Kato N Siemens ALC-42 Charger

Color photo showing front of modern N scale diesel in red, white, blue, and silver paint on white background

Kato N Siemens ALC-42 Charger Scale: N (1:160) Price: Direct-current models, $150; with pre-installed Digital Command Control motor decoder, $250; with pre-installed DCC and sound decoder, $350 Era: 2021 to present Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; 847-781-9500; katousa.com Kato N Siemens ALC-42 Charger features: All-wheel electrical pickup Blackened wheels Body-mounted […]

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U.S. weekly rail traffic again shows gains

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remains up after a brief dip in June, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending July 19, rail traffic totaled 506,882 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.6% compared with the same week a year ago. It is the third straight week […]

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CSX won’t rule out merger options

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX may not be out shopping for a merger partner, but the railroad will consider proposals that would raise shareholder value, improve service, and lead to profitable growth. “We know there’s been a lot of rumor and speculation about consolidation in the railroad industry in recent weeks,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs said […]

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Union Pacific expands domestic intermodal service

Train with three yellow locomotives on broad curve

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has announced a pair of new domestic intermodal lanes, with new service linking the Pacific Northwest with Chicago as well as between Memphis and Dallas. On Saturday, UP will launch daily service from Tacoma, Wash., to its Global 4 terminal in Joliet, Ill., outside Chicago. “This service will be complementary […]

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CSX profits fall on lower revenue, higher costs

Freight train with blue and yellow locomotives rounding curve

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX’s second-quarter profits slumped as unfavorable changes in traffic mix drove a revenue decline and costs rose amid congestion and detours related to a pair of main line outages. But executives said they were encouraged by the pace of the railroad’s operational recovery during the quarter, which produced improvements in on-time performance. […]

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News & Products for the week of July 21st 2025

A model pneumatic freight car

News & Products for the week of July 21st 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 July 21st, […]

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Atlas Summer 2025 HO and N catalog

Color photo showing cover of product catalog

The Atlas Summer 2025 HO and N catalog was recently posted on the manufacturer’s website. The 60-page PDF includes new models and signals in both scales, as well several items in new paint schemes and road numbers. All of the offerings are scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026. N scale In N […]

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Crew member, firefighter hurt as SEPTA train catches fire

Screenshot of aerial view of SEPTA train on fire on July 22, 2025.

BREAKING: SEPTA train on fire at Paoli station. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/ciJ68Oq2eh — Matt DeLucia (@MattDeLucia) July 23, 2025 PAOLI, Pa. — A Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority employee and a firefighter were injured when a Regional Rail train caught fire late Tuesday (July 22, 2025). No passengers were on board at the time. WTXF-TV reports two cars […]

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