SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Local officials have agreed to provide funds to start a study to shape a proposal for a 22-mile electrified passenger rail system in Santa Cruz County — although they are providing only half the funds needed for what is expected to be a two-year study and lack the funds to complete […]
STOCKTON, Calif. — The Altamont Corridor Express locomotive fleet is now running solely on renewable diesel fuel, the commuter service’s parent agency, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, has announced. The agency says the switch will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 99% and is a key step toward its goal of net-zero-emission operations. “Our commitment […]
At Enosville in southwestern Indiana, six-wheel switcher No. 57 of 16-mile coal-hauler Algers, Winslow & Western rests between runs in May 1952. Ed Theisinger photo […]
MACOUN, Saskatchewan — A derailment and fire involving a Canadian Pacific train near the town of Macoun has closed a highway and led to the evacuation of a small number of homes, the Regina Leader-Post reports. At least four homes were evacuated and Provincial Route 39 was closed because of the fire involving an unknown […]
Athearn Genesis General American Transportation Corporation 2600 Airslide hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $59.99; two-pack, $104.99 Era: 1953+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com General American Transportation Corporation 2600 Airslide hopper features: Three different body styles Detailed underbody including outlet piping Gravity or gravity-pneumatic […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has passed legislation this afternoon (Thursday, Dec. 1) imposing a settlement in the labor dispute between railroads and unions, foreclosing the possibility of a national rail strike as soon as Dec. 9. President Joe Biden said he will sign the bill into law “as soon as Congress sends it to […]
Weathering N scale locomotives: Our Canadian Canyon N scale layout just wasn’t complete without locomotives and rolling stock to bring it to life. Running through rugged mountain terrain, the bright red Canadian Pacific road units quickly accumulate a layer of grime. Road dust on the trucks, fuel tank, side frames, and pilots; soot around the exhaust […]
Conrail diesels in large scale: Mark Bottrill’s Bishopstown Subdivision is designed to summon up memories of Conrail’s heyday in the Northeast, but it’s located in the Buckinghamshire county in the south of England! The railroad has a 600-foot double-track mainline, and features a number of rail-served industries, including a steel recycling facility and a large […]
What was your first byline in Trains? Bob Johnston: “All passengers will make their connections” appeared in “Selected Railroad Reading” in the April 1989 issue. That article really began two years earlier, when an employee on the Chicago TV advertising sales team I managed gave me a notebook prior to a trip I took to […]
Starting its nearly half century of service, EMD GP15-1 locomotives are still going strong on regional short lines around the country as proof that old EMDs can still pull todays manifest traffic. Built by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division between 1976 and 1982, the four-axle GP15-1 was a way for railroads to purchase new power instead […]
Electro-Motive Division tunnel motor diesels Electro-Motive Division tunnel motor diesels solved a tricky problem. Locomotives operate in all climates, from scorching desert heat to frigid Canadian winters. An ample supply of fresh air is always required for cooling and combustion purposes but when trains operate through long tunnels or snowsheds at slow speeds, the ability […]
WASHINGTON — Independent North Carolina short line Aberdeen Carolina & Western will acquire the 104 miles of track it has leased from Norfolk Southern since 1989. The Piedmont Subdivision runs from milepost 282.63 in Gulf, N.C., to milepost 386.91 in Charlotte. The deal, outlined in a regulatory filing with the Surface Transportation Board, is expected […]
