SARNIA, Ontario — Fourteen cars of a Canadian National train, including three tank cars carrying liquified petroleum gas, have derailed this morning as the train entered the railroad’s Sarnia yard, CKNX Radio reports. No leaks have been reported. At least one grade crossing, at St. Andrew Street, has been blocked by the derailment. No other […]
Diesel-electric locomotive technology has advanced significantly since World War II. Experience leads me to list these eight technological breakthroughs as the most important in the postwar period. Important technology developments preceded World War II, but we began with the era after General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division introduced “The Diesel that Did It,” the FT [see “FT […]
CLEVELAND — An activist investor group says its proposed Norfolk Southern management team would improve the railroad’s operations, service, and profitability by jettisoning CEO Alan Shaw’s resilience strategy and adopting the low-cost Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model. In a letter to shareholders today, Ancora Holdings says its plan for NS would cut costs, focus on […]
For railroading, the EMD SD40, was a stellar standout. Between January 1966 and August 1972, more than 1,250 units were built, with orders coming from most major railroads. Through upgrades and rebuildings, many are still working today, some still on mainline trains, others rebuilt and earning their keep on short lines. So well […]
Fox Valley Models, a ScaleTrains company, has released an HO scale 55-ton two-bay hopper. The model, based on a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) prototype, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, 33” metal wheelsets, and semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers. Prototype information With railroads facing equipment shortages during World War I, the USRA designed five […]
Electrification of railroads North American freight trains are powered by diesel locomotives. Before the diesels, steam engines did the work. Electric trains have a niche hauling passengers in the Northeast. Everyone knows this short history of motive power development, but it’s not quite the whole story. Early electrification of railroads “Diesels,” of course, are properly […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak will operate modified schedules for two Illinois Service trains to allow passengers to better view the solar eclipse coming up on April 8, the passenger operator has announced. On that day, Saluki train No. 391 will depart Chicago earlier, at 6:35 a.m., arriving at Carbondale, Ill., at 12:05 p.m. to reach the […]
BARTLETT, Ill. — Canadian National’s business train makes a stop at Spaulding Junction in Chicago’s western suburbs to board officials and invited guests during a trip on Wednesday, March 20. The train was led by Wabtec AC44C6M No. 3309, the locomotive featuring the revived steam-era “wafer” logo [see “Canadian National revives …,” Trains News Wire, […]
Norfolk Southern’s decision to hire a chief operating officer with Precision Scheduled Railroading expertise increases the likelihood that the embattled railroad will reach a settlement with activist investor Ancora Holdings, Wall Street analysts say. NS on Wednesday announced that Canadian Pacific Kansas City executive John Orr would become its chief operating officer, effective immediately. Orr […]
The Canadian Pacific ES44AC graced the cover of the Atlas Fall Premier catalog and was delivered in March of 2024. Atlas cataloged eight versions of the ES44AC, along with two CSX ES44CD models. These Premier models are former MTH tooling and feature DCS Protosound 3. They can be operated conventionally, as well. Atlas also offers […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (both D-Ill.) met with Canadian National Railway CEO Tracy Robinson on Tuesday to discuss the railroad’s involvement in the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, the plan to modernize Chicago Union Station and rail routes leading to the station. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) also participated in the […]
PRESCOTT, Ontario — The union representing rail traffic controllers and Canadian National Railway have both taken issue with a report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada citing alcohol use by a controller as a factor in a September 2021 collision involving two CN trains — although for very different reasons. The report issued March […]
