Hoosier Valley museum seeks funds to help return BL2 to operation

Blue, gray, and yellow semi-streamlined diesels

NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, the Indiana preservation railroad that is leasing two rare EMD BL2 diesels, is seeking $5,000 in donations to speed the day when it can put one of the units into service. The former Bangor & Aroostook Railroad diesels, purchased during the bankruptcy sale of Iowa Pacific […]

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Union Pacific suspends inbound international container shipments to Chicago for a week

Stack train under dramatic clouds

OMAHA, Neb. – In the latest pandemic-related disruption, Union Pacific has told customers it will halt all shipments of international containers from West Coast ports to its Global IV terminal in Chicago for up to a week. The embargo, scheduled to begin on Sunday night, will help the railroad clear a container backlog at Global […]

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STB chairman questions level of rail competition, Wall Street influence on Class I railroads

Man standing in front of banner for Midwest Association of Rail Shippers

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. – Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman fully supports the White House’s call for more competition in the rail industry and questions whether Class I railroads are shirking their obligations as common carriers due to pressure from Wall Street. Oberman, addressing the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers today, said the Biden administration’s […]

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Nickel Plate Road 765 to return to Ohio for Steam in the Valley

Steam locomotive crosses waterway on bridge

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 will return to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for Steam in the Valley on Sept. 3, 10-12 and 17-19. Each year, except for 2020, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad works with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society to bring the steam locomotive to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, […]

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Collection elevator

Aerial view of boxcars loading at wooden grain elevator

Collection elevator This small collection elevator near Bayneville, Kans., typical of the thousands of wooden country elevators that were once common across the Midwest and West, is loading a boxcar, while two trucks wait with incoming wheat at the start of the grain rush in June 1952. The small elevator isn’t as wide as the […]

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Illinois Central Railroad: passenger trains

IC01-1

All through July 2021, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the style, heritage, and grit that was the IC. Please enjoy an image gallery of Illinois Central Railroad passenger trains, originally published in July 2018. Only from Classic Trains! […]

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Former rail historical society official gets jail time for theft of funds

Logo of the Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Historical Society

PORT HURON, Mich. — The former treasurer of the Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Historical Society has been sentenced to 93 days in jail for theft of funds from the organization, the Port Huron Times Herald reports. Steve Harvey of Mount Vernon, Ohio, pleaded guilty to larceny less than $200, reduced from embezzlement between $1,000 […]

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Maximum speeds increase to 90 mph on Amtrak’s Chicago-St. Louis corridor

Passenger train passes signals

CHICAGO — As of today, top speeds are rising from 79 to 90 mph on much of Amtrak’s Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service corridor. With signal system testing complete and certified for reliability by the Federal Railroad Administration, the higher speed will be allowed between Laraway Road, south of Joliet, Ill., and CP Wann, two miles […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 71

Hal Miller and Bob Keller

On this episode of Bob’s Train Box, Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller get an up-close and personal look at MTH Trains’ recently released Premier line SD24 (even more info on it here). Then Bob examines some Greenberg guides that are fun to read and helpful when it comes to collecting trains and accessories. Finally, […]

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Bob’s Train Box Episode 71

Hal Miller and Bob Keller

On this episode of Bob’s Train Box, Bob and CTT editor Hal Miller get an up-close and personal look at MTH Trains’ recently released Premier line SD24 (even more info on it here). Then Bob examines some Greenberg guides that are fun to read and helpful when it comes to collecting trains and accessories. Finally, […]

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Iowa Interstate marks 100th birthday of founding chairman

Black, red, and yellow locomotive

  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Iowa Interstate Railroad marked the 100th birthday of its founding chairman, Dr. Paul H. Banner, last week, reminding the railroad industry of his contributions to the industry in leadership roles at Southern Railway and the Rock Island as well as the Midwestern regional railroad. Banner’s birthday was June 30. […]

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