Yard tractor from Athearn

Yellow and black yard tractor

Yard tractor Scale: HO (1:87:1) Price: $29.99 (add $3 for UPS) Era: 1990s+ to 2018+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Features: Factory assembled Separate, factory-applied detail parts Interior details Rubber tires Photo-etched metal steps and rear deck Adjustable fifth wheel height Clear window glazing […]

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CSX site selected for Alabama beverage facility

CSX logo

MONTGOMERY, Ala — A Kentucky-based beverage firm has chosen a Montgomery site served by CSX Transportation for a new 180-acre, $600 million production and distribution facility for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The facility owned by the minority-owned Manna Capital Partners affiliate Manna Beverages & Ventures is expected to begin operations in early 2025. CSX assisted […]

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Railroads reject maintenance of way workers’ request for additional paid sick time

BMWEDlogo

The union representing railroad maintenance of way employees, who rejected their tentative contract agreement earlier this month, are seeking additional sick leave benefits in negotiations with the U.S. Class I railroads. The National Carriers’ Conference Committee, which represents the railroads in collective bargaining, on Wednesday told the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of […]

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News photo: Preparing for Amtrak’s return to Montreal

Passenger train on bridge near water, with high-rise apartments in background

MONTREAL — Operating as Amtk 694 (the train number Canadian National has always assigned to the southbound Adirondack while on CN rails), an Amtrak requalification run heads to Montreal’s Central Station on Thursday as it passes the mostly drained Peel Basin. While Amtrak service to Vancouver and Toronto was restored earlier this year, there is still […]

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Unifor, CN begin talks on new contract

Logo of Canadian union Unifor

MONTREAL — Unifor, Canada’s largest union, has opened bargaining with Canadian National for a new contract, the union said Wednesday. The union says it represents about 3,600 workers at CN terminals and headquarters across Canada, including mechanics, crane operators, machinists, electricians, and clericial, administrative, and customer-support workers. The current agreement expires on Dec. 31. “The […]

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Residents file class-action suit over CSX coal-dock explosion

Smoke rising from coal facility

BALTIMORE — Residents of Baltiimore’s Curtis Bay area have filed a class action lawsuit against CSX Transportation over the Dec. 30, 2021, explosion at the railroad’s Curtis Bay Coal Piers, claiming negligence led to the blast that released “poisonous and carcinogenic chemicals” including lead and arsenic. WJZ-TV reports the residents are seeking $5 million in […]

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Canadian government sets new dates for Lac-Mégantic consultation, information sessions

Map of Lac-Megantic Bypass

LAC-MÉGANTIC, Quebec — The Canadian government has set new dates for public consultation on hydrology and mitigation in its deliberate process of building a rail bypass around Lac-Mégantic. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Wednesday that online consultation will be held Oct. 24 to Nov. 25, along with three public information sessions: — An in-person, invitation-only […]

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TSA issues rail cybersecurity directive

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has issued its cybersecurity directives for freight and passenger railroads, a move greeted positively by the Association of American Railroads. The 14-page directive requires railroads to submit a cybersecurity implementation plan to the TSA for approval with 120 days. That plan must address measures to prevent operational disruption […]

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U.S. rail volume ends five-week losing streak

Weekly table showing U.S. rail volume by carload commodity, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic ended a five-week stretch in negative territory, edging up by 0.7% for the week ending Oct. 15, 2022, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Overall volume included 500,304 carloads and intermodal units. That included 237,263 carloads, up 3.2%, and 263,041 containers and trailers, down 1.6%. Coal […]

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