Increase traction of PIKO switcher: I bought a PIKO America GE 25-ton engine for my railway. As I ran the little diesel on my layout, it went around a couple of times nicely over the trestle and under the tunnel. I hooked two cars to the engine, and sent it on its way again. As […]
Type of Train: Diesel Locomotives
RDC’s Posner looks at Ukraine refugee operation, rail aspects of war
CHICAGO — Ukrainian refugee trains being operated by RDC Deutschland, the German subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Railroad Development Corp., have stopped running as of April 19. In a presentation that day to Northwestern University’s Sandhouse Rail Group, RDC Chairmain Henry Posner III recounted experiences in operating those trains, as well as observations based on past visits […]
Secondhand Alco diesels on the L&N
Alco diesels acquired secondhand from the Rutland Railway and Lehigh & New England stand with a Louisville & Nashville F7 at L&N’s South Louisville Shops on July 29, 1963. Charles B. Castner photo […]
News Photo: Retired Coaster commuter engines moved to Anaheim
SAN DIEGO — North County Transit District’s fleet of five retired Morrison-Knudsen F40PHM-2C locomotives was shuttled from storage at Oceanside, Calif., earlier this month and delivered to Coast Rail Services at nearby Anaheim. The units’ fate has not yet been determined. Among the parties interested in acquiring one or more units are two Southern California […]
Oil Creek & Titusville to host photo charter May 28
TITUSVILLE, Pa. — The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad will host a photo charter on May 28 featuring all three of its locomotives, featuring M420W No. 3568 in its new Pennsy-inspired Oil Creek & Titusville paint scheme. Just 35 seats are available for the event, scheduled for 5 hours and also featuring Alco S2 locomotives […]
Union Pacific to reopen Pine Bluff locomotive shop
PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Union Pacific is recalling furloughed workers to reopen its locomotive shop in Pine Bluff, Ark., the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. UP spokesman Mike Jaixen told the newspaper that he did not have information on the number of workers being recalled, but noted that open positions in Pine Bluff include boilermakers, electricians, mechanics, […]
Amtrak unveils new locomotive paint scheme (corrected)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has unveiled the new paint scheme to be worn by the remainder of its fleet of Siemens ALC42 locomotives, a two-tone blue design with a splash of red and white trim. The “Phase VII” scheme — the seventh standard design in Amtrak’s 50-year history — debuts on Charger No. 309, the 10th […]
News photo: D&I SD40-2 debuts
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — D&I Railroad SD40-2 No. 3023, one of five SD40-2s new to the railroad’s roster, leads an eastbound train at Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 13, 2022. Photographer Kevin J. Ryan says it is believed to be the locomotive’s first revenue trip on the railroad. The 138-mile D&I, a wholly owned subsidiary […]
EMD Model 40 profile: Diesels That Didn’t
We all love the unusual — something that departs from our perceived norm. In railroading, it’s an Alco showing up on an otherwise all-Electro-Motive locomotive roster, or perhaps a slight variation of a paint scheme that catches our eye. Or it could be an EMD Model 40. A total of 11 were built between 1940 […]
Metrolink converts to 100% renewable fuel
LOS ANGELES – Metrolink publicly shared its switch to renewable fuel, on April 13, 2022, making the agency the first in the nation to completely power all its locomotives by the cleaner burning alternative. The agency began using only renewable fuel in February. “It’s a proud achievement to be the first rail agency in the […]
BNSF donates rebuilt SD9 to Minnesota museum
DULUTH, Minn. — BNSF Railway has donated a rebuilt SD9 to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. BNSF 1550 was built in February 1954 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors for the Great Northern Railway as No. 573. EMD built 515 SD9s between 1954 and 1959. No. 573 worked for many years in Superior, […]
Preparing an N scale locomotive for repainting | Cody’s Workshop, Ep. 48
Preparing an N scale locomotive for repainting. That’s what expert modeler Cody Grivno highlights in his latest Cody’s Workshop series video. From his workbench and vented spray booth, our host will lead you through the necessary steps for disassembling an Atlas EMD GP38-2 diesel locomotive model, stripping off the factory paint job and decoration, and then applying an […]