Closure of US-Mexico border would hurt rail traffic NEWSWIRE

President Donald Trump The White House WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s threat to close the border with Mexico this week would quickly have an impact on railroads and wreak economic havoc on both sides of the Rio Grande. Cross-border traffic represents about 11 percent of Union Pacific’s total volume and nearly 30 percent of volume […]

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The History of the Transcontinental Railroad

Back in 1869, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroad worked tirelessly under brutal conditions to drive the last spike, The Golden Spike, at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, to complete the Transcontinental Railroad. Products could now be manufactured in the east and delivered to the west in under two weeks, benefiting the United States economy, […]

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New model trains for the week of April 4, 2019

Atlas Model Railroad Co. HO scale Alco S-2 diesel locomotive HO scale locomotives Alco S-2 diesel locomotive. New paint schemes: Canadian National (red and black with “wet noodle” herald), Chicago Great Western (maroon and black), Erie (black), Maine Central (black, red, and white), Southern Pacific (gray and scarlet), and St. Louis-San Francisco (Northeast Oklahoma RR […]

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The History of the Transcontinental Railroad

Back in 1869, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroad worked tirelessly under brutal conditions to drive the last spike, The Golden Spike, at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, to complete the Transcontinental Railroad. Products could now be manufactured in the east and delivered to the west in under two weeks, benefiting the United States economy, […]

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Athearn announces Genesis 2.0 series

The Athearn Genesis 2.0 SD90MAC-H will be decorated for Union Pacific, Fortescue Metals Group, EMD demonstrator, and Union Pacific. Pre-production samples shown. The newly tooled SD90MAC-H features etched-metal see-through steps, illuminated number boxes, and ground effect lighting. Pre-production sample shown. The SD90MAC-H has an injection-molded plastic body with etched-metal screens, plastic handrails, and factory-installed and […]

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‘California Zephyr’ to resume regular route, but miss Omaha

The rerouted Californiz Zephyr passes through Nelson, Ill., on Union Pacific’s Geneva Subdivision on March 23, 2019. Initially rerouted because of flooding, the train has not operated east of Denver since March 26, but service is being restored as of April 1. John Troxler OMAHA, Neb. — Beginning with trips originating in Emeryville, Calif., on […]

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Minidoka: place of enchantment

UP train 339, the mixed from Twin Falls, Idaho, nears its destination of Wells, Nev., in fall 1943. Is Uncle Jim the conductor today? W. B. Wolverton There’s not much there anymore, and few people know that Minidoka, Idaho, was once a busy railroad point. It was also my youthful idea of heaven. That’s where […]

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Taking a fresh look at the transcontinental railroad in photos

FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN Drake Hokanson FULL SCREEN The railroad roundhouse is even more an anachronism than the heavy-timber barn, and perhaps even more emblematic of nostalgic times in U.S. history. The Evanston, Wyo., roundhouse stabled Union […]

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Distributed power use increases on CSX, NS NEWSWIRE

CSX train Q-032, with a single unit on the point, crosses Rail Lane with a mix of COFC/TOFC on the Philadelphia Subdivision at Elk Mills, Md, on Feb. 16, 2019 … Michael S. Murray … and another single unit, operating as distributed power, is midtrain. CSX is increasing its use of distributed power as part […]

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