But this new source of revenue has a troubling side. Rapid growth strains the capacity of railroads to move crude oil. And, safety has become an even bigger issue following the tragic derailment of a crude oil train in Quebec in July 2013 that killed 47 people and leveled a town. Other spectacular […]
Section: Series
The Transportation of Lumber
Thanks, Jim. Canadian National is the No. 1 lumber-hauling railroad in the U.S. It takes particleboard out of British Columbia and moves it across the continent to where its needed. If you see new homes or condos or apartments being built, chances are that the wood for them came by rail. CN moves about […]
BNSF’s Needles Division
This video was originally published by Trains as part of the Locomotive 2017 DVD. BNSF Needles Subdivision stretches from the Arizona/California state line at Needles west to Barstow, California across almost 170 miles of desert that tests man and machine every day in the struggle to keep the railroad moving. For the majority of its […]
Automobiles on the Rails
Originally, cars didn’t have it so good. They went in boxcars. They went on flatcars, stacked one on top of the other. Trains were important in making cars, too, and auto-parts special trains with nicknames like the *Sparkplug* began to appear. It didn’t take long to realize that something better had to come […]
Rolling stones: rock, stone, sand — aggregates that railroads make money hauling
At first glance, aggregates — stone, sand, and gravel — are unlikely darlings among railroad commodities. They’re low-value and they tend to move only short distances. But even though their revenue per car is low, they are nearly perfect freight: indestructible and relatively harmless if spilled. In fact, stones and sand not only make […]
Modeler’s Spotlight Video – Inside Cody’s Office for January Part 1
It’s a new year and a new Cody’s Office! Cody shares the Railway Prototype Cyclopedia Vol. 35, an HO scale Menards water tower, an Athearn N scale Pullman-Standard 4,427-cubic-foot covered hopper, modeling tip, and viewer mail. […]
It’s My Railroad with Steve Brown: Waterworks, Ep. 21
What’s a port without the water? A drydock at best! So after months of work around and about his N scale (1:160) layout, host Steve Brown finally gets his feet wet in the Port Smith scene. Follow along to see what went right, what went wrong, and how he fixed it all the “Regular Guy” […]
Modeler’s Spotlight Video – Inside Cody’s Office for December Part 2
Cody’s Office shares new 40-foot containers from Jacksonville Terminal, Bachmann’s new Siemen’s SC-44 Charger, and Trains magazine’s new special issue, Big Projects: Tracks, Trestles, and Tunnels, plus a modeling tip and viewer mail! […]
Big Skies & Iron Rails Series Trailer
Railfans and model railroaders alike will enjoy a glimpse of the forthcoming series, Big Skies & Iron Rails, hosted by designer, photographer, and now videographer Tom Danneman. Watch for full-length episodes highlighting stunning natural vistas and railroads of the American West to arrive in early 2021…exclusively on Trains.com! Trains.com Members have exclusive access to this […]
Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 44 Motorin’ across Mizzou
Ride along with host Drew Halverson, Kent Johnson (KJ), and Allan Dahncke (Sherpa Al), as they motor across the middle of Missouri to a bustling BNSF transcontinental railroad route. In the final day of their Show-Me State Summer trek, the guys managed to find epic railfanning locations to capture BNSF, UP, NS, and Amtrak trains […]
The Garden Variety Railroad Show: Finishing fall projects and planting cactus, Episode 4
The return of winter weather in Wisconsin is imminent, so host Kent Johnson has to work fast to complete projects on his raised garden railway. Luckily, he has Rene Schweitzer and Cody Grivno to help with gardening and multiple modeling projects too. […]
Modeler’s Spotlight Video — Inside Cody’s Office for December 2020, part 1
It’s Christmas in Cody’s Office and he has Classic Toy Trains’ new special issue “Families and Electric Trains,” an Atlas O coil steel car, an Accurail 4,600-cubic-foot covered hopper, modeling tip, and viewer mail! […]