Chicago Great Western Railway locomotives

Red and black diesel locomotives parked on curve

All through December, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the Midwest’s Chicago Great Western Railway. Please enjoy this photo gallery of CGW freight trains selected from the image archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. The CGW was considered one of the Granger railroads of the Midwest linking Chicago, St. Paul, and Kansas City. It […]

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Connecticut agency approves funds for commuter locomotives, stations

Logo for MTA Metro-North Railroad

HARTFORD, Conn. — Funding for new locomotives and two new stations is included in $839 million in transportation projects approved Tuesday by Connecticut’s State Bond Commission, the Hartford Courant reports. The commission unanimously approved the set of 58 transportation projects. Included are $280 million for new dual-power locomotives to replace aging diesels used on some […]

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News Photos: Toaster, California style

Front view of electric locomotive in red, black, and white paint

Days after Amtrak wrapped one of its ACS64 locomotives in the paint scheme once worn by its AEM7s, Bay Area commuter operator Caltrain has unveiled a repainted AEM7  in a variant of the red, black, and white scheme worn by its MP36 diesels. The ex-Amtrak unit will be used to test the Caltrain catenary system, […]

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International Small Scale Steam Up event is still a go

Live steam engine on test track

Organizers of this year’s International Small Scale Steam Up in Diamondhead Miss. are excited to welcome you to their 2022 event. The annual show, which started in 1993, features a vendor room, flea market, operating live-steam tracks, and plenty of time for camaraderie and conversation with fellow enthusiasts. The event welcomes newcomers and experienced hobbyists […]

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News Photos: Amtrak heritage electric debuts (updated)

Amtrak electric locomotive with retro paint scheme

Shades of the AEM7: Amtrak’s newest heritage locomotive, ACS64 No. 662, made its debut on Thursday, handling Northeast Regional train No. 176 from Washington to Boston. The first trip came shortly after Amtrak released photos on Twitter of the Siemens locomotive wrapped in a recreation of the paint scheme worn by the earlier electric locomotives […]

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Union Pacific targets net-zero emissions by 2050

Train with yellow locomotives, with visible exhaust

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is more than halfway toward its goal of reducing emissions 26% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels, the railroad said today while unveiling its climate action plan. UP reduced emissions by 20% from 2018 to 2020 thanks to a combination […]

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Study sees rail move to battery-electric propulsion as feasible, cost effective

Train of hopper cars rounds curve

BERKELEY, Calif. — A new study says railroads could save $94 billion over 20 years by reducing air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions — and help avoid health impacts including an estimated 1,000 premature deaths each year — by retrofitting diesel-electric locomotives with battery power. The study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley […]

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Wabtec’s moonshot: Zero-emissions locomotives

Train with orange locomotives changing tracks at crossover

NEW YORK — Wabtec is on a mission to help railroads wean themselves off the diesel-electric locomotive to reduce and ultimately eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. “We are absolutely taking a moonshot at zero emissions,” Gina Trombley, Wabtec’s executive vice president of sales and marketing and chief commercial officer, told the RailTrends 2021 conference this month. […]

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Remembering Milwaukee Road locomotives

Broadside of streamlined steam locomotive in valley

Milwaukee Road locomotives All through November, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the multi-faceted Milwaukee Road. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Milwaukee Road selected from the image archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. The Milwaukee Road operated with steam, electric, and diesel motive power in its Midwest-to-Northwest service area. There are examples in […]

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