FreightCar America Q1 net better than half of revenue

Logo of FreightCar America

CHICAGO — FreightCar America said net income totaled $50.4 million in the first quarter while revenue of $96.3 million fell 40.2% from the year-ago period. The Chicago-based railcar builder (NASDAQ: RAIL) delivered 710 units in the quarter ended March 31, down from 1,223 units in the previous-year quarter. Adjusted net income was $1.6 million, or 5 […]

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Freight car basics: Friction bearings

A railroad worker inspects a bearing on a freight car truck

Although replaced in recent years by roller bearings, friction bearings (also called solid bearings or plain bearings) were a railroad standard for many years. Friction bearings were blocks of metal, usually brass, resting atop the axle and lubricated by oil-saturated wool waste enclosed in a hinged-lid journal box. To keep the bearing from getting too […]

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Drive-on piggyback service through Switzerland to end this year

Electric locomotive on train with sleeping car and trucks on flatcars

OLTEN, Switzerland — The Rolling Highway, a drive-on, drive-off piggyback service carrying tractors and trailers through the Swiss Alps, will shut down at the end of 2025, operator RAlpin has announced. The company cited disruptions to the rail network — particularly the troubled German network — as leading to the shutdown. RAlpin has provided transport […]

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Atlas Trainman HO two-bay hopper

Color photo of HO scale two-bay offset-side hopper painted green with white graphics

Atlas Trainman HO two-bay hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $26.95; three-pack, $80.85 Era: 1930s to 1970s Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas Trainman HO two-bay hopper features: Blackened metal wheels on plastic axles Body-mounted Accumate couplers Factory-applied brake wheel, chassis, and slope sheet covers Freestanding […]

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News & Products for the week of May 5th 2025

A red and yellow model caboose

News & Products for the week of May 5th 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 May 5th, […]

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STB chairman updates status of long-running proceedings

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON — Surface Transportation Board Chairman Patrick Fuchs has updated status of several long-running board proceedings as part of his effort to expedite their resolution. “The agency continues to make significant progress concluding outstanding proceedings to resolve disputes, facilitate efficient market entry and exit, and ensure a sound national supply chain,” Fuchs said in a […]

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Cando adds Duncan as new chief operating officer

Man with short dark hair in suit and tie

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Paul Duncan is joining Cando Rail & Terminals as its new chief operating officer, the company has announced. Duncan, most recently chief operating officer at Norfolk Southern, has more than 22 years with Class I railroads. Prior to joining NS in 2022, he spent more than 19 years in roles of increasing […]

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Grupo Mexico’s rail operations post quarterly earnings decline as volume drops

MEXICO CITY — Grupo Mexico’s transportation division — which includes Ferromex, Ferrosur, Florida East Coast Railway, and Texas Pacifico — reported sharply lower first-quarter revenue and profits as a plunge in automotive and minerals traffic drove an overall volume decline. For the quarter, GMXT’s operating income declined 18.5%, to $225 million, as revenue declined 12.1%, […]

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BNSF profits rise as volume and rates increase

OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway posted higher profits in the first quarter thanks to a combination of volume growth and pricing gains, corporate parent Berkshire Hathaway announced on Saturday. “The railroad is earning a little more than last year but it’s not earning what it should be earning at the present time,” Berkshire CEO Warren […]

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