OMAHA, Neb. — While the end-to-end nature of Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger limits the amount of redundant trackage or facilities, the railroads do have some duplication of facilities at their current interchange gateways. The merger application submitted to the Surface Transportation Board on Dec. 19 calls for two intermodal terminals and two auto processing facilities […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX made headlines in the fall when it completed a pair of massive projects within weeks of each other: The opening of the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore after a long-awaited double-stack clearance project, and the rebuilding of the hurricane-damaged Blue Ridge Subdivision in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. CSX shut […]
Blaring locomotive horns announce the presence of four new passenger trains every day at most of the 170 grade crossings on the 144 miles between New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal and a temporary platform at Mobile, Ala. Two daily Amtrak Mardi Gras round trips have been running since Aug. 18, days after throngs turned out […]
Canadian National recently introduced a locomotive painted to promote the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a service offering support by phone, text, or chat for those facing mental health challenges, emotional distress, or other concerns. The 988 Lifeline logo and “You Are Not Alone” message are displayed on the long hood of SD75IACC No. 8357. […]
Comings and goings are a natural part of any industry. People retire, move to better jobs, or are told their services are no longer needed. But three moves in the latter category particularly raised eyebrows in railroading in 2025: The resignation of Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, the firing of Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus, […]
SACRAMENTO — California has ended its lawsuit over $4 billion in grant funding cancelled by the Trump administration, Bloomberg reports, deciding it can no longer rely on help for the project from the federal government. “This action reflects the state’s assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in advancing […]
Alstom will build 47 new diesel multiple-unit passenger trains for use on passenger routes under construction in Mexico, the company has announced. The order of 33 long-haul and 14 short-haul trainsets will be built for the Mexico City-Querétaro-Irapuato and Saltillo-Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo corridors under a Dec. 15 decision by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation. […]
Wm. K. Walthers Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of model railroad products based in Milwaukee, Wis., recently announced that it’s sponsoring the Pacific Southern Ry., an HO scale model railroad club in Rocky Hill, N.J. “We’re pleased to support the Pacific Southern Railway and help elevate awareness of model railroading,” said Stacey Walthers Naffah, president […]
While it is impossible to summarize the rail industry’s year in a single article, there were certain key stories and themes worth highlighting. Given the amount of material, let’s get right to it. Some of these stories will be addressed in greater depth in the Top 5 stories of the year countdown that begins Saturday, […]
CALGARY, Alberta — The CPKC Holiday Train raised more than Ca$2 million and collected more than 175,000 pounds of food for food banks during its 2025 operating season, which concluded Dec. 21. “Year after year, the CPKC Holiday Train proves that generosity and community spirit know no bounds,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in a […]
WASHINGTON — Led by a significant decline in carload volume, U.S. rail traffic experienced a hefty drop for the week ending Dec. 20. Figures from the Association of American Railroads show a total of 487,138 carloads and intermodal units for the week, down 7% from the same week a year earlier. That includes 206,674 carloads, […]
Athearn has released a new run of Electro-Motive Division FP45 diesel locomotives in its HO scale Genesis line. The six-axle unit features injection-molded plastic and die-cast metal construction, prototype-specific details, and McHenry plastic scale couplers. Prototype history Electro-Motive Division produced the FP45 in 1967 and 1968. During that time, 14 units were built, nine for […]
