CN, CP lines reopen in British Columbia

Logo of Port of Vancouver, B.C.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian National and Canadian Pacific were both able to operate rail service through the Thompson and Fraser River canyons on Friday, the Port of Vancouver informed customers, while cautioning that wildfire activity in British Columbia’s interior continues and “impacts to rail operations are evolving and changing quickly.” Both railroads had halted […]

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Junction of CN’s former Illinois Central and Elgin, Joliet & Eastern provides lots of photo options

Black locomotive leads train through sharp curve

  Introduction to the Matteson, Illinois, railfan hotspot Matteson’s status as a truly significant railroad junction dates only to October 2011, when Canadian National completed a new connection between its north-south former Illinois Central line, and its recently acquired Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, the belt line that gave it a way to avoid much of […]

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Merger costs dent Kansas City Southern quarterly earnings

Red, black, and orange locomotive at head of freight train

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Southern’s revenue and volume surged in a second quarter that compared favorably to a year ago, when pandemic-related shutdowns resulted in historic traffic declines. But the railroad’s $700 million merger breakup fee paid to Canadian Pacific sent KCS into the red for the quarter. Current merger partner Canadian National will […]

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Fires disrupting CN, CP in British Columbia, UP in California

Canadian National logo

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific main lines in British Columbia are once again both shut down because of wildfires. Meanwhile, in California, Union Pacific is also experiencing additional fire-related disruptions. Container shipper Hapag-Lloyd informed customers on Thursday that CN and CP have halted operations east of Lytton at the request of the B.C. Wildfire Service, […]

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Western Maryland Scenic now operating Amtrak’s last dome car

Full-length dome car with red stripe

CUMBERLAND, Md.  — As tourist railroads and museums emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, they are offering new experiences to attract the public. At the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, this effort has translated into the addition of Amtrak’s last dome car. The Ocean View, built in 1955 and retired by Amtrak in 2019, debuted earlier this […]

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TSB report: Accidental brake release led to Ontario short line runaway

Two derailed locomotives and derailed hopper cars

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario — An inadvertent brake release by the engineer as he left the locomotive cab led to the derailment of a runaway train earlier this year on the Goderich Exeter Railway in Goderich, Ontario, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has determined. In the Feb. 1, 2021, accident, two locomotives and six cars […]

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Texas Central signs operating agreement with Renfe

Texas Central logo

DALLAS — Continuing to line up major partners and suppliers for its project, Texas Central Railway this week announced it has signed a contract to have Spanish firm Renfe serve as “Early Operator” for its proposed Dallas-Houston high speed rail line. As early operator, Renfe will be involved in design and development of commercial aspects […]

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Western railroads struggle with off-rail intermodal supply chain problems

RochelleGlobal3

CHICAGO — Union Pacific may temporarily reopen its idled Global III intermodal terminal in Rochelle, Ill., to help relieve congestion at its Global IV terminal in Joliet, Ill. UP informed customers Wednesday it will temporarily halt shipments of international containers from all West Coast ports to its Global IV terminal for up to a week, […]

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News & Products for the week of July 15, 2021

PIKO America Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe remote-control starter set.

Large scale sets Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe remote-control starter set. Includes a 0-6-0T saddletank steam locomotive, two-bay offset-side hopper, caboose, R/C controller, pocket remote, power clamps, and circle of indoor/outdoor R1 track. Locomotive has five-pole can-type motor, detailed cab interior with engineer figure, and sliding pickup shoes. All models have hook-and-loop couplers. $479.99. September […]

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News & Products for the week of June 15, 2021

Atlas Wisconsin & Southern Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive.

O gauge locomotives Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 diesel locomotive. Burlington Northern (Cascade Green and black, Chicago & North Western (Falcon Service scheme), CSX (gray, blue, and yellow), Milwaukee Road (orange and black with billboard lettering), Pan Am Rys. (dark blue and white), and Wisconsin & Southern (40th Anniversary scheme, one road number). Two numbers per scheme […]

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