Caboose donated to Conrail Historical Society

LITTLE FERRY, N.J. — The Conrail Historical Society has added to its collection with the donation by CSX of caboose No. 22130, which continued to wear its Conrail blue paint until its retirement earlier this year. The extended-vision cupola caboose was built in August 1970 by International Car Co. for the Reading Co., and transferred […]

Read More…

Five railroads respond to joint STB-FRA letter

Five Class I railroads have now responded to last month’s joint letter from the Surface Transportation Board and Federal Railroad Adminstration, mostly in general terms assuring the two agencies that they are prepared for an upsurge in traffic. The letter to CEOs at the seven Class I roads asked railroads to ensure they have sufficient […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of September 3, 2020

HO scale locomotives Canadian National RSC-14 diesel locomotive. Canadian National (“wet noodle” herald and stripes schemes). Five road numbers per scheme. Redesigned chassis and shell for easier access and disassembly; operating headlights, rear lights, bi-color class lights, and illuminated cab control stand; metal side handrails with plastic stanchions; and detailed cab interior with control stand, […]

Read More…

Digest: Former Nickel Plate roundhouse damaged in fire

And still more Monday morning rail news: Fire damages former Nickel Plate roundhouse in Indiana Fire damaged a former Nickel Plate Road roundhouse in Frankfort, Ind., on Sunday. WTHR-TV reports firefighters responded to a blaze about 10 a.m. at the abandoned structure on property now owned by Norfolk Southern; as they brought that fire under […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of August 27, 2020

HO scale locomotives United States Railroad Administration 0-6-0 steam locomotive. Pre-production artwork shown. Baltimore & Ohio, Central RR of New Jersey, New York Central System, Pennsylvania RR, and Union Pacific. Dual-mode TCS WOWSound Sound Value decoder with Keep-Alive capacitor, operating headlight, metal side rods, and E-Z Mate Mark II couplers. $329. Release date to be […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of August 20, 2020

HO scale locomotives Pennsylvania RR class K4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive. Prewar with slat pilot and postwar with modern pilot. Two road numbers each. Dual-mode TCS WOWSound decoder with Keep-Alive capacitor; separate, factory-applied injectors, pump, and piping; metal uncoupling levers; operating headlight; all-metal chassis; die-cast metal trailing truck; blackened-metal side rods; painted engineer and fireman […]

Read More…

Panel looks at PSR impact on Class I, shortline railroads

A trio of experts discussed the pros, cons, and reality of Precision Scheduled Railroading this week during the Midwest Virtual Rail Conference. C. Tyler Dick, a lecturer and principal research engineer at the Railtec program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says the late E. Hunter Harrison’s operating model aims to combine the best […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of August 13, 2020

HO scale locomotives General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive. BNSF Ry. (as-delivered Heritage I scheme in three road numbers, Heritage I with yellow hood lettering in one number, and Heritage II), BC Rail (Dash 9-44CWL in red, white, and blue scheme), Canadian National (Dash 9-44CWL in North America scheme, three numbers), Chicago & North Western […]

Read More…

STB defers decision in Metra-Union Pacific dispute

CHICAGO – The Surface Transportation Board is declining to intervene in an ongoing dispute between Metra and Union Pacific – for now. In a decision published Wednesday, the STB is holding a decision on its jurisdiction in abeyance and has directed both parties to inform the agency of any rulings issued by the federal district […]

Read More…

New model trains for the week of August 6, 2020

HO scale freight cars Bi-level auto rack. New paint schemes: BNSF Ry. (Oxide Red with circle-cross herald and yellow with post-2005 herald), Canadian National (white with red “wet noodle” herald, six road numbers), Conrail (brown with “can opener” herald), CP Rail (red), CSX (yellow), Kansas City Southern (yellow with dual heralds), Mexican Rail Transportation (yellow), […]

Read More…

New large scale products for August 2020

Engines & rolling stock Pennsylvania RR double-sheathed cupola caboose. Separate, factory-applied brake wheels, brake cylinder, smokejack, ladders, and grab irons; plastic wheelsets; and hook-and-loop couplers. $94.99. PIKO America LLC, 619-280-2800, piko-america.com General Electric Dash 9-44CW diesel locomotive. Pre-production artwork shown. 1:29 scale. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (warbonnet); BNSF Ry. (Heritage III); CSX (dark blue […]

Read More…