Carload Considerations: Windshield time is a necessary evil

yellow and blue train on track

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Railroads have 720 minutes from when an engineer or conductor reports on-duty until his or her hours of service reach 12. This is a finite amount of time to perform safety checks, gather paperwork, and prepare locomotives and the train for departure. Line-of-road presents all kinds of opportunities for more delays. Assuming […]

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Railfan Road: Canadian prairie railroads

A red locomotive leans into a curves with an old grain elevator in the distance

Exploring the Canadian prairie railroads by Provincial highway 14 between Edmonton, Alberta and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, one parallels the densest part of the Canadian National main line, hosts VIA Rail’s iconic Canadian streamliner as well as history, photo props, and even a sampling of CPKC’s former Canadian Pacific. The twist? Highway 14 is actually two separate […]

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Short Line Safety Institute completes its first decade of operations

Three locomotives lead train reflected in water

This month, the Short Line Safety Institute enters its tenth year of operations, having marked 155 completed safety culture assessments, and numerous introductions of programs and resources to benefit the short line industry in continuously improving safety culture. Founded in response to the tragic 2013 Lac-Megantic rail accident in Quebec, Canada, on regional Montreal, Maine […]

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S scale product availability

Color photo of S gauge boxcar painted green with orange graphics

A finished S scale layout or individual model can be both visually and operationally impressive. However, getting the desired model may be somewhat harder than in a scale with more manufacturers and product offerings. As S scale modelers are quick to point out, modeling in 1:64 calls for inventiveness and perseverance. While there are ready-to-run […]

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US Senator urges CSX to reconsider operating changes in Cleveland

Train under signal bridge coming out of setting sun

CLEVELAND – Ohio’s Democratic Senator urges CSX to reconsider its decision to reduce its crew base at Collinwood Yard in Cleveland and reassign workers to terminals at Willard, Ohio, and Buffalo, N.Y., saying the decision is bad for railroaders and operations. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, in a letter to CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs, […]

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CPKC hydrogen locomotive completes first coal haul testing (updated)

SPARWOOD, British Columbia — CPKC announced a successful completion in the first of three phases of testing for its high-horsepower hydrogen road locomotive. The initial runs are part of a multi-year contract with Elk Valley Resources of the Glencore Group (formally Teck Resources Ltd.) to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot program of coal trains with hydrogen […]

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CPKC names Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández to board

Man in suit with red tie

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City names Arturo Gutiérrez Hernández to board of directors, effective Nov. 1, 2024.   Mr. Gutiérrez, 58, of Monterrey, Mexico, has been the chief executive officer of Arca Continental, the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, since January 2019.   “The addition of Arturo adds to the extensive, diverse […]

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Alstom lawsuit challenges waivers approved by FRA for Brightline West’s trainset order: Analysis

Shell for passenger train car under construction inside factory

WASHINGTON — Its offer rejected in a years-long competitive bidding process, an Alstom lawsuit challenges waivers for the construction of new Brightline West equipment. The Federal Railroad Administration approved waivers of the “100% Buy America” provisions granted to winning bidder Siemens. Brightline West selected Siemens over Alstom to build 186-mph Las Vegas-Southern California trainsets by […]

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Rail Champions campaign promotes individual rail advocacy

Blue-and-green logo for Rail Champions campaign

WASHINGTON — GoRail’s Rail Champions campaign brings together individuals across the nation who believe rail is essential for reasons from congestion and emissions mitigation to how railroads power local economies, serve consumers, and relieve taxpayers. Railroads matter deeply to Americans, whether they realize it or not, as they reduce costs for families, free up space […]

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