Go ahead. Let it snow. That certainly won’t stop hard-charging, modern freight trains from rolling throughout the majestic backdrop of the Mountain West region. Nor will a few flakes or even a few feet of snow keep railfan Tom Danneman and his cohorts from making their way trackside to capture dramatic, wintertime action. And for […]
Resin kits are a practical solution when a particular car or structure isn’t available as a mass-produced item. But unlike injection-molded plastic models, resin kits require a unique modeling and assembly process to yield the best results. In this video, Eric White first shares his insights on the most useful tools and materials. He then […]
Resin kits are a practical solution when a particular car or structure isn’t available as a mass-produced item. But unlike injection-molded plastic models, resin kits require a unique modeling and assembly process to yield the best results. In this video, Eric White first shares his insights on the most useful tools and materials. He then […]
The plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit by residents of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, are appealing a December Superior Court decision that found Canadian Pacific was not liable in the 2013 oil-train disaster that killed 47 people in the community. The Canadian Press reports that the three individuals involved the suit, on behalf of some 4,500 members of […]
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific and Canadian union Unifor have reached agreement on a new contract for approximately 1,200 mechanical employees, the two parties announced today (Friday, Jan. 13). The previous agreement had expired on Dec. 31, 2022. Terms of the agreement were not announced. Both parties said details would be released following ratification. The workers, […]
CHICAGO — Norfolk Southern efforts to expand a rail yard on Chicago’s South Side have run into resistance from local residents concerned the railroad has not followed through on promises of job opportunities, as well as on the effects of the surrounding neighborhood. Local news site Block Club Chicago reports the railroad is continuing work […]
You have to give Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw a standing ovation for his performance at the railroad’s investor day last month. Using logic as a sledgehammer, it took him just 10 minutes to demolish two of the things that have hurt rail service and put a lid on traffic growth: Excessive cost-cutting and an […]
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa Interstate Railroad will purchase 30 acres in Iowa City’s Industrial Campus for a new rail-to-truck transloading facility, the railroad and city have announced. In addition to being adjacent to the Iowa Interstate mainline, the facility, set to open this summer, is close to Interstate 80 and U.S. routes 6 and […]
PORT COLBORNE, Ontario — The Canadian government will invest up to C$22.7 million to rebuild three long-idle wharves along the Welland Canal on the St. Lawrence Seaway in Port Colborne, generating marine traffic that will move by rail or truck, Transport Canada has announced. The federal funding will be backed by $22.6 million from the […]
FAIRPLAY, Md. — Cleanup continues after 26 cars of a 96-car Norfolk Southern merchandise train derailed Wednesday night near Fairplay, the Hagerstown Herald-Mail reports. The derailment was reported to NS dispatchers about 8:50 p.m. and to Washington County, Md., Emergency Dispatch at 9:17 p.m. No injuries or hazardous materials were involved. Estimates were that it […]
The Lionel 2023 Big Book catalog is out. I just had a quick flip through it and here are my first impressions. I’ll tell you right off, this isn’t an exhaustive treatment and I can’t cover everything. Nor will you find any mention of the prices of these things. As I’m frequently inclined to say, […]
A John Armstrong inspired layout: In March of 1952 Model Railroader magazine began a series called Track Plan of the Month. A frequent contributor was John Armstrong, an undisputed genius of model railroad planning. Armstrong designed two track plans for the September 1953 issue. John rotated the center line of the layouts’ footprints 45-degrees and […]
