Athearn N scale F89-F TOFC flatcar

Color photo of N scale flatcar with trailer load on white background.

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.  Athearn recently released an F89-F TOFC flatcar in its Genesis line. The flatcar is based on a prototype built in the 1960s by Bethlehem Steel Co. at its […]

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Model Railroader Photo of the Day: the diesel shop at Cajon Pass

An image of multiple model locomotives in a repair shop on a model railroad layout

An assortment of Electro-Motive Division and Alco locomotives waits between assignments at the diesel shop in Barstow, Calif. It appears that a few Santa Fe employees are interested in taking a closer look at the EMD SD45 demonstrator in the foreground. Bill Pearce of Wichita, Kan., photographed the scene on his N scale Cajon Pass […]

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Class I railroads maintain their optimistic outlooks despite uncertainty over trade and the economy

Train with yellow locomotive on curve through surburan community

Despite mounting uncertainty over tariffs, trade policy, and the economy, most major railroads held firm on their 2025 outlooks — contrasting with a wave of guidance cuts across other industries. Among the five publicly traded Class I railroads, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific kept their guidance intact, while Canadian Pacific Kansas City and […]

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Famous tycoons who shaped America’s railroad industry

Portrait shot of Cornelius Vanderbilt

The rapid expansion of America’s railroad system in the 1800s and early 1900s was driven largely by a small group of powerful businessmen. Here we profile 12 of the most influential railroad magnates who helped shape modern America.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the men on this list built railroad empires connecting cities, opening the […]

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Regional Rail to acquire Minnesota Commercial Railway

Red locomotive with white nose strips and short string of freight cars

WASHINGTON — Short line holding company Regional Rail is acquiring the Minnesota Commercial Railway, which operates 86 miles of trackage around the Twin Cities. “The transaction will promote Regional Rail’s strategic and growth objectives, and help sustain MNNR’s efficiency, financial strength, and ability to meet the needs of shippers,” Regional Rail said in a regulatory […]

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Young Guns in Preservation: Lauren Osier

Young individual sitting in the cab of a steam locomotive

When the opportunity arose for Lauren Osier to begin her rail preservation journey at the 3-foot gauged Midwest Central Railroad in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, it became the journey of a lifetime for the now 25-year-old. She has taken on multiple volunteer opportunities at the railroad, ranging from social media marketer to engine crew; met her […]

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News photo: Saratoga Corinth & Hudson adds an Alco

Vintage black and yellow diesel next to current CPKC unit

CORINTH, N.Y. — The Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway, the heritage railway located on the former Delaware & Hudson Adirondack Branch, has added a third Alco RS3 with the arrival this week of No. 4085, a former D&H diesel long stored in Port Jervis, N.Y. The Delaware & Hudson Railway Historical Society announced the acquisition […]

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Titletown Train Show this weekend

logo of train show

The Titletown Train Show will be held May 3-4, 2025. The event will be at the KI Convention Center, 333 Main St., Green Bay, Wis. Show hours are Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features 35,000 square feet of operating display layouts, vendors, hourly door prizes, […]

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Walthers’ 2025 HO product highlights with Dana Kawala

Close-up of rail car.

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. offers a vast range of products and services with something for everyone in the hobby, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or seasoned veteran. Product and Brand Manager Dana Kawala recently stopped by Firecrown Media’s Brookfield, Wis., office to discuss more with Trains.com Staff Writer Lucas Iverson, as well as to […]

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Fort Bliss rail yard begins major expansion

Aerial view of rail yard in desert

EL PASO, Texas — Fort Bliss, the 1,700-square-mile Army post in Texas and New Mexico, is undergoing an expansion of its rail capacity. The El Paso Times reports that groundbreaking was held April 22 for construction of 4.3 additional miles of track at its rail yard, built to accommodate 565 railcars in 72 hours — […]

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Trains.com Insider Interview | Walthers Brand Manager Dana Kawala shares new products

Trains.com Insider Interview | Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., Brand Manager Dana Kawala chats with Trains.com staff writer Lucas Iverson. More than simply talking trains, Dana reveals several new items that the well-established manufacturer/distributor currently has available for purchase or has queued for production. Gather insights on product design and practical use, as Dana and Lucas […]

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