Hydrogen train plans announced for Germany, Italy

Siemens first hydrogen-powered train

Plans have been announced for Siemens to debut a hydrogen-powered trainset in German, while Alstom will introduce its hydrogen equipment to Italy. Siemens and German national passenger operator Deutsche Bahn will test the manufacuture’s first foray into hydrogen power, a two-car trainset based on its Mireo Plus regional train. A Siemens press release reports the […]

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Class I railroad executives tout growth prospects, customer focus

A Norfolk Southern train heads west through Otis, Ind

Top executives from Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern last week touted the industry’s growth prospects and the ways they are working to make railroads better able to compete against trucks. Their remarks, made at the RailTrends 2020 conference, came a day after consulting firm Oliver Wyman released a survey that showed […]

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Pike’s Peak Railway getting new snow blower

The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway's new snow blower

MANITOU, Colo. — New railroad snowfighting equipment is relatively rare, but there’s a new snow clearing tool on its way to Colorado.   The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway has ordered a new snow blower as part of its $100 million renovation project. The new snow blower, produced by Zaugg in Eggiwil, Switzerland, will […]

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Modern grain movers

Soo Line boxcars in the 1960s

Some of Soo Line’s 50-foot, 70-ton boxcars were equipped with grain doors, visible in the upper part of the plug door. The railroad built 200 of the modern-looking cars in 1964. Photo by Soo Line […]

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Milwaukee, Racine & Troy 45th anniversary HO scale boxcar kit

Milwaukee, Racine & Troy 45th anniversary HO scale boxcar kit

An HO scale injection-molded plastic boxcar kit commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Milwaukee, Racine & Troy, Model Railroader’s staff layout, is now available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store. The kit, produced by Accurail, features a one-piece body, separate doors, and roller-bearing trucks. Though our model is decorated in a fictional paint scheme, the Accurail […]

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New model trains for the week of November 5, 2020

Accurail HO scale Milwaukee Road 40-foot ribbed-side double-door boxcar

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel/Progress Rail SD70ACU diesel locomotive. Canadian Pacific (red with monochrome beaver herald and maroon-and-gray heritage scheme with script lettering in two road numbers each; Army Arid Regions and Navy schemes in one number each) and Norfolk Southern (Thoroughbred scheme, four numbers). Prototype-specific details, light-emitting-diode headlights, and wire grab irons. Direct-current model […]

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New model trains for the week of October 29, 2020

Wm. K. Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive

HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP7 diesel locomotive. Great Northern (Empire Builder scheme); Belt Ry. of Chicago (1950s to 1970s scheme); Chessie System (Chesapeake & Ohio reporting marks); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (black-and-gray scheme); Erie Lackawanna (gray, maroon, and yellow scheme); and Reading Co. (yellow-and-green scheme). Four road numbers per scheme (two each in direct […]

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