Senators introduce legislation to impose rail labor settlement

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Two U.S. senators have introduced a resolution that would require unions and railroads to accept recommendations made in August by the Presidential Emergency Board to settle their labor dispute and avert a strike or lockout. The news site Roll Call reports Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the legislation on […]

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BNSF to shut gates to temperature-controlled intermodal traffic

BNSF Railway logo

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway will stop accepting temperature-controlled intermodal traffic as of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, as it prepares for a possible work stoppage, the railroad said in a notice to customers on Monday night. The BNSF notice says the railroad has now reached agreements with nine unions — which would […]

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KCS, CP launch ‘Monarch Express’ campaign in Ontario

Dark green boxcar with picture of butterfly near one end

WINDSOR, Ontario – Hundreds gathered here in a festive atmosphere for the ceremonial start of the Monarch Express, a joint initiative by Kansas City Southern and Canadian Pacific to help save the Monarch butterfly. A gleaming new dark green boxcar, with a colorful Monarch painted on one side and the slogan “Save the Monarch, Join […]

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Amtrak begins suspending service because of possible freight rail work stoppage

Amtrak logo.

CHICAGO — Amtrak will begin suspending service on some long-distance trains as of tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 13) in preparation for a possible railroad work stoppage later this week. Trains immediately affected will be the longest-duration trains — the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief; Chicago-Seattle/Portland Empire Builder; Chicago-Emeryville, Calif., California Zephyr; and the Los Angeles-San Antonio portion […]

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New York Central 40-foot steel boxcars from Broadway Limited Imports

Four brown boxcar models with white background

40-foot steel boxcars Scale: N (1:160) Price: Two pack, $54.99; four-pack, $104.99 Era: 1922+ to 1970s (varies depending on railroad) Manufacturer: Broadway Limited Imports LLC, 9 East Tower Circle, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; 386-673-8900; broadway-limited.com 40-foot steel boxcars feature: ABS plastic body and chassis Metal wheelsets Separate, factory-applied doors, running boards, brake wheel, and brake […]

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Lionel F3 sets that never were

Lionel catalog page with train sets

Lionel F3 sets that never existed are a constant source of conversation among collectors. One area of focus is the late 1940s. Amid the ordinary items produced in vast quantities, there were some advertised that were probably never produced – but maybe they were. Lionel’s first O gauge F3 diesels came in freight sets with […]

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Why I love the Electro-Motive Division SD40-2

Black train engine leads train past fences and a reservoir

Why I love the Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 Many modelers have a locomotive that they are fond of, probably one of their first models that they received as a kid. My first engine was an O gauge F7, a far cry from the locomotive that I love, the Electro-Motive Division SD40-2. In fact, nine years later […]

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Atlas O Thrall articulated auto carrier

Yellow articulated train car with white background

Thrall articulated auto carrier Scale: O (1:48) Price: $159.95 Era: 1997 to present Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Thrall articulated auto carrier features: ¼” scale details and dimensions Die-cast metal chassis Positionable end doors Interior deck Modeler-installed articulated diaphragm Separate, factory-applied wire grab irons 70-ton roller-bearing trucks Brake line details Minimum […]

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Bi-level commuter cars from Rapido Trains

Screen shot of two HO scale commuter cars.

Rapido Trains recently released its bi-level commuter coaches and cab cars in HO scale. The manufacturer sent samples of its coaches to the team at Model Railroader magazine. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he takes a close-up look at the ready-to-run cars. Features on the bi-level commuter cars from Rapido Trains include a body […]

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Bi-level commuter cars from Rapido Trains

Screen shot of two HO scale commuter cars.

Rapido Trains recently released its bi-level commuter coaches and cab cars in HO scale. The manufacturer sent samples of its coaches to the team at Model Railroader magazine. Join Senior Editor Cody Grivno as he takes a close-up look at the ready-to-run cars. Features on the bi-level commuter cars from Rapido Trains include a body […]

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