Wabtec, GM sign deal to develop battery, hydrogen technology for locomotives

Wabtec logo

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. and General Motors have announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on power systems for Wabtec locomotives, developing GM’s Ultium battery technology and Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell systems. Wabtec CEO Rafael Santana said in a press release that the company’s FLXdrive batter-electric locomotive, which recently completed testing on […]

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Milwaukee’s 2021 Trainfest cancelled

Model Railroader placeholder image

The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Southeastern Division of the National Model Railroad Association has announced via its Facebook page that the 2021 Trainfest is cancelled. “We really wanted to have Trainfest this year; however we think the risks are too great to hold the show,” the Facebook announcement said. The posting added the […]

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Four light rail projects receive federal grants

Tacoma_LightRail_Lassen

WASHINGTON — Four light rail projects are among the 22 which have received a total of $250 million in funding under the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants program. Rail projects receiving grants are: — $20.7 million to Seattle’s Sound Transit for the 2.4-mile Hilltop extension of the Tacoma Link light rail project. — $17.4 […]

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Digest: Metro-North to add trains on three lines as of June 21

Electric multiple unit trainset with red front stops at station

Metro-North to add trains, increasing service to 67% of pre-pandemic levels Metro-North Railroad will add trains on three lines as of Monday, June 21, bringing service to two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels, and will increase that to 83% of prior service levels as of Aug. 29. The Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines will each add […]

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Emigrant Gap

Freight train curves along mountainside

Emigrant Gap The caboose roof glistens with moisture as Southern Pacific Extra 6311 East climbs through the Donner Pass mist at storied Emigrant Gap, 65 miles out of Roseville and nearly a mile above sea level in October 1957. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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ScaleTrains.com HO scale Pullman-Standard 4785 covered hopper

Side view of ScaleTrains.com HO scale Burlington Northern 4785 covered hopper.

ScaleTrains.com is back with a third run of Pullman-Standard 4,785-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hoppers. The Rivet Counter line model features prototype-specific details; see-through stainless steel running boards with wire corner grab irons; and Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with raised foundry data, truck-mounted brake beams, and rotating bearing caps. Prototype background. Pullman-Standard (PS) produced the 4785 […]

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Union Pacific releases first information on Big Boy’s 2021 tour

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 will return to action Aug. 5, beginning a 10-state tour to include Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. In a message today, UP said the full itinerary has not yet been set, but offered this information where and when the locomotive […]

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Digest: Union asks regulators to block CN-KCS voting trust

SMART-TD union logo

SMART-TD union asks STB to reject voting trust for CN-KCS deal A major rail union has asked the Surface Transportation Board to reject Canadian National’s request for a voting trust for its merger with Kansas City Southern. Jeremy Ferguson, president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, Transportation Division, says […]

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