Bicentennial Santa Fe locomotive to make California public debut

LOS ANGELES — Santa Fe No. 5704, the SD45-2 locomotive cosmetically restored to its bicentennial paint scheme, will make its California public debut at Los Angeles Union Station’s Train Festival 2023: A Celebration of Past, Present & Future on September 9-10. The locomotive, which was donated by BNSF to the Southern California Railway Museum in […]

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A diesel locomotive that didn’t – the EMD GP39

: EMD GP39 diesel locomotive in yard

The Electro-Motive Division GP39 diesel locomotive was a 12-cylinder, turbocharged unit without a market. EMD rarely missed when the company introduced a new model, but the announcement of the GP39 turned out to be a sales dud. The few buyers who did take the plunge and roster the locomotive found that, in the right assignment, […]

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Union Pacific’s General Electric U50C locomotives

Yellow General Electric U50C locomotives in yard beneath mountain peaks

Union Pacific’s General Electric U50C locomotives were the last double-diesel model to join the roster, beginning in late 1969. They were, however, the least successful of the three production models the railroad acquired.     GE built 40 U50C locomotives for UP between September 1969 and January 1971. (Their production dates largely mirrored those of […]

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Algoma Central locomotives remembered

Gray-and-maroon diesel Algoma Central locomotives

Algoma Central locomotives provided a bit of variety in northern Ontario railroading.     For a railroad its size, ACR owned a variety of steam power. The first engines were secondhand, including 11 acquired in 1899: four Lehigh Valley 4-6-0s and seven ex-Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 0-4-0s. ACR’s first new power, four Baldwin 2-8-0s, arrived […]

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Metrolink’s lonely F40PH locomotive

An image showing a three-quarter view of a white diesel locomotive with a blue stripe at the head of a passenger train

Metrolink’s lonely F40PH locomotive is one of a dwindling number of F40s. It’s hard to believe once the EMD F40PH was the predominant motive power for Amtrak trains as well as many commuter lines. At Metrolink, No. 800 is today one of a kind. The story starts in the years following the initial hodgepodge of […]

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News & Products for the week of July 31st 2023

An image of a section of a model railroad layout, with a bridge and green scenery

News & Products for the week of July 31st 2023 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 31st 2023. […]

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Trains Magazine sponsoring two-day vintage diesel photo charter

Maroon and gold vintage diesel locomotive at yellow station with semaphor signals.

OSCEOLA, Wis. — Trains Magazine is sponsoring a two-day photo charter in September featuring vintage diesel locomotives from the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) collection. Trains will run Sept.11-12 out of Osceola on MTM’s Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway, which operates over Canadian National’s 25-mile former Soo Line Dresser Subdivision. Trains will be pulled by […]

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CN moves retired GE units in ‘funeral train’

Train with long string of dead locomotives

WELLAND, Ontario — A Canadian National “funeral train” of 18 Dash 8 locomotives, part of an auction and sale in June 2023, arrived in Welland, Ont, on July 29, concluding a trip from Iowa. The locomotives will be handed off to the GIO Rail Trillium operation, which will deliver them to SLM Recycling of Welland. […]

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Diesel assists steam on the Central

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Two Fairbanks-Morse diesels, a five-axle “C-Liner” and an older “Erie-built,” doublehead with J-1 Hudson 5273 on eastbound mail train 32 at Millbury Junction, Ohio, 7.5 miles east of Toledo on New York Central’s old LS&MS main line, in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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5 small toy train engines in O and S gauge

K-line porter 0-4-0T steam engine

Here are 5 small toy train engines in O and S gauges from several eras. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but rather a way to call attention to these often overlooked little workhorses. Many of us have layouts that are under 100 square feet. It’s nice to have engines available that look great pulling trains […]

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Genesee & Wyoming Canada acquires BMS Locomotive Services

Logo of BMS Locomotive Service, acquired by Genesee & Wyoming Canada

EDMONTON, Alberta — Genesee & Wyoming Canada has completed acquisition of BMS Locomotive Service group, the company announced Thursday. The firm based in Edmonton has offered locomotive inspection, maintenance, refurbishment, and repair services in Western Canada for more than 20 years. It has 10 employees. “The addition of BMS enhances G&W Canada’s suite of services […]

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