Of the many first-rate photographers who became fascinated by postwar railroading, one of the best was James La Vake. An airline pilot by profession, he also had some experience as a photographer, and it showed: his photos in Trains magazine in the late 1940s and early ’50s are among the best featuring diesel-powered streamliners. I’ve […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s rail-related spending — including billions of dollars in funding for Amtrak — appears to be affected by President Donald Trump’s order freezing spending on thousands of federal assistance programs. However, the freeze itself is now on hold following a ruling from a federal judge staying the order while […]
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Norfolk Southern and the Village of East Palestine have reached a $22 million settlement to resolve all claims by the village resulting from the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment and hazardous-materials release, the two parties have announced. A joint statement on the East Palestine website says the village recognizes the approximately $13.5 […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of Canada have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract, averting a strike that that been slated to begin today. The union represents approximately 750 signals and communications employees across Canada. They have been working without a contract since Dec. 31, 2024. […]
Railcar and locomotive lessor GATX reported 2024 fourth-quarter net income of $76.5 million or $2.10 per diluted share, compared to net income of $66 million or $1.81 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2023. Chicago-based GATX said utilization of its Rail North America unit’s wholly owned fleet, comprising approximately 111,400 cars, excluding 8,400 […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will increase top operating speeds on the rapid transit Red Line’s Braintree Branch from 40 mph to 50 mph as a result of last year’s Track Improvement Program, the agency has announced. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team,” MBTA CEO Phillip […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain continues to see a ridership boost following the shift to electrified operation, with service up 41% in December compared to the same month a year earlier. The commuter rail operator recorded more than 588,000 riders in December, up from 416,000 in December 2023. The average weekday ridership of just over […]
Recent rail union news: — Amtrak dining car stewards represented by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) unanimously ratified a new agreement, retroactive to July 1, 2022 and running through Dec. 1, 2028, that will provide a compounded raise of 40.21% over the life of the contract. Other […]
CSX today named former Surface Transportation Board Chair Ann Begeman to its board of directors. Separately, Norfolk Southern said it has appointed former Celanese CEO Lori J. Ryerkerk to its board, a move made after a search process that was a part of an agreement with activist investor Ancora Holdings. “Ann brings a wealth of […]
WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern today asked a federal court to dismiss the Justice Department’s lawsuit over the railroad’s handling of Amtrak’s Crescent, arguing that the government’s “extreme” interpretation of passenger train right of preference doesn’t hold water. NS says the Justice Department “complaint depends on the idea that freight railroads must totally clear their tracks […]
News & Products for the week of January 27th 2025 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 January 27th, […]
CALGARY, Alberta – Canadian Pacific Kansas City today said it has reached a tentative four-year collective agreement with Unifor, which represents approximately 1,200 of the railway’s employees in Canada. “We are pleased to have reached a tentative collective agreement at the negotiating table with our mechanical employees in Canada,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in […]
