News & Products for the week of September 8th 2025 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of September 8th, […]
Type of Train: Freight
Missouri Congressman again seeks to overturn two-person crew rule (updated)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) on Friday introduced legislation to overturn the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew rule adopted in 2024. “This bill is about stopping union bosses from using Washington to get what they can’t win at the bargaining table,” Burlison said in a brief press release.” “Previously, in 2019, the FRA […]
New container terminal planned for Port of Montreal
MONTREAL — The Montreal Port Authority and the Canadian arm of Dubai’s DP World announced that they have entered into a Joint Development Agreement to develop a new container terminal. The new facility will add 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs, the standard measure of container volume) to the port’s annual handling capacity. It is […]
IBEW ratifies new agreement with Union Pacific
WASHINGTON — Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have overwhelmingly approved a new contract with Union Pacific, the union announced today. IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper said the agreement “reflects a new era of partnership and progress that recognizes the important contributions of IBEW-represented railroad electricians while embracing the challenges and opportunities […]
Campián named executive vice president and CFO at R.J. Corman
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — R.J. Corman Railroad Group today promoted Alín Campián to executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Since joining the company in 2020, Alín’s contributions have been absolutely transformative, driving major positive change across our organization,” R.J. Corman CEO Justin Broyles said in a statement. “His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence […]
WalthersMainline HO 40-foot wood stockcar
WalthersMainline HO 40-foot wood stockcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Features on WalthersMainline HO 40-foot wood stockcar: 33” metal wheels All-new tooling Auxiliary, emergency, and brake cylinder pipes Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Detailed underbody with factory-applied air reservoir, brake cylinder, and […]
East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 21 | Building Mainline Bridges
Enthusiasts of railroad engineering will enjoy this helpful, instruction episode, which details how to build and install bridges and abutments on a model train layout. Following the Canadian National prototype, this video focuses on a 70-foot single-track deck girder bridge and a 30-foot single-track through girder bridge. Learn how to properly use a Walthers bridge […]
Work begins to add sand to San Clemente beaches to protect rail line
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Efforts to replenish the beach in San Clemente to protect the Surf Line rail line used by Amtrak, Metrolink, and BNSF Railway began last week with the first deliveries of sand on Friday. The Orange County Transportation Authority says some 300 truckloads of sand from a quarry in Palm Springs will […]
Ukraine opens first standard-gauge rail line
UZHHOROD, Ukraine — Ukraine has opened its first standard-gauge rail line, the first step in better integration of the country’s rail system with its European neighbors. The European Union’s Delegation to Ukraine announced Friday that the 22-kilometer (13.7-mile) route of national rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia connects the Western Ukrainian cities of Uzhhorod, on the border with […]
First freight facilities for Mexico’s Maya Train approved
CANCÚN, Mexico — The Mexican government has approved construction of the first freight terminal for the Maya Train, which aims to begin operating freight service to go with its passenger trains in 2026. The Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources (Semarnat) approved the environmental impact report for development of the 261-hectare (645-acre) site near Cancún, […]
BNSF derailment in Montana leads to Empire Builder cancellation
SUMMIT, Montana — A BNSF derailment Saturday evening (Sept. 6, 2025) blocked the railroad’s main line on its Hi Line Subdivision, leading to the cancellation of Amtrak’s Empire Builder scheduled to depart today from Portland, Ore., and Seattle. An updated BNSF customer advisory says the derailment near Summit was reported about 6 p.m. local time. […]
Washington short line not for sale, port commissioners say
DAYTON, Wash. — Commissioners of the Port of Columbia have indicated they will not sell the port’s railroad to its current contract operator, raising the question whether that operator will continue to serve the 37-mile line. The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin reports that two of the port’s three commissioners said at a Sept. 3 meeting that […]
