BNSF profits rise as volume and rates increase

OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway posted higher profits in the first quarter thanks to a combination of volume growth and pricing gains, corporate parent Berkshire Hathaway announced on Saturday. “The railroad is earning a little more than last year but it’s not earning what it should be earning at the present time,” Berkshire CEO Warren […]

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House subcommittee schedules hearing on rail grant programs

Logo of House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

WASHINGTON — A House subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday (May 6) addressing federal rail grants. The Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will hold the hearing, “America Builds: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Rail Assistance,” at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. A link to […]

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BLET, Union Railroad reach tentative agreement

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

PITTSBURGH — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has reached agreement on a tentative four-year deal with Pittsburgh’s Union Railroad, the union has announced. The contract, retroactive to 2024 and running through July 2028, includes raises of 4% in 2024, 4% in 2025, 3.5% in 2026, and 3.5% in 2027. It also includes changes […]

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Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2

Color photo of HO scale end-cab switcher on scenic base

Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with Next18 DCC plug, $154.98; with dual-mode ESU Sound & DCC, $209.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers HO scale Electro-Motive Division NW2 features: Dual tall conical exhaust stacks Factory-installed grab irons on hood […]

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Rail-making Steelton, Pa., steel plant to be shut down indefinitely

STEELTON, Pa. — Steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs has announced plans to temporarily but indefinitely close its Steelton plant near Harrisburg, Pa., one of only three locations in the U.S. making railroad rails. It is one of three U.S. plants the company will close. The others are in Conshohocken, Pa., and Riverdale, Ill. WHTM-TV reports the closure will […]

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SMART-TD members ratify agreement with Keolis

Logo of SMART-TD union

BOSTON — Conductors and assistant conductors have ratified a new five-year agreement with the contract operators of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter trains. Some 92% of members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, or 359 out of 387 who cast ballots, voted in favor of the agreement with […]

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Hearing set for FRA, Amtrak nominees

Logo of Senate Commerce Committee

WASHINGTON — The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a hearing on nominees for Federal Railroad Administration administrator and the last remaining open seat on Amtrak’s board of directors. The hearing for FRA nominee David Fink, Amtrak nominee Robert Gleason, and two other officials — David Fogael, assistant secretary of commerce, and Pierre Gentin, general counsel […]

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Trump budget, Congress mum on Amtrak funding, so far: Analysis

People boarding train with bilevel cars

WASHINGTON — Details have yet to emerge regarding how much money the Trump Administration and Congress might be willing to appropriate for Amtrak in Fiscal 2026, beginning on Oct. 1, 2025. Amtrak is not mentioned in the $163 billion of “non-defense discretionary spending” budget cuts in the spending plan released today (May 2, 2025) — […]

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Athearn N scale F89-F TOFC flatcar

Color photo of N scale flatcar with trailer load on white background.

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.  Athearn recently released an F89-F TOFC flatcar in its Genesis line. The flatcar is based on a prototype built in the 1960s by Bethlehem Steel Co. at its […]

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Class I railroads maintain their optimistic outlooks despite uncertainty over trade and the economy

Train with yellow locomotive on curve through surburan community

Despite mounting uncertainty over tariffs, trade policy, and the economy, most major railroads held firm on their 2025 outlooks — contrasting with a wave of guidance cuts across other industries. Among the five publicly traded Class I railroads, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific kept their guidance intact, while Canadian Pacific Kansas City and […]

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