OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George first broached the possibility of a transcontinental merger during an otherwise routine phone call on Dec. 18, the railroads disclosed in a preliminary shareholder proxy filed on Tuesday. The proxy form provides a detailed timeline for their merger discussions, including the […]
LONDON — Greetings from London, where I am preparing for my third international Trains Magazine/Special Interest Tours, following earlier trips to Germany and Switzerland. This one begins Sept. 23 and was scheduled to mark the bicentennial of modern railroading, which began in September 1825 with the first steam-powered train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway. […]
WASHINGTON — Green Eagle Railroad, which aims to build a cross-border rail and truck corridor through the Eagle Pass, Texas, gateway, has urged the Surface Transportation Board to reject Union Pacific’s request that the project face a full regulatory review. Last month, UP argued that construction of the 19-mile cross-border line is unnecessary and would […]
An Association of American Railroads (AAR) 50-ton flatcar is the latest body style from Kadee Quality Products Co. The newly tooled HO scale model features injection-molded plastic construction, a detailed underbody, and No. 158 whisker couplers. Prototype history The AAR recommended three 50-foot flatcar designs in 1941. In his book Freight Cars of the ’40s […]
Richard Jay Solomon, of Monson, Mass., passed away suddenly on Sept. 10, 2025, following several months of illness. He was 85 years old. Born in New York City to Alfred P. and Bessie Solomon, Richard was an only child and grew up in the Bronx. As a child, he traveled by train with his parents, […]
WASHINGTON — The Rail Customer Coalition, which represents the manufacturing, agriculture, and energy industries, has told federal regulators that Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern will stifle rail competition and drive up costs. “Past rail mergers have shown what happens when consolidation goes unchecked: service suffers, costs increase, and jobs disappear,” the coalition wrote […]
When fellow O gauge modeler Charles Stoia was photographing the 22 x 36-foot layout belonging to his friend Clem Krzeczkowski for Classic Toy Trains, he wasn’t sure whether juxtaposing some soldiers on maneuvers with two massive steam engines blasting by on the double-track main line made sense. After all, which war were the recruits preparing […]
With the sun just about to set, Fred Lagno of Queenstown, Md., snapped this shot of a Chesapeake & Ohio caboose bringing up the markers on a passing freight. Fred scratchbuilt the house. The caboose is a Walthers model. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, celebrating decades of model railroad […]
Parallel Systems has begun the second phase of testing its autonomous, battery-electric railcars on Genesee & Wyoming short line Heart of Georgia Railroad. The first phase of testing was performed on a 2-mile section of track on the Heart of Georgia. The Parallel vehicle was operated for a total of 90 miles and passed all […]
ST. LOUIS — Intramotev, the technology company building autonomous battery-electric freight cars, announced on Tuesday that Watco will begin using Intramotev’s TugVolt system, starting at its transload terminal in Wood River, Ill., in January. “At Watco, we’re always exploring new ways to support our customers,” Aaron Jensen, Watco’s senior vice president of operations solutions and […]
MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA — Demolition experts wasted little time in dismantling the top of the former Michigan Central coaling tower that straddles Amtrak’s Michigan line, which normally hosts Wolverine and Blue Water trains. The process of crushing this fortress and another one on Michigan-owned track west of Augusta, Mich., between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, has […]
WASHINGTON — “See Tracks? Think Train Week,” which runs Sept. 15–21, is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of staying safe around railroad tracks. The campaign highlights Federal Railroad Administration statistics showing that more than 95% of rail-related deaths involve drivers going through grade crossings or pedestrians trespassing on tracks. “Every three hours in […]
