Pandemic accelerates operational changes at BNSF Railway

Intermodal train snakes through curves

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway’s increasing use of longer trains is the most visible element of a broader effort to boost efficiency and productivity. Since the onset of the pandemic BNSF has been combining trains, blending different types of traffic in the same trains, and operating more double-length loaded unit trains of grain and […]

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Rapido N scale The Canadian 10-car set

Line of passenger cars

The flash of light on fluted stainless steel made its way through our Canadian Canyons layout recently thanks to Rapido’s new N scale Canadian 10-car set, and these models are available at your favorite dealer now. The Canadian debuted in 1955 with all new cars from Budd of Philadelphia. Canadian Pacific ordered a total of […]

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Athearn Genesis 2.0 HO EMD SD60M diesel

Athearn Genesis 2.0 HO EMD SD60M diesel

A newly tooled HO scale Electro-Motive Division (EMD) SD60M diesel locomotive has been added to Athearn’s Genesis 2.0 line. The model, based on the three-window North American-cab 
version of the road locomotive, features ground lights, vinyl m.u. cables and trainline hoses, and molded traction motor detail on the gear boxes. Meet “triclops.” Electro-Motive Division produced […]

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Digest: Canada’s TSB to investigate seasonal increase in grade-crossing accidents

Transportation Safety Board of Canada logo

Transportation Safety Board to investigate winter increase in grade-crossing accidents The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is opening an investigation to determine why grade-crossing accidents increase during winter months. The agency’s statistics show such accidents increase by 61% in non-vacation winter months (January and February) compared with non-vacation, non-winter months (May, June and September). Along […]

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Howard Street Tunnel project receives final environmental clearance

CSX logo

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel project has received final environmental approval, ending years of effort and clearing the way for construction to begin later this year. The project will increase clearances in the 1.4-mile tunnel, completed by the Baltimore & Ohio in 1890, allowing CSX to operate double-stack container trains to the Port […]

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San Diego-L.A. Surfliner schedule beefed up to meet surging demand

Blue and silver locomotive and passenger train at platform in front of skyscrapers

LOS ANGELES — Beginning Monday, June 28, the agency overseeing Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliners will add three daily Pacific Surfliner round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif., to the six that have been running since frequencies were last increased April 30. However, only three trains in each direction, plus Amtrak’s Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight, […]

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Digest: Canada increases fines for rail trespassing, interfering with operations

Transport Canada logo

Canadian government stiffens fines for rail trespassing, interfering with operations The Canadian government is increasing fines for trespassing onto railroad property and interfering with railway operations. Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced Wednesday that fines for trespassing will increase from $100 to $500, while the fine for not giving way at railway crossings will increase […]

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U.S. rail traffic continues to outpace 2020 figures

Weekly table showing U.S. rail traffic volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remains ahead of the pandemic-depressed levels of 2020, while the most recent week’s traffic shows a slight decline from the preceding seven-day period. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show U.S. railroads moved a total of 514,112 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 19, a 12.5% […]

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BNSF Railway working to clear congestion on Southern Transcon

Double-stack container train passing maintenance equipment

FORT WORTH, Texas – BNSF Railway says it’s working to clear a backlog of traffic on its busy Southern Transcon route linking Southern California and Chicago after a series of extreme weather events and a derailment. The weather included record high temperatures around 120 degrees and high winds on the western end of the Transcon, and […]

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CN announces 2021 capital plans for Canada

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — Canadian National has released province-by-province plans for capital investments in its Canadian routes during 2021 as part of its C$3 billion capital plan. The railroad plans to replace more than 340 miles of rail in the eight provinces where it operates, in addition to bridge, culvert, signal, and general track infrastructure work across Canada. […]

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