Athearn Genesis Pullman-Standard PS-2 2,893-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper

illustration of yellow hopper

Pullman-Standard PS-2 2,893-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $54.99 Era: Mid-1950s through late 1980s+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com  Pullman-Standard PS-2 2,893-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper features: 33” solid nickel silver wheels with RP-25 contours Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Injection-molded plastic body Minimum radius: 18” […]

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Atlas N scale General Electric B-series diesel locomotives

illustration of locomotive with Chessie System paint scheme

Atlas N scale General Electric B-series diesel locomotives Scale: N (1:160) Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $139.95 (undecorated, $129.95); with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $249.95 (undecorated, $239.95). Add $10 for models with ditch lights. Era: 1977 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com General […]

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Regulatory filing seeks to create new Houston-area switching railroad

Aerial photo of industrial arok

WASHINGTON — A private railroad serving an industrial park in the Houston area has filed paperwork with the Surface Transportation Board to become a common-carrier operation. TGS Cedar Port Railroad will operate 1.28 miles of track in the Cedar Port Industrial Park in Baytown, Texas. The trackage, which connects with Union Pacific, originally was part […]

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Athearn HO scale 34-foot war emergency two-bay hopper

illustration on a black hopper

34-foot war emergency two-bay hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Three-pack, $94.99 Era: 1942 through 1970s Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com 34-foot war emergency two-bay hopper features: 33” machined metal wheels with RP-25 contours Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Injection-molded plastic body Minimum radius: 15” Removable coal load Separate, factory-applied brake wheel Scheduled for release […]

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Forest Service upholds decision on Uinta Basin Railway

Map showing proposed rail route in Utah

OGDEN, Utah — A U.S. Forest Service review has upheld a decision granting right-of-way to a portion of the Uinta Basin Railway project, the last major regulatory barrier to the proposed 85-mile line to serve oilfields in Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune reports several environmental groups had challenged the Forest Service’s decision to approve the […]

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Canadian Pacific joins UN Global Compact sustainability effort

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific says it has become the first North American freight railroad to take part in the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. More than 15,000 companies in more than 160 countries are part of the program, launched in 2000, for the development, implementation, and disclosure of socially responsible […]

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Officials stress importance of grant for Chicago passenger project

Poster with map in foreground as man speaks at podium

CHICAGO — Key contributors seeking $251.1 million from a federal competitive grant program focused on Chicago Union Station improvements at a Thursday event to announce their involvement. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, and Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski were among the speakers at the station’s Burlington Room, explaining […]

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CSX outsources IT jobs

CSX logo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation will cut 137 information technology jobs, outsourcing them through a deal with a company based in India. The Jacksonville Daily Record reports CSX said Tata Consultancy Services will provide operation, maintenance and support for the company’s IT systems. “Many impacted employees will have an opportunity to join TCS,” the company […]

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How can I fill in rail gaps on my N scale layout?

Tweezers are used to insert a strip of white styrene in a rail gap on a handmade turnout

Q: After carefully measuring and cutting rail, too often there is still a gap between the rail ends that some of my N scale cars don’t like. I’ve been trying some different fillers, but it’s a challenge for N gauge. Any suggestions for a gap filler? – Steven Simmerman A: Hi, Steven. Some rail gaps […]

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