Five memorable Amtrak locomotives

Red-and-black diesel locomotive with Amtrak Floridian passenger train at station

The current era of transition for Amtrak’s roster harkens back to motive power that shaped the passenger rail carrier — for better or for worse. Excluding EMD F40PHs, as they’re in a league of their own, here are five memorable Amtrak locomotives.   SDP40F     Initially rolled out in 1973, the SDP40Fs became the […]

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Why do railroads use catenary?

Orange, black, and white model electric locomotive running under catenary.

When you think about electrified rail lines today, the first thing that probably comes to mind is Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. But in the first half of the 1900s, before the start of the diesel era, railroads used electrified lines to move freight and passengers. Examples in the east included the New York, New Haven & […]

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News & Products for the week of July 22nd 2024

A model locomotive in a green and yellow paint scheme

News & Products for the week of July 22nd 2024   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 22nd […]

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News & Products for the week of July 15th 2024

A model locomotive in a red and black paint scheme

News & Products for the week of July 15th 2024   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 15th […]

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Latest Metro-North anniversary locomotive honors employees

Blue and silver locomotive outside shop building

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Metro-North Railroad’s fifth in a series of specially wrapped locomotives to honor its 40th anniversary has taken a slightly different approach than the first four units, honoring the commuter line’s employees rather than its predecessor railroads. The wrap on PC32AC-DM No. 214 uses a mosaic of photos of past and present […]

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Britain’s Royal Mail to end rail operations

Red mostly windowless electric trains on curve

The British postal service, Royal Mail, has announced it will stop using its dedicated fleet of mail and parcel carrying trains in October, giving the rail freight company that runs the trains on its behalf, DB Cargo, three months’ notice. Royal Mail has told DB Cargo that its rationale for the decision is because of […]

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News & Products for the week of July 8th 2024

A computer scan of a locomotive

News & Products for the week of July 8th 2024   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 8th […]

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News & Products for the week of July 1st 2024

A model locomotive in a city of Chicago paint scheme

News & Products for the week of July 1st 2024   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 1st […]

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News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024

Line art of cream and green diesel locomotive

News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024 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 June 24th 2024. […]

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British project will convert diesel locomotive to steam power

Eversholt logo

LONDON — A British company has announced plan to convert a 1980s diesel locomotive to a prototype of a zero-emission steam powered unit. Rail equipment leasing firm Eversholt Rail Group said earlier this month it would convert a British Rail Class 60 locomotive, a C-C unit built by Brush Traction, in a partnership with Steamology, […]

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News & Products for the week of June 17th 2024

A model locomotive in a yellow and gray paint scheme

News & Products for the week of June 17th 2024 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 June 17th 2024. […]

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California concludes zero-emissions locomotives are ready to roll

The California Air Resources Board pitted a standard diesel-electric locomotive consist against zero-emissions alternatives – including battery-electric models from Wabtec and ProgressRail as well as Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s hydrogen fuel cell locomotive – in a hypothetical test run from the Port of Los Angeles to Barstow, Calif. The analysis concludes that the current zero-emissions […]

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