Activist investor’s chief operating officer candidate would strip Norfolk Southern ‘down to the studs’

Crew member walks across front of locomotive as another train passes on adjacent track

Jamie Boychuk, the activist investor candidate aiming to lead operations at Norfolk Southern, says improvements the railroad has made in recent weeks under new Chief Operating Officer John Orr — like increasing train velocity, reducing dwell, and removing 75 locomotives from active service — are low-hanging fruit that will help reduce the operating ratio by […]

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News & Products for the week of April 15th 2024

A model passenger car in a green paint scheme

News & Products for the week of April 15th 2024   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 April 15th […]

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Three injured as CSX trains collide in Folkston, Ga. (updated)

Locomotive and badly damaged railcar

FOLKSTON, Ga. — Three CSX crew members have been taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after an intermodal train struck a standing rock train in Folkston, the railroad said in a statement this afternoon. The collision occurred about 1:24 p.m. Two locomotives, two intermodal cars, and two rock cars derailed as a result, and […]

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GE’s B30-7 locomotives: Where are they now?

yellow, blue, and red engine on tracks

GE’s B30-7 In the late 1970s, General Electric introduced the B30-7, a 16-cylinder, 3,000-hp, four-axle locomotive designed for road service. Virtually identical externally to the B23-7 model offered at the same time, the B30-7 ended up with less orders, though it did sell more variations than its 12-cylinder, 2,250-hp cousin. The launch customer for the […]

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Wisconsin Great Northern acquires steam locomotive (updated)

Side view of steam locomotive inside display shed

TREGO, Wis. – The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad has added a steam locomotive to its expanding roster. Former Duluth & Northeastern 2-8-0 No. 27 will be moved from its display site at the Carlton County Fairgrounds in Barnum, Minn., where it has been displayed since 1968. Wisconsin Great Northern, known for its ongoing restoration of the […]

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Lionel No. 151 Semaphore with unique feature

model semaphore next to orange box

Lionel No. 151 Semaphore signals made their debut in the cataloged lineup for 1947 and remained popular members right through 1969, the final year of the post-World War II era of production. During that two-decade span, Lionel must have produced tens of thousands of the out-of-proportion trackside accessories. Collectors and operators of O-27 and O […]

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UP intermodal train derails in Nebraska

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

CHAPPELL, Neb. — Approximately 30 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Sunday in the town of Chappell, leading to the short-term evacuation of a few residents as a precautionary measure and closing U.S. Route 30 for about two hours. KNOP-TV reports the incident was reported about 5:30 p.m., and that an evacuation of […]

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VIA summer travel: more fare flexibility but capacity remains limited

JASPER, Alberta — Anyone planning a trip on VIA Rail Canada’s Canadian, Ocean or other regional trains outside the Quebec City-Windsor, Ontario, corridor should keep departure date and sleeping accommodation options open. That’s because this is the first summer VIA will be utilizing a more sophisticated booking system that now offers wide pricing swings based […]

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Fairbanks-Morse Train Master diesel locomotive

Blue-and-gray Train Master diesel locomotive with freight train at crossing

The Train Master diesel locomotive holds a unique spot in history. At its introduction in 1953, it was simply a logical extension of Fairbanks-Morse’s locomotive line, yet the Beloit (Wis.) builder recognized that what Trains Editor David P Morgan termed the “fat, robust, gadget-packed 2,400 hp six-motor hood unit” could become something special. Which it […]

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