News & Products for the week of August 4th 2025

A white and red model caboose

News & Products for the week of August 4th 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 August 4th, […]

Read More…

Shipper group, critical of UP-NS merger, says carload and unit train customers need competitive options

Two rows of coal hoppers

WASHINGTON — The Freight Rail Customer Alliance today said that it’s opposed to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, arguing that the transcontinental combination would lead to higher costs and unreliable service. The umbrella group, which represents more than 3,500 electric utility, agricultural, chemical, and alternative fuel companies, called for “guaranteed competitive solutions” for carload and […]

Read More…

Soo Line No. 1003 to operate in August for Wisconsin Chapter NRHS

An image of the broadside of a black-painted steam locomotive trailing smoke and steam

HARTFORD, Wis. — Soo Line No. 1003 will make its 2025 debut while also marking the 75th anniversary of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. A partnership between the chapter and the Steam Locomotive Heritage Association — the non-profit organization that maintains and operates the locomotive — calls for the 1913-built Mikado […]

Read More…

Grupo Mexico railroads report higher profits despite volume and revenue declines

MEXICO CITY — Grupo Mexico’s transportation division — which includes Ferromex, Ferrosur, Florida East Coast Railway, and Texas Pacifico — reported higher second quarter operating income last week despite lower volume and revenue. The transportation division’s operating income increased 4.9%, to $255.4 million, as revenue declined 3.3% to $853 million. The railroads’ combined operating ratio […]

Read More…

Coal and efficiency gains power BNSF’s second quarter profit growth

orange locomotive and train comes around curve in Wyoming

OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway’s profits surged in the second quarter thanks to a combination of efficiency gains, lower costs, and higher coal volumes. The railway’s pre-tax earnings increased 11.5%, to $1.8 billion, as revenue increased 0.15%, to $5.7 billion, corporate parent Berkshire Hathaway said on Saturday. Operating expenses declined 4.7% as fuel costs decreased […]

Read More…

Hobby Trax USA Hydra DC and DCC bus bar

Color photo of green printed-circuit board with screw terminals, switch, light-emitting diodes, and white printing on white background

Hobby Trax USA Hydra DC and DCC bus bar Price: $9.95 Manufacturer: Hobby Trax USA, 1237 Victoria Ave., No. 310, Oxnard, CA 93035; 518-727-2009; hobbytrax.us Hobby Trax USA Hydra DC and DCC bus bar features: 16 terminals per board Easy to wire In DC mode, the bus bar will simply allow multiple connections to the […]

Read More…

Western Maryland Scenic announces plans for RailFest 2025

Big plume above black steam engine coming around a bend

CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has announced plans for the 2025 edition of RailFest, its event celebrating heritage railroading, community, and mountain adventure. RailFest 2025: A Return to the Rails, is set for Sept. 12-14. Planned events include: — A “Sunset on the Mountains” train departing Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. […]

Read More…

2025 NMRA Convention: Five takeaways as a first-time attendee

NMRA logos

The 2025 National Model Railroad Association convention recently wrapped up with encouraging attendance numbers. A July 19 post from the NMRA social media pages highlighted the success: 950 registered attendees were on hand for this year’s showing in Novi, Mich., a significant jump from 620 in Long Beach, Calif., for 2024. Notably, 266 first-time attendees, […]

Read More…

UP-NS merger puts intermodal giants on the wrong side of the map

Intermodal train entering yard with skyscrapers in distance

The proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger leaves three major intermodal customers — J.B. Hunt, Schneider, and STG Logistics — in the awkward position of having their tents pitched in the wrong railroad camps. J.B. Hunt, the largest domestic truckload intermodal operator, uses BNSF Railway in the West and relies primarily on Norfolk Southern in the […]

Read More…

OmniTRAX named operator of Long Island transload center

YAPHANK, N.Y. — OmniTRAX has been named the rail operator of Brookhaven Rail Terminal on Long Island, N.Y. The terminal, recently rebranded as Long Island Reload, serves commodities, aggregates, and building materials industry customers including The Home Depot, Heidelberg, and LBM Riverhead. “Long Island plays a critical role in northeast supply chains, and we are […]

Read More…

BNSF officially opens Salt Lake City intermodal terminal

SALT LAKE CITY — BNSF Railway, Patriot Rail, and the Utah Inland Port Authority held a grand opening ceremony on Thursday for the Class I railroad’s new intermodal facility in Salt Lake City. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, legislative leaders, and public-private partners gathered to celebrate the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This new facility is […]

Read More…

Classic Toy Trains new products for August 2025

blue and white model diesel locomotive

Locomotives & rolling stock Legacy Station, 4153 Lawrenceville Highway, Ste. 12, Lilburn, GA 30047, has a custom-run MTH Extended Vision Caboose as part of the RailKing line (30-77414). It features holiday graphics and O-27 operation. Expected delivery in October 2025. Price: $89.95. Website: legacystation.com   MTH Electric Trains, 7393 Washington Blvd. Ste. 101, Elkridge, MD […]

Read More…