Bachmann HO Trinity 5161 covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $59 Manufacturer: Bachmann Industries Inc., 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; shop.bachmanntrains.com Bachmann HO Trinity 5161 covered hopper features: Based on phase 2 prototype with 10 body panels and 17 running board supports Blackened machined metal wheelsets Body-mounted plastic E-Z Mate Mark II […]
Tag: Freight
Bob Bartizek’s Pennsylvania & Western RR in O scale
Tour the Pennsylvania & Western RR, Bob Bartizek’s impressive O scale (1:48, 3-rail) model railroad representing a fictional subdivision of the Pennsylvania RR in western Pennsylvania between 1949 and 1953. Though it uses 3-rail power and GarGraves Phantom-line O gauge track with a black center rail, the locomotives and rolling stock are all built to […]
Illinois village evacuated after CN derailment
NORA, Ill. — About 100 residents of the village of Nora are the subjects of a precautionary evacuation following the derailment of 17 cars of a Canadian National train carrying ethanol early today (Oct. 9, 2025). The Jo Daviess County Emergency Management agency said in a press release that the Warren Fire Department and Joe […]
Sneaker reseller’s arrest tied to continuing surge in rail freight thefts
LOS ANGELES — Authorities have arrested Adeel Shams, founder of popular sneaker resale platform CoolKicks, after discovering more than $500,000 in stolen Nike goods during a raid at the company’s Santa Monica warehouse. Police said the merchandise — including 2,100 pairs of shoes and 150 cartons of apparel, some unreleased — had been stolen from an […]
Historical Chicago terminal railroads: Still going Strong
Chicago has always had a plethora of terminal railroads. Many have come and gone, but a handful with historical roots dating to the late 19th Century are still active today, and vital to keeping the freight and passenger traffic consistently moving in and out of the city. These are Historical Chicago terminal railroads that are […]
BLET claims Mexican train crews pose border security risk
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is sounding the alarm bell about the potential for Mexican railroad crews to smuggle people and contraband into the United States. The warning comes as the union opposes Union Pacific’s efforts to use Ferromex crews to deliver northbound interchange trains to its yard in Eagle Pass, Texas, some […]
Norfolk Southern aims for higher standards
Second of two parts. Part one is available here. ATLANTA — In his first public remarks after being named CEO in September 2024, Mark George said he didn’t like the way that railroads have historically tolerated poor operations and service performance. George came to NS from United Technologies, the conglomerate that produced jet engines, elevators, […]
U.S. weekly rail traffic again shows gains
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up for a second consecutive week, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Statistics for the week ending Oct. 4 show U.S. volume of 503,538 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.6% from the same week in 2024. That includes 224,972 carloads, up 0.002% […]
Rail union asks FAA to ban drone flights over rail infrastructure
WASHINGTON — A rail union has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to ban the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, above rail yards and main lines. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, submitted comments earlier this week on a proposed FAA rule that would allow expanded […]
Locomotive milestone: Norfolk Southern completes modernization No. 1,000
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern marked a major milestone last month when AC44C6M No. 4947 rolled out of the Juniata Locomotive Shop as the 1,000th unit modernized through its long-running DC-to-AC conversion program. The program, which began in 2015, completely rebuilds General Electric Dash-9 units and creates a more powerful, more fuel efficient, and more reliable […]
Two NS crew members injured in Indiana derailment
OWENSVILLE, Ind. — A Norfolk Southern engineer and conductor were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following a derailment this morning in Owensville, Ind. Responding to an inquiry from Trains.com, Norfolk Southern said in a statement that the derailment occurred about 3 a.m. today (Oct. 8, 2025) and involved a locomotive and two railcars. […]
Arizona city votes to oppose BNSF logistics hub near Phoenix
SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Surprise City Council has unanimously approved a resolution opposing BNSF’s plans for a logistics hub in Wittman, Ariz. At its Tuesday, Oct. 7, meeting, the council approved a resolution saying it “cannot support the development … unless it proceeds in a manner that clearly prioritizes public safety, quality of life, and […]
