Bachmann HO Airslide covered hopper review

Color photo of showing portion of HO scale covered hopper painted two-tone blue with yellow, blue, black, and white graphics on white background.

A newly-tooled model has joined the Bachmann HO scale freight car lineup. The General American 4,180-cubic-foot capacity Airslide covered hopper, offered in four paint schemes, features injection-molded plastic construction, 36″ metal wheelsets, and body-mounted E-Z Mate Mark II plastic couplers. Prototype history General American produced the 4180 Airslide from 1963 to 1980. The cars were […]

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CSX to transfer 21 jobs from Waterville, Maine, shop

Aerial view of large brick rail shop building

WATERVILLE, Maine — CSX is moving 21 mechanical jobs at the former Pan Am Railways locomotive shop in Waterville to Selkirk, N.Y., and Cumberland, Md., leaving the current holders of those jobs to choose between transfer or leaving the railroad. CSX said in a statement that the relocation is effective March 1 “to better utilize […]

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BNSF, CSX update storm recovery efforts

Double-stack train in snow

BNSF does not expect full recovery from the winter storm that swept across its network until early next week, the railroad said in a Tuesday, Jan. 27, customer advisory. CSX says in its own Tuesday advisory that it continues to work to fully restore operations, while Union Pacific said Tuesday during its quarterly earnings call […]

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CSX sees small drop in revenue, slight gain in volume

Blue and yellow locomotives pulling a double-stack train

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX said today that its fourth quarter profits were weighed down by ongoing freight doldrums that the railroad doesn’t expect to turn around anytime soon. “Our quarterly results reflect the subdued industrial demand environment and actions taken to adjust our cost structure,” CEO Steve Angel said in a statement on Thursday afternoon. […]

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CSX, BNSF detail preparations for major winter storm (updated)

An orange BNSF Railway locomotive leads a train over a snow-covered multi-track main line.

CSX and BNSF Railway today outlined plans to deal with the operational challenges from a major winter storm that could affect large portions of both companies’ rail networks. Norfolk Southern also issued a customer advisory in which it said it was preparing for the storm, which is beginning to hit some areas today (Thursday, Jan. […]

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J.B. Hunt says UP-NS merger filing lacks intermodal detail

LOWELL, Ark. — J.B. Hunt executives are disappointed that the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application did not include more details about the railroads’ intermodal plans. “We continue to digest the application and had expected more intermodal-specific questions to be addressed in the merger application than there were,” Darren Field, president of J.B. Hunt Intermodal, said […]

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When railroad merger plans collide with reality: Analysis

Railroads proposing mergers inevitably make ambitious promises and projections, particularly about faster service and more competition. Not all of them become reality, despite the best intentions of railroaders who work at a feverish pace to develop the operating plans submitted to federal regulators. A case in point: CSX, as part of its 1999 acquisition of […]

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Athearn HO Johnstown America BethGon Coalporter

Color photo showing B end of HO scale bathtub gondola painted aluminum and red with red, yellow, black, and white graphics on white background.

Athearn HO Johnstown America BethGon Coalporter Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $49.99; five-pack, $239.99 Era: 2006+ to 2014+ (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn HO Johnstown America BethGon Coalporter features: 36” machined metal wheels with RP-25 contours Body-mounted McHenry scale lower shelf couplers […]

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CSX completes upgrades to expand Ohio’s Willard Yard

WILLARD, Ohio — CSX Transportation has added merchandise capacity at its Willard, Ohio, rail yard after phased improvements helped convert the idled hump yard to a flat switching facility. Railroad officials say the former Baltimore & Ohio terminal can now handle 600 railcars per day, up from 300  two years ago. CSX shut down the […]

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Major intermodal firm STG Logistics files for bankruptcy

COLUMBUS, Ohio — STG Logistics, the nation’s fourth-largest asset-based intermodal marketing company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New Jersey federal court today (Monday, Jan. 12). The pre-negotiated plan wipes out 91% of the company’s nearly $1 billion debt load and gives it $150 million in new capital to support core business operations […]

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