News & Products for the week of March 25th 2024 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 March 25th […]
Type of Train: Freight
CPKC, shipper urge STB to resolve Texas trackage rights dispute
WASHINGTON — Canadian Pacific Kansas City says it has shippers lined up to export grain through the ports of Houston and Galveston, but they’re awaiting a regulatory decision regarding whether unit trains can move over Union Pacific trackage rights south of Beaumont, Texas. CPKC told the Surface Transportation Board last week that it has four […]
Genesee & Wyoming marks 125th anniversary of its namesake short line railroad
DARIEN, Conn. – Genesee & Wyoming on Sunday marked the 125th anniversary of the company’s founding with a flag-raising ceremony at its headquarters and the release of a trailer for a full-length video. The original 14-mile Genesee and Wyoming Railroad was incorporated on March 24, 1899, when Edward Layton Fuller and his financial partners purchased […]
News Photos: Chocolate factory closure further reduces downtown Chicago rail customers
CHICAGO — One of the last industries still receiving freight rail service in downtown Chicago — and one that gave its neighborhood a distinct aroma — is calling it quits. Blommer Chocolate will close its factory at 600 W. Kinzie Street at the end of May because of the increasing costs of running a facility […]
Union Pacific announces three executive retirements, multiple appointments
OMAHA — Union Pacific has announced the retirement of three executives, along with a series of appointments to new positions. Retiring are Shane Keller, senior vice president-operations, Northern Region; David Giandinoto, senior vice president-operations, Southern Region; and Lee Myers, assistant vice president-risk management, law. Keller has spent 33 years at UP, joining as an operations […]
Norfolk Southern increases length of grain shuttle trains
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has increased the length of its grain shuttle trains to 105 cars from 85, a move that allows the railroad to handle 23% more grain in each train. “We’re unlocking capacity to handle more business for both our current and prospective customers,” Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins said in a statement. […]
MTH announces four holiday flatcars
MTH Electric Trains has announced four holiday-themed flatcars in 1:32 scale for 2024. Each car features metal wheels and axles, choice of knuckle or hook and loop couplers, Kadee compatible coupler mounting pads, separate metal handrails, and more. Each car features colorful lighting. Price: $199.95. Learn more at https://mthtrains.com. Find more news on our website. […]
Fox Valley Models HO 55-ton hopper
Fox Valley Models, a ScaleTrains company, has released an HO scale 55-ton two-bay hopper. The model, based on a United States Railroad Administration (USRA) prototype, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, 33” metal wheelsets, and semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers. Prototype information With railroads facing equipment shortages during World War I, the USRA designed five […]
Vermont Rail System winter operations
In celebration of Green Mountain Railroad’s 60th Anniversary, Trains.com visited the snow-covered mountains of Vermont to view wintertime operations. Now part of the Vermont Rail System, the Green Mountain is a vital cog moving freight across the entire state. Operating over a former Rutland Railroad mainline, we’ll follow train 263 running between Rutland and Bellows […]
Analysts expect NS and activist investors to reach agreement in proxy fight
Norfolk Southern’s decision to hire a chief operating officer with Precision Scheduled Railroading expertise increases the likelihood that the embattled railroad will reach a settlement with activist investor Ancora Holdings, Wall Street analysts say. NS on Wednesday announced that Canadian Pacific Kansas City executive John Orr would become its chief operating officer, effective immediately. Orr […]
U.S. weekly rail traffic again shows increase
WASHINGTON — Intermodal traffic, which was a weakness for rail traffic in most of 2023, remains the strength in the weekly rail traffic statistics so far in 2024. U.S. rail volume for the week ending March 16 was up 6.7% over the same week a year ago, according to statistics from the Association of American […]
Illinois senators meet with CN CEO about Chicago Hub project
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (both D-Ill.) met with Canadian National Railway CEO Tracy Robinson on Tuesday to discuss the railroad’s involvement in the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, the plan to modernize Chicago Union Station and rail routes leading to the station. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) also participated in the […]