Columbia Basin Railroad donates line to Moses Lake project

Map of rail lines in Moses Lake, Wash., area

MOSES LAKE, Wash. — The Columbia Basin Railroad has donated about 3 miles of rail line to the Port of Moses Lake, aiding the port’s effort to expand its rail network as part of the North Columbia Basin Railroad Project. The project seeks to rebuild or rehabilitate approximately 8 miles of rail line, restoring rail […]

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U.S. weekly rail volume remains up

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained above 2024 levels for the week ending March 8, 2025, the Association of American Railroads reports. According to AAR information, traffic for the week was 497,412 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.4% gain over the same week a year ago. The overall figure included 219,457 carloads, up 2.6%, […]

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Patriot Rail to build transload facility on CPKC in Texas

Patriot Rail logo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Short line and regional rail company Patriot Rail Co. is set to expand its transload services in Texas. In partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Patriot Rail will establish a new multicommodity transload facility on CPKC’s network in Denton, Texas. The move aims to enhance transload services and logistics solutions for customers […]

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OmniTRAX acquires California short line under new joint venture

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – OmniTRAX has entered into a joint venture for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, which becomes the short line holding company’s 29th rail operation. Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the SMV provides Central Coast Valley commercial and agricultural customers a connection to Union Pacific. The acquisition is a joint venture […]

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Unloading on a car float

20190211

A worker unloads produce from refrigerator cars on a Pennsylvania Railroad car float in New York harbor in 1939. This car float has two tracks flanking a central covered platform that enabled cars to be unloaded while still on the float. Arthur Rothstein, Library of Congress photo […]

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Cumberland Yard improvements help CSX reduce train starts

Intermodal train emerging from tunnel

NEW YORK — CSX is moving more tonnage on fewer trains this year as part of a significant reduction in the number of road train crew starts. The 10% decline in coal volume this year has contributed to the reduction, Chief Financial Officer Sean Pelkey told an investor conference today. “But there’s a significant amount […]

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Troubled times

20200225

Rolling through Marengo, Iowa, in May 1979 was this Rock Island freight with GP38-2 No. 4305 leading. This Davenport–Des Moines section of the Omaha main was one of the road’s busiest, but this portion was still train order territory. The railroad’s precarious financial condition is reflected in the depot’s upkeep. R.B. Olson photo […]

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News & Products for the week of March 10th 2025

A blue and white model lcocomotive

News & Products for the week of March 10th 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 March 10th, […]

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