SMART union president to retire

Head shot of man in coat and tie

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joseph Sellers Jr. general president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, or SMART, will retire on May 31. Sellers announced his retirement in January, but the union publicized the news in a Tuesday press release. Sellers will be succeeded by current Assistant to the General President […]

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Malcolm Furlow’s waterfall modeling technique

Model train on wood bridge over rushing waterfall in rugged mountain scene.

Malcolm Furlow’s waterfall modeling technique: Malcolm Furlow’s article presented here originally ran in the August 1980 issue of Model Railroader magazine. While many of the brands Malcolm used in the article are no longer available, most all the products have modern substitutes, allowing a modeler to still complete similar projects. As a case in point, […]

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Five mind-blowing Conrail facts

Two blue diesel locomotives pulling a freight train

Mind-blowing Conrail facts Arguably, the Consolidated Rail Corp. story is one of the darkest and yet brightest chapters in American railroad history. Consolidated Rail Corp. or Conrail — originally spelled ConRail — was the government-led and financially backed bailout of six Northeastern railroads. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the demise of the Penn […]

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Judge rules BNSF oil trains violated tribal agreement

Unit oil train

ANACORTES, Wash. — BNSF Railway violated terms of an easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community by running 100-car trains of crude oil across the Swinomish reservation in Anacortes for years, a federal judge ruled Monday. The Seattle Times reports that U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik said in a written order Monday that […]

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Canada’s Auditor General says VIA Rail, transportation agencies must do more to address barriers for those with disabilities

Mock-up of passenger car interior with wooden car seats

OTTAWA — A report from Canada’s auditor general says VIA Rail Canada and federal agencies have taken steps to address barriers by travelers with disabilities, but additional work will be required to achieve the government’s goal of barrier-free travel. “While we found progress in some areas, many barriers remained,” Auditor General Karen said in a […]

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Gulf & Atlantic buys three Midwestern short lines

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gulf & Atlantic Railways will acquire three railroads operating in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio — the Chesapeake & Indiana, Vermilion Valley and Camp Chase — from Midwest & Bluegrass rail, the company announced Monday. The railroads involved are: — The Chesapeake & Indiana (CKIN), a 28-mile line in northwest Indiana, with connections […]

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CP derailment in North Dakota spills hazardous materials (updated)

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

WYNDMERE, N.D. — Thirty-one cars of a 70-car Canadian Pacific train derailed late Sunday in rural North Dakota, spilling liquid asphalt, KVRR-TV reports. Richland County Emergency Manager Brett Lambrecht told the station 31 cars derailed and that while the liquid asphalt is flammable, it cools and solidifies in the snow at the derailment scene, decreasing […]

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Runaway UP ore train derails in California desert (updated)

Badly damaged railcars and track at derailment site

KELSO, Calif. — Two locomotives and 55 cars of a runaway Union Pacific train carrying iron ore derailed near the Mojave Desert community of Kelso today (Monday, March 27), officials from the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District reported. Union Pacific spokesman Mike Jaixen has confirmed that there was “uncontrolled train movement” of the southbound […]

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News & Products for the week of March 27th 2023

News & Products for the week of March 27th 2023: An image of a model locomotive

News & Products for the week of March 27th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 27th 2023. […]

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