Model railroad products for the week of January 27, 2022

Athearn Ready-to-Roll HO scale Chicago & North Western Evans 50-foot double-plug-door boxcar no. 600523.

Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest news on new model railroad products such as locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of January 27, 2022. See all products […]

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News photo: CP reveals first hydrogen fuel-cell locomotive

Green and gray cowl locomotive with blue trim

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific has released a short video on its social media channels showing the first of its three hydrogen fuel-cell locomotives converted from diesels. You can see it here on Facebook, and here on Twitter. The railroad says the locomotive, built from a former SD40-2F and dubbed the H20EL (for “Hydrogen Zero-Emissions Locomotive”) […]

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Polka dot plant

Polka dot plant on a garden railway

Polka dot plant introduction Common name: Polka-dot plant, Freckle face 
Latin name: Hypoestes phyllostachya
 Plant type: Annual 
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, slightly acidic soil; sun to part shade 
Plant size: 12-18″ (species), 6″ (hybrids) Who gets to decide how large a leaf is okay for a garden railway? The gardeners […]

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Tourist railroad asks agency to drop railbank plan

Maroon locomotive leads train with holiday lights down street at night

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is considering a forced abandonment of a branch line owned by Roaring Camp Railroads as part of a move to railbank the line for possible future commuter-rail use — a move opposed by Roaring Camp. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports Roaring Camp, which operates […]

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RDC excursion set on Reading & Northern (corrected)

Stainless steel railcar at ornate station

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Railroad Historians of the Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society are sponsoring a branchline excursion using Reading & Northern’s Budd RDCs on Saturday, April 23. The fundraising trip will cover Reading & Northern’s main line and branches, which include trackage from the Reading, Jersey […]

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LA district attorney responds to UP criticism on train thefts

People with plastic bags picking up trash along railroad tracks

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon has responded to Union Pacific criticism of his policies, which it says play a part in much-publicized thefts from intermodal containers, by suggesting the railroad doesn’t do enough to protect its trains. The South Bay Daily Breeze reports that Gascon, in a letter to UP […]

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Maintenance error suspected in fatal MBTA crossing-gate accident

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

WILMINGTON, Mass. — An error by a signal contractor apparently led to a fatal accident in which a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority train struck a vehicle, killing its driver, on Friday. The Boston Globe reports that MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement that “human error” is the focus of the investigation by […]

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Illinois NS derailment also involves Amtrak train

Passenger train stopped on track adjacent to derailed freight cars

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Amtrak train suffered minor damage and delays Friday after striking a wheel from the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train near Springfield. The State Journal-Register reports about six cars of the NS train derailed while it was working at a spur in the Scheels area, south of Springfield. The locomotive of […]

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Connecticut governor, Amtrak CEO meet to discuss rail projects

Man speaking at podium with others standing behind

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and state Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giuletti met with Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner on Friday in New Haven to discuss rail infrastructure projects within the state, the governor’s office said in a press release, with the governor emphasizing the need to invest now to bring faster trains to […]

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