Weathering structures with drybrushing: Drybrushing is one of the easier weathering techniques in modeling. I’ve used this technique for years on structure roofs, such as this HO scale motor car/work shed produced for the Northern Pacific Ry. Historical Society. However, I’ve also used drybrushing successfully to weather locomotive truck sideframes (covered in the April 2010 […]
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BOCA RATON, Fla. — When it comes to capital plans, Norfolk Southern is holding steady. The railroad is at a “steady state” in basics such as rail and tie replacement, Ed Boyle, vice president of engineering, said Thursday at the annual NRC Conference, meaning its goals for 2023 are similar to its achievements in 2022. […]
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BOCA RATON, Fla. — Ties are a big topic at the annual NRC Conference — just about every railroad mentions how many ties it will replace in the coming year —so it makes sense that Shane Keller, Union Pacific’s vice president of engineering, wanted to highlight UP’s effort to improve the tie-replacement process. Keller was […]
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WASHINGTON — Some Montana Rail Link engineers have raised concerns about a loss or reduction of a range of benefits if regulators approve the early termination of the regional’s lease with BNSF Railway. BNSF has reached agreements with all nine unions that represent MRL employees as part of its plan to resume control of the […]
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F3s, Hudsons, and Girls’ trains – those are the postwar jackpots that everybody knows about. Here, though, are 5 postwar Lionel collectibles on the rise. Models courtesy Joe Algozzini What’s hot today among postwar Lionel trains and accessories? I attend several train shows each year, check out eBay listings almost every day, and edit the […]
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A Broadway Limited Imports HO 2-8-0 steam locomotive decorated for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe recently paid a visit to our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy staff layout. Join Model Railroader senior editor Cody Grivno as he takes a closer look at the Consolidation. Broadway Limited Imports offers the HO scale 2-8-0 decorated for Atchison, […]
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BISMARCK, N.D. – Bakken Energy, a developer of affordable clean hydrogen, announced a memorandum of understanding with BNSF Railway to collaborate on the design of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub. In collaboration with the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Montana, Bakken Energy is working on the design of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, a regional […]
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NEW YORK — New Year’s Day 2023 marked the 40th anniversary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad, which began operation on Jan. 1, 1983, taking over commuter operations from Conrail. Since then, Metro-North has upgraded Grand Central Terminal, acquired more than 800 new cars, and added seven new stations. Ridership had more than […]
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Buying collectible toy train items can be enjoyable and rewarding if you proceed carefully and patiently. Be sure to do your homework on them and the person or business selling them. Once you’ve established personal guidelines about what you want, do some research about the item and its value in different levels of condition. Price […]
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WASHINGTON – Railroads have filed suit against the Surface Transportation Board’s new rules that are designed to streamline the settlement of rate disputes with shippers. Last month the STB established two new rate reasonableness procedures, including a voluntary arbitration program and a new process called Final Offer Rate Review. Shippers applauded the move, while the […]
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WASHINGTON – U.S. rail traffic was down 4.8% in December, capping off a year in which volume fell 2.8% amid broad service problems on the big four U.S. railroads. Total U.S. carload traffic for 2022 was 11,976,283 carloads, down 0.3%, or 34,001 carloads compared to 2021, according to the Association of American Railroads. U.S. railroads […]
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Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific were the only major Class I railroads to show volume growth in 2022. UP took the crown among the top six systems, with its overall traffic up 2%. The increase was driven by a 5% gain in carload traffic, including a 9% jump in coal volume. UP’s intermodal traffic was […]
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