and 58% below the peak of 2008 — is it time for BNSF Railway and Union Pacific to consider rationalizing capacity on their primary coal-hauling routes? Not yet, the railroads say. In the heart of the Wyoming coal fields, BNSF […]
Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel resumes full operation
POLLEGGIO, Switzerland — More than a year after a freight train derailment inflicted extensive damage, the Gotthard Base Tunnel — the world’s longest rail tunnel — fully resumed regular operations today, ending an extensive, and expensive, period of repairs and reroutes for one of Europe’s main north-south rail arteries. For the first time since August […]
How do I repair the modern Lionel Poultry Dispatch Car?
I have two modern Lionel operating cars based on the postwar No. 3434 Poultry Dispatch Car. One, the No. 29825 Postwar Celebration version of the 3434, has the figure suspended on the operating arm between two springs. On the other, a No. 16739 Looney Tunes Foghorn Leghorn Poultry Car, the operating arm appears to have […]
Classic Toy Trains new products for September 2024
Locomotives & rolling stock The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is selling a custom-run Lionel LCCA 2024 Omaha Convention Union Pacific Boat Loader (2401230). The car is 10 ½” long and operates on O-27 curves. Price: $95. Limit one car per member. To learn more visit lionelcollectors.org or call the business office at 815-223-0115. […]
CSX reaches more early labor deals
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation announced on Friday, Aug. 30, that it had reached five-year tentative labor agreements with two more unions. That increases its total to agreements with 11 unions covering 15 work groups and amending 20 collective agreements, CSX said, covering more than 50% of its unionized workforce. The latest agreements are with […]
CSX turned down in appeal of lawsuit against Norfolk Southern
CSX Transportation said it was considering its options after a U.S. appeals court refused to restart its lawsuit against competitor Norfolk Southern over access to a key Virginia container port, causing it hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The allegations fell outside the four-year window for filing claims under U.S. antitrust law, a three-judge […]
Norfolk Southern and BNSF reach tentative agreements with additional labor unions
Norfolk Southern and BNSF Railway have reached tentative five-year contract agreements with additional unions four months before the opening round of national collective bargaining. The Norfolk Southern agreements with five unions, coming on the heels of four tentative agreements announced last week, cover approximately 55% of the railroad’s unionized workforce. The most recent agreements announced […]
Union files lawsuits challenging Canadian government order that sent CN, CPKC contract talks to binding arbitration
MONTREAL — The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is refusing to take no for an answer. The union, which represents 9,300 locomotive engineers and conductors on Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, has filed appeals challenging the decisions that led to binding arbitration being imposed on their failed contract talks with the railways. The union […]
Government seeks comment on proposed land sale for BNSF Barstow project
BARSTOW, Calif. — The federal government is seeking comment on a proposed sale of land to BNSF Railway as part of the railroad’s planned Barstow International Gateway project. The Victorville Daily Press reports the Bureau of Land Management published a Notice of Realty Action in the Federal Register on Wednesday, Aug. 28, on the proposed […]
Residents seek to fight BNSF plan for Phoenix-area logistics hub
WITTMANN, Ariz. — Residents of the unincorporated communities of Wittmann and Circle City say they oppose BNSF Railway’s efforts to build a new intermodal and carload logistics hub northwest of Phoenix. BNSF said earlier this year it would build the project on more than 4,300 acres in northwest Maricopa County, 36 rail miles from downtown […]