WASHINGTON — Federal regulators today gave the green light to Watco’s acquisition of the 420-mile Michigan regional Great Lakes Central Railroad. Watco has been an equity investor in the GLC since 2013 and in March sought to have its acquisition of the railroad exempt from Surface Transportation Board review, which is common in straightforward shortline […]
What a week this was for unexpected twists and turns in the Class I railroad merger landscape. First, on Monday Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett said the company would not bid on CSX or Norfolk Southern, which had been viewed as potential merger partners for the Berkshire-owned BNSF Railway. A BNSF-CSX combination, in particular, had […]
Trainz has purchased the inventory and electronic property of Trainsetsonly.com from Paul and Lisa Christel. Based in New Lenox, IL, Trainsetsonly.com was an ecommerce model train store offering a wide variety of model railroading merchandise. This inventory has been shipped to Trainz’s warehouse in Flowery Branch, Ga. Look for these products to become available on […]
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — After an engaged community discussion, the city council voted Aug. 26, to retain Western Maryland 4-6-2 No. 202, rejecting a proposal to donate the locomotive to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The debate drew lines in the Western Maryland community over the cost of restoration and responsibility for care versus seeing the […]
PITTSBURGH — Wabtec this week introduced its EVO Advantage engine, which features eTurbo technology that improves fuel efficiency by as much as 7%. The EVO Advantage — which is currently undergoing extensive field testing — will be available for Evolution series Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotive modernizations, the manufacturer said this week. “The heart […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has added 15 new Focus Sites in eight states, with a dozen of the large-scale development properties located on connecting short line railroads. UP’s 39 Focus Sites generally include 125 or more acres that are suited for custom-built warehouses or industrial facilities. “Our partnerships with short line railroads are helping […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has opened a nine-mile stretch of second main track in Southern California to support premium intermodal service out of its Inland Empire Intermodal Terminal at West Colton Yard. The work, between South Fontana and Bon View, Calif., on the Alhambra Subdivision, included installation of double track, rebuilding two bridges and […]
WalthersMainline HO 41-foot ballast hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $31.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Features on WalthersMainline HO 41-foot ballast hopper: 36” turned-metal wheels mounted on plastic axles Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Factory-applied brake details, crossover platforms, and longitudinal doors Heavy, die-cast metal underframe Injection-molded […]
The NJ Hi-Railers Train Club was known for its former O scale layout, located on one of the floors in a former silk mill in Paterson, N.J. At 185.5 x 30 feet, with over 7,500 feet of track (equating to 70 scale miles), visiting the immaculate display firsthand was said to be an experience that […]
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Let’s get something straight: Amtrak’s NextGen Acela trainsets that began revenue service with two Northeast Corridor round-trips between Washington and Boston on Thursday are shiny new objects worthy of the hype. The trains incorporate four decades of Alstom’s TGV technology and are destined to fully replace 25-year-old Acela equipment introduced in […]
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department yesterday urged the Surface Transportation Board to closely scrutinize Norfolk Southern’s bid for full control of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line, warning that the move could choke off competition at one of the Port of Virginia’s intermodal terminals. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division said the 129-year-old Belt Line — […]
CHICAGO — Metra service on the Milwaukee North, Milwaukee West, and North Central lines was disrupted for about two hours during the evening rush on Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2025) by a minor derailment. Service is operating normally this morning. Video from WBBM-TV shows the front wheels of SD70MACH No. 515 off the track near Canal […]
