CSX CEO E. Hunter Harrison Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New CSX Transportation CEO E. Hunter Harrison gave some broad-brush outlines today on his plans to cut costs, streamline operations, and improve service. Wall Street analysts quizzed Harrison for nearly two hours during the railroad’s first-quarter earnings call this morning. While Harrison said many details […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Metra to allow pets on weekday trains NEWSWIRE

CHICAGO — Metra’s policy of allowing passengers to bring small pets aboard trains on weekends and holidays has proven so successful and problem-free that the commuter rail agency is expanding the practice to weekdays. During a six-month test beginning May 1, Metra riders will be allowed to take pets in carriers aboard trains during off-peak […]
Active RPO, night photo session part of line up for Train Day in St. Paul NEWSWIRE

Northern Pacific Railway Post Office Car No. 1102 will operate as a post-office during St. Paul Union Depot’s Train Day on May 6. Mail collected at the event will move by rail to Osceola, Wis., for distribution. Steve Glischinski ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Union Depot in St. Paul is sponsoring Union Depot Train Day […]
Pere Marquette No. 1225 to hit the rails in August NEWSWIRE

Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 Steam Railroading Institute website OWOSSO, Mich. — Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 will kick off its 2017 operating season in August, the Steam Railroad Institute announced this week. The 1941 Lima Locomotive Works-built engine will be fired up on Friday, Aug. 18 for the institute’s Hand on the Throttle session […]
Taking Care of Business: SMS Rail Lines

To launch our all-new operation-oriented series, Charlie Conway captures a day in the life of a hardworking SMS Rail Lines crew in New Jersey. In this narrated show, you’ll discover useful modeling insights and prototype railroad information you can apply to your own layout operating sessions. You won’t want to miss any of the shortline […]
Pan Am assigns business train F-units to pull circus train NEWSWIRE

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus train Red unit rounds a bend near a Worcester, Mass., golf course on Monday, April 17. Kevin Burkholder BOSTON — Pan Am Railways added an extra touch of class to Monday’s Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Red Unit train as it moved from Worcester, Mass., […]
Norfolk Southern investigating coal train derailment in Pennsylvania NEWSWIRE

This photo shows NS No. 4001, a DC-to-AC conversion unit leading NS train No. 218 through Prichard, W.Va., last August. No. 4001 was severely damaged in a coal train derailment in Pennsylvania on Friday. It is one of only two blue-and-grey locomotives painted by NS. Chase Gunnoe MATTAWANA, Pa. — Norfolk Southern is still investigating […]
Start-up Tennessee short line set to offer hometown service NEWSWIRE

Union City, Tenn. Google Maps UNION CITY, Tenn. – Twenty-six years after Brent Lee left Union City to go railroading, he is coming home to run his own short line. The Union City Terminal Railroad is expected to debut in May. The line is an eight-mile stub of the former Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad […]
An ancient scale test car

Scale test cars are used to calibrate in-track scales that weigh freight cars. The car shown above was built in 1891 and served until the 1980s. Jim Battle Q The car in this picture was in the New York, Susquehanna & Western’s Little Ferry, N.J., yard in September 1978. Do you know if it is […]
Arizona museum to acquire sugar beet car NEWSWIRE

The Southern Pacific sugar beet car that Arizona Railway Museum volunteers are looking to save. Arizona Railway Museum website CHANDLER, Ariz. — The Arizona Railway Museum is raising funds to move a former Southern Pacific sugar beet car from California to the museum. The car is an ex-SP 40-foot wood-sided gondola used exclusively for sugar […]
BNSF recognizes employees of the year NEWSWIRE
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway recognized a special group of employees for their outstanding achievements in 2016 at an awards ceremony last night in Fort Worth, Texas. The annual Employees of the Year program identifies employees who have made exceptional contributions while demonstrating BNSF’s vision and values through their commitment, leadership and focus on […]
CSX runs test train on Clinchfield route NEWSWIRE

Photographers caught CSX Transportation train K446-07 on April 8, led by two SD40-2’s, on a northbound trip on the Clinchfield Route. Here it is seen going through Dante, Va., by the old depot. Nick Dumas DANTE, Va. — Sources close to CSX Transportation say railroad managers are looking for alternative routes now that recent hump […]