John Kelly Enjoying a meal on board a moving train is an experience that is as popular today as it was in the late 1800s when the first dining cars were introduced on passenger trains. The singular combination of mouth-watering food, good company, and ever-changing scenery remains a selling point of long-distance train travel. “Settle […]
Life-Like Proto 1000 HO scale FM Erie-built diesels Here’s a change of pace for transition-era diesel locomotive rosters. Life-Like’s Fairbanks-Morse Erie-built locomotives are sturdy, fine-running replicas of a relatively rare prototype that was built for both freight and passenger service. Part of the Proto 1000 line, these models lack the fuller detailing of their Proto […]
At the end of the 1930s, the United States stood as the world leader in railroad electrification. With 2400 route-miles and more than 6300 track-miles under electric power – far more than any other country – U.S. electrification represented more than 20 percent of the world total. Electricity was harnessed for a variety of railroad […]
Red Caboose HO GS drop-bottom composite- and steel-side gondolas For its latest HO scale freight car release Red Caboose has chosen the general service (GS) gondola, a car which might not be familiar to Eastern modelers but one that’s needed in large numbers by those interested in Western railroads. Red Caboose has produced two versions […]
Athearn HO SD40-2 diesel Athearn recently introduced a “new” SD40-2 to replace the firm’s earlier model, which has been available since 1983. Most notably, the new locomotive offers near-scale size plastic handrails, molded in appropriate colors. Also, there are three variations of dynamic brake housings as well as exhaust stack and radiator intake screens that […]
LAVAL, Quebec — Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have voted to reauthorize strikes at Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National, the union announced Saturday, June 29. Overall, 89.5% of union members participated in the vote, with 98.6% voting to reauthorize the strike, the union said. At CN, conductors, engineers, and yard workers […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — The San Diego Association of Governments, which last year expanded the number of potential routes for a tunnel to replace the rail line along the Del Mar bluffs, has again narrowed the possibilities, this time to three choices, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. At one time, the planning agency had cut […]
Here today, gone tomorrow A lack of diversity in locomotive models — and paint schemes — tends to give many of us a sense of complacency. Why go out of the way to watch and perhaps photograph trains that have always been there and seemingly always will? Except, as we have found out in the […]
A record number of short lines qualified for the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s Jake Safety Award this year, with 340 railroads earning the “with distinction” honor for having zero reportable injuries for 2023. Overall, 385 railroads qualified for the safety award program, the industry group said yesterday. Nineteen member railroads will be […]
Up in June … Railfan Road: Chicago’s Cicero Avenue Roosevelt Road used to be THE Chicago railfan road. On less than a mile of viaducts just south of downtown, fans could catch passenger trains to and from many of the great Chicago passenger stations and associated coach yards. But intercity trains now only call at […]
Photography has been my hobby since I retired as Amtrak’s company photographer in December 2012. In addition to trains, I shoot events of all kinds. There never fails to be at least one self-deprecating soul who grins at me and says, “Careful, I might break your camera.” Imagine their surprise when I respond, “Someone already […]
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference made no progress on their stalled contract talks this week and no further negotiations are planned, the railway and union said in updates on Wednesday. Although Wednesday marked the end of a mandatory 21-day cooling off period under Canadian labor law, the Canada Industrial […]
