Alco locomotives on NY shortline railroads

Alco locomotives on NY shortline railroads Alco locomotives on NY shortline railroads: A drive along twisting mountain byways through freshly fallen snow, ears straining for the slightest hint of the groan from the horn atop an ALCO RS-3, camera at the ready for the first sign of a brightly colored locomotive is how my trip […]

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Rail workers’ group calls for Wednesday picketing

An ad-hoc rail workers’ group is calling for informational picketing on Wednesday to address what it calls “the staffing shortages and lack of a decent quality of life” for employees as railroads, employees, and customers wait to see if unions will ratify tentative agreements that averted a strike last week. Meanwhile, the International Association of […]

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Walthers 40-foot Ortner 100-ton aggregate hopper

40-foot Ortner 100-ton aggregate hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $44.98 Era: 1970s to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com 40-foot Ortner 100-ton aggregate hopper features: Air-equipped door details as appropriate Factory-installed wire grab irons and end railings Removable load Detailed brake […]

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Union Pacific drops Canadian Pacific from EMP intermodal program

Union Pacific is booting Canadian Pacific out of the EMP domestic container pool. EMP, which rosters a 44,000-unit fleet of green 53-foot containers, is an interline intermodal partnership between UP and Norfolk Southern. CP, Canadian National, Kansas City Southern, and Florida East Coast also participate in EMP, which allows intermodal marketing companies to book loads […]

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Carload Considerations: Lessons from a near strike

CHICAGO — Class I railroads reached tentative agreements with unions in the early-morning hours of Thursday, Sept. 15, putting to rest uncertainties about the prospect of a widespread work stoppage that could have begun as soon as today (Friday, Sept. 16). In the days leading to Thursday’s tentative agreements, Class I railroads started curtailing certain […]

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Railroads, commuter operators shift to return to normal operation (updated)

Freight railroads have begun informing customers they are returning to business as usual, after halting some operations in preparation for a work stoppage. Commuter operators are returning to normal plans, as well. A stoppage was averted when railroads and unions reached tentative labor agreements early this morning following a marathon bargaining session [see “Freight railroad […]

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WMSR debuts Western Maryland-painted locomotive

CUMBERLAND, Md. — Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s locomotive roster continues to diversify with the unveiling of a Western Maryland-painted GE B32-8, NIWX No. 558. The nearly 33-year-old General Electric four-axle Dash 8 locomotive now sports Western Maryland’s black-and-yellow fireball paint scheme. It arrived at the railroad earlier this year with former Norfolk Southern paint and […]

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