EMC delivers first doodlebug motorcar

Gas-powered doodlebug motorcar with trailer for Gulf, Mobile & Ohio

The breakthrough The first Electro-Motive doodlebug motorcar to be delivered went to the Chicago Great Western in August 1924. Right from the first run, founder Hal Hamilton’s expectation that railroads would overload the equipment was confirmed. The gas-electric car and its transmission system had been rated and advertised as being capable of handling a 35-ton […]

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‘Coast Lines and Valley Freights’ book review

Coast Lines and Valley Freights book cover

“Coast Lines and Valley Freights” is a 348-page, 8 1/2 x 11-inch, hardbound volume with 630 color photos. It will quicken the pulse of any diehard Santa Fe fan. Covering the last three decades of the Santa Fe Railway in California, this superb book is an excellent and magical tribute to the Santa Fe and its […]

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Federal regulators to hold hearings on rail service problems

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators have ordered officials from BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific to appear a two-day hearing this month regarding ongoing rail service problems. The Surface Transportation Board announced on Thursday that it will hold the public hearings on April 26 and 27. The announcement comes in the wake of […]

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News photo: CN’s new CEO hits the rails

Passenger train passes station

WOODSTOCK, Ontario — A Canadian National executive special carrying new CEO Tracy Robinson and other managers passes through Woodstock, Ontario, this morning (Thursday, April 7). The train with two locomotives and four business cars is en route from Brampton Intermodal Terminal, near Toronto, to Chicago. It is expected to pass through Michigan and arrive in […]

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In Memoriam: James (Jim) A. Sacco

Photo of model railroad with structures, vehicles, and trains.

James (Jim) A. Sacco, founder of City Classics, died on March 6 after a multi-year battle with cancer. He was 66. Jim started City Classics in 1989. The company was well known for its structure offerings in HO and N scales. Over the years Jim added other products to the company’s lineup, including window treatments, […]

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In Memoriam: Bob Phelps

Photo of three men, one holding an award.

Bob Phelps, former principal product design engineer at Pritchard Patent Product Co. Ltd. (Peco), passed away at his home in France on March 24. He was 84 years old. Phelps joined Peco in 1964 as a product designer. Steve Haynes, sales manager at Peco, said, “Bob was a huge American model railroading fan and a […]

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Norfolk Southern donates Norfolk & Western archives to Virginia museum

Logo of Norfolk & Western Railway

RICHMOND, Va. — Norfolk Southern has donated its complete collection of documents and archives from predecessor Norfolk & Western Railway to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, NS announced on Wednesday. Along with the collection, which dates to the 1840s, the company will donate $750,000 in support digitization, cataloging and preservation of the materials. […]

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News photos: British locomotive receives Ukraine paint scheme

Locomotive with yellow and blue paint scheme including Ukraine flag

EASTLEIGH, England — British container freight operator GB Railfreight has outshopped a locomotive specially painted to honor the people of Ukraine. The Class 66 locomotive, named “Glory to Ukraine,” is shown at the Arlington Fleet Services shop near Southampton in Southern England. The dual-cab locomotive was built at EMD’s General Motors Diesel factory in London, […]

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RDC’s Duggan retires as vice president of operations

Man on back platform of office car

PITTSBURGH — Veteran railroader William J. (Bill) Duggan, has retired from his position as vice president of operations at Railroad Development Corp. Duggan’s career began as a motor car repairman’s helper at Illinois Central and was interrupted only by two tours of duty in Vietnam; he also worked at Iowa Interstate before joining RDC, where […]

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March rail traffic remains below 2021 levels

Weekly table showing U.S. rail carload traffic plus overall intermodal figures

WASHINGTON — Overall U.S. rail traffic in March was down 3% from 2021 levels, with reduced intermodal traffic accounting for the decline. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show the month’s carload traffic was up 1.2%, a total of 13,456 carloads, while intermodal traffic decreased by 6.4%, or 92,170 containers and trailers. The overall […]

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Five members reappointed to VIA Rail Canada board

VIA Rail Canada logo

OTTAWA — Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, has reappointed five members of the VIA Rail Canada board of directors. Reappointed were chairwoman Francoise Bertrand of Montreal, for a term of 18 months; directors Jonathan Franklin Goldbloom (Montreal) and Gail Louise Stephens (Victoria, British Columbia), for four-year terms; Naella-Kathy Baig of Montreal, for three years; […]

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CN to work with Port of Montreal on new container terminal

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — The Montreal Port Authority and Canadian National will work together to develop rail facilities at the port’s new Contrecœur container terminal, the port and railroad have announced. Along with the private firm that will build and operate the terminal, the railroad and port develop the technical aspects of the intermodal facility. A CN […]

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