Middletown & Hummelstown founder Wendell J. Dillinger dies at 93

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Wendell J. Dillinger, 93, lifelong railroader and founder and CEO of the 7-mile-long Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad in Central Pennsylvania, died Dec. 10. During his 47 years of operating the line, he ran diesel freight and passenger trains, acquired and restored to service ex-Canadian National Railways 2-6-0 steam locomotive No. 91, and […]

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Reading & Northern hits one million tons in coal traffic

Close view of Reading & Northern hopper car

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern Railroad announced today it has moved one million tons of coal this year, reaching that long-sought goal for the first time in its 33-year history. The milestone reinforces the “Road of Anthracite” slogan adopted by owner and CEO Andy Muller since launching the railroad with an initial […]

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Santa Fe Super Fleet locomotives

orange and yellow locomotive

Santa Fe Super Fleet Virtually anyone these days with an interest in the industry knows what the term Super Fleet means. It’s the iconic red-and-silver warbonnet paint scheme worn by new Santa Fe locomotives during the twilight of the company’s existence. First applied to a Santa Fe locomotive in the late 1930s, the design graced […]

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When the reindeer are off, Santa Claus rides the rails

train wrapped in holiday lights on tracks

Santa Claus rides the Sierra Northern Railway, Ventura Division Have you ever wondered what happens when Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, his traditional form of transportation, needs its regularly scheduled inspection and servicing? Let’s face it; over the millennium the jolly guy in the red suit has circumnavigated the world more times than Magellan. He and […]

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Canadian National to acquire Iowa Northern Railway

Freight train with seven red, gray, and yellow locomotives

  MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway will acquire Iowa Northern Railway, which operates approximately 253 route-miles and 275 track-miles, primarily between Cedar Rapids and Manly, Iowa, CN announced today. Iowa Northern was founded in 1984 on a portion of the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. The Class III short line serves 19 counties in […]

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OmniTRAX to begin operation of South Branch Valley Railroad on Friday

Blue locomotive pulling freight cars

MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — OmniTRAX will take over management of West Virginia’s South Branch Valley Railroad this Friday, Dec. 1, the company has announced. The transportation affiliate of The Broe Group said Wednesday that it had entered into “a definitive agreement with the West Virginia Deparment of Transportation to operate and grow” the 52.4-mile railroad, a […]

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BA&P road-switcher electrics

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Montana’s Butte, Anaconda & Pacific relied on a fleet of 28 General Electric box-cabs after it electrified its line in 1913. The road received these two road-switcher-style motors from GE in 1957, then went to diesels in 1967. General Electric photo […]

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