Second rail bridge proposed for Eagle Pass, Texas, gateway

BNSF Railway Eagle Pass to Mexico rail

WASHINGTON – A new short line is seeking regulatory approval to build a rail and highway bridge over the Rio Grande at the Eagle Pass, Texas, gateway. Green Eagle Railroad, a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings, aims to build a new 19.12-mile secure cross-border corridor that includes 1.335 miles of double track between Union Pacific’s […]

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First portion of Mexico’s Maya Train set to begin operation

Three trains at station

CANCÚN, Mexico — The first section of Mexico’s Tren Maya, or Maya Train — a tourism project on the country’s southeastern tip championed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — is slated to open today (Friday, Dec. 15), just five years after it was announced and years ahead of initial projections. But the project remains […]

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Pennsylvania DOT awards $42.5 million to fund 25 freight rail projects

Logo of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has awarded $42.5 million to help fund 25 freight rail infrastructure projects on short lines and with shippers within the state, the agency announced on Wednesday. The state’s share in the projects ranges from $7.6 million to $84,000 and will be funded through the Rail Transportation Assistance […]

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American Flyer No. 910 chemical tank car

green and yellow model tank car

Despite the lack of play value in tank cars, boys wanted them because they reflected what kids saw in full-sized trains. So prewar manufacturers like Lionel and Ives developed tank cars, but hoped to do more with them. The breakthrough came in 1932, when Lionel worked out a licensing agreement with Sun Oil Co. Tank […]

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Clean-up continues following NS derailment in Illinois

Norfolk Southern logo

NEW SALEM, Ill. — Clean-up is continuing, but Norfolk Southern expected to have its line reopened Wednesday evening following a 20-car derailment Tuesday, Dec. 12, on its main line west of Springfield, Ill. The Quincy Herald-Whig reports the derailment did not involve any hazardous materials. KQHA-TV reports the incident was reported to authorities at 11:44 […]

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Weekly U.S. rail traffic again shows increase

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remained ahead of 2022 levels for the week ending Dec. 9, the fifth straight week with volume in positive territory. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show total traffic for the week was 499,094 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.7% increase over the same week a year […]

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Reading & Northern hits one million tons in coal traffic

Close view of Reading & Northern hopper car

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern Railroad announced today it has moved one million tons of coal this year, reaching that long-sought goal for the first time in its 33-year history. The milestone reinforces the “Road of Anthracite” slogan adopted by owner and CEO Andy Muller since launching the railroad with an initial […]

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News & Products for the week of December 11th 2023

A set of five model boxcars in various paint schemes

News & Products for the week of December 11th 2023   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 December 11th […]

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