I constructed my first N scale layout in a coffee table in 1976 based on the East Glasstop project railroad series that appeared in Model Railroader from December of 1970 to April of 1971. However, it was not until I retired in 2016 that I completed my second layout, a 5 x 5 foot square […]
WASHINGTON — Matthew Lane, general manager of Pinsly’s Pioneer Valley Railroad in Massachusetts, has been named Safety Person of the Year by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Lane joins Herman Crosson, Anacostia Rail Holdings’ chief safety and compliance officer, in earning the ASLRRA’s top individual safety awards. Crosson was previously announced as […]
WASHINGTON — Two Illinois congressmen, backed by 39 cosponsors, have reintroduced legislation to provide a tax credit for replacement and modernization of the U.S. freight railcar fleet. U.S. Reps. Darren Hood, a Republican, and Brad Schneider, a Democrat, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, reintroduced HR 1200, the “Freight Rail Assistance and Investment to Launch Coronavirus-era Activity […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — Extreme cold has hobbled BNSF Railway’s operations on its Northern Transcon in North Dakota and Montana. “The extreme cold affecting the Northern Transcon route through Montana and North Dakota, with temperatures plunging over 20 degrees below zero in some areas overnight, has hindered normal train operations,” BNSF said in a customer […]
ATTICA, Ohio — One tank car of ethanol was among those reported to be leaking after a derailment of a Norfolk Southern train Tuesday (Feb. 11, 2025) in Attica, Ohio. The derailment occurred about 8:19 p.m., according to the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported. Norfolk Southern said in a statement reported by […]
Q: I’ve noticed 53-foot intermodal containers on top of what I believe are 40-foot containers. What I’m not sure about is whether the smaller container is in a 40-foot well car or a 53-foot car? — David Bellamy A: The 40-foot intermodal container in the bottom position can be in a 40- or 53-foot well […]
WENDELL, Mass. — Eight cars of an intermodal train operated by the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad derailed today (Feb. 11), the Greenfield Recorder reports. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved; a Genesee & Wyoming spokesman told WWLP-TV that the train was carrying a mix of commodities. Wendell Police Sgt. Steven Gould […]
No railroads landed on the Wall Street Journal’s ranking of the 250 best-managed companies of 2024. The annual Management Top 250 list measures corporate effectiveness by considering performance in five areas, including customer satisfaction, employee engagement, innovation, social responsibility, and financial strength. The ranking, developed and compiled by the Drucker Institute, is based on data […]
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s Maya Train project has been hit by a major budget cut, while at least one other rail infrastructure program has seen a significant boost as President Claudia Sheinbaum shifts priorities, the news site La Verdad Noticias reports. Funding to complete the tourism-oriented Maya Train, meanwhile saw a 70.7% cut, from 125.9 […]
News & Products for the week of February 10th 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 February 10th, […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX wants to create a single, systemwide contract covering conductors represented by the SMART-TD union. The railroad currently has three regional contract agreements with the union. In a notice to conductors, CSX says that consolidating those contracts into one “will allow CSXT to better utilize trainmen employees throughout CSXT’s system, improve train […]
Adding details that make a scene more interesting or increase operating potential can take your layout to a whole new leave of realism. Try one (or all) of the ideas listed below! Share your photos with us at editor@classictoytrains.com. Detail track and add lineside details Adding details to the right-of-way is an easy way to […]
