LA GRANGE, Ill. – The end may be near for a locomotive plant that was once at the top of the industry. Progress Rail parent Caterpillar Inc. is considering closing the famed La Grange facility, splitting the remaining engine production between a plant in North Carolina and outside suppliers, the Winston-Salem Journal reports. The 850,000-square-foot […]
Type of Train: Diesel Locomotives
GE’s Brazil factory debuts modern moving assembly line NEWSWIRE
A view of a new modern moving assembly line at a GE Transportation factory in Brazil. The line is similar to ones used in aviation that move large and heavy components several feet per hour based on production demands. GE Transportation CONTAGEM, Brazil – GE Transportation’s plant in Contagem unveiled today a new approach to […]
Extreme Trains at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum – The Oil Cans
The January 2018 Extreme Trains event at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum starred the Southern Pacific “Oil Cans.” This was the famous train that hauled crude oil from Shell Oil Company’s Belridge field to its refinery near Carson, California. […]
Extreme Trains at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum – The Oil Cans
The January 2018 Extreme Trains event at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum starred the Southern Pacific “Oil Cans.” This was the famous train that hauled crude oil from Shell Oil Company’s Belridge field to its refinery near Carson, California. […]
CSX rolls out distributed power on unit coal trains in Appalachia NEWSWIRE
A 220-car loaded CSX Transportation coal train with mid-train distributed power rolls into St. Albans, W.Va., on Jan. 27, 2018. Chase Gunnoe HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Unit coal trains in Appalachia are now running with distributed power less than two weeks after CSX Transportation officials indicated the increased use of the mid-train technology. Ed Harris, CSX’s […]
2018 Railroad Hobby Show report
Athearn Trains HO scale Altoona, Pa.,-rebuilt SD60E diesel locomotive HO scale locomotives Altoona, Pa.,-rebuilt SD60E diesel locomotive. Norfolk Southern with Crescent cab. Four road numbers, including “Honoring First Responders.” Detailed cab interior, standard cab roof or Positive Train Control antenna array as appropriate, and railroad-specific long-hood detail. Direct-current model, $219.98; with SoundTraxx Digital Command Control […]
In Memoriam: Steve Rodgers, 1952-2018
Steve Rodgers of Iuka, Ill., died Jan. 22, 2018. Steve was a veteran of the model railroad industry, starting with Micro Engineering in 1986. A decade later he became general manager of DeLuxe Innovations. In 2007 he co-founded Bluford Shops LLC, a manufacturer of HO and N scale products, with Craig Ross. […]
Kazakhstan national rail company signs $900-million order for GE locomotives NEWSWIRE
GE Transportation CEO Raphael Santana, left, shakes hands with a Kazakhstan railroad official after signing a $900-million contract for GE locomotives in the Asian nation. GE Transportation CHICAGO — GE Transportation signed two contracts, valued at more than $900 million, with Kazakhstan’s state-run railroad Kazakhstan Temir Zholy — the company’s largest international rail customer — […]
CN SD60F locomotives find new homes in the upper Midwest NEWSWIRE
Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western SD60F No. 5544 leads a train at Falkirk, N.D., on Jan. 4. Erich Linser BISMARCK N.D. — Two Midwest railroads have acquired a handful of retired cowl locomotives from Canadian National. Following CNs decision to retire its fleet of 60 EMD SD60F locomotives in 2017, the 5500 series locomotives were […]
New model trains for the week of January 18, 2018
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes: Algoma Central (maroon, gray, and yellow), Amtrak (silver and black), Central California Traction (red), Great Northern (Empire Builder scheme), and Missouri-Kansas-Texas (green and yellow). New road numbers: Bangor & Aroostook (gray, red, and black), Belt Ry. of Chicago (gray, black, and yellow, two numbers), […]
Athearn HO scale SDP40F with Tsunami2
Athearn HO scale SDP40F with Tsunami2 Athearn HO scale Amtrak SDP40F and Santa Fe SDF40-2 Athearn HO scale Santa Fe SDF40-2 Athearn SDF40-2 interior and mechanism (DC version) Amtrak’s first all-new passenger diesel joins the Athearn Genesis line of superdetailed HO scale locomotives. This model is also the first that we’ve tested to come factory-equipped […]
New model trains for the week of January 11, 2018
Schuylkill Iron Works HO scale Pacific Car & Foundry flatcars HO scale freight cars Pacific Car & Foundry flatcars. Shielded-deck flatcar, rail deck flatcar, and I-beam deck flatcar. Cast-resin kits with trucks but no wheels. $29 each plus shipping (mix and match any three, $85). Pennsylvania residents add 6 percent sales tax. Schuylkill Iron Works, […]
