Accurail HO scale American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper

Accurail HO scale Chicago & North Western American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot-capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper no. 175070.

Well, it’s an exciting day in the workshop. We’ve got a brand new HO scale kit from Accurail. It’s the American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper. Let’s take a closer look at the model. This is an easy-to-build injection-molded plastic kit. It features a mix of molded and modeler-installed parts. […]

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Seeking Amtrak’s modern version of the ‘Empire Builder’

The Amtrak passengers who come and go from train No. 7 at Havre, Mont., are likely on their way out the parking lot long before they notice the statue at the foot of Third Avenue. That’s a shame. Virtually everything they see, in all directions, can be traced to that stout Canadian immigrant standing sentinel. […]

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Digest: Beech Grove fire intentionally set, investigators say

Buildings on fire next to Amtrak locomotive

Investigators say Beech Grove shops fire was intentionally set A fire that destroyed two storage sheds at Amtrak’s Beech Grove, Ind., Heavy Maintenance Facility appears to have been intentionally set, according to investigators. WXIN-TV reports James Pierce, operations chief for the Beech Grove Fire Department, notes the two buildings that burned and collapsed were not […]

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Digest: Santa Cruz transportation commission puts off reconsideration of rail transit plan

Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission logo

Santa Cruz commission declines to revisit vote on rail proposal The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has elected to delay further action on the California coastal county’s proposed 32-mile rail-and-trail project, a reflection of the strong divisions that have developed over the possibility of building a rail transit system on the former Southern Pacific […]

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N&W No. 611 to return to Strasburg Rail Road

Streamlined steam locomotive

ROANOKE, Va.  — Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 No. 611 will again return to Pennsylvania’s Strasburg Rail Road for excursions and other special events, the Virginia Museum of Transportation and Strasburg have announced. The Strasburg visit will begin later this month and continue through October 2021. Events will include opportunities to ride behind the […]

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Digest: East Broad Top receives $100,000 grant for Colgate Grove rehabilitation

Picnic area in trees with covered seating areas

Allegheny Foundation grant will aid East Broad Top rehab of picnic area Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the East Broad Top Foundation to support rehabilitation of the Colgate Picnic Grove, the turnaround point for EBT steam excursions since 1961. The wye at Colgate Grove originated as a spur serving a clay […]

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Digest: Conrail names Gorton as president, COO

Head shot of man

Brian Gorton named as Conrail president, chief operating officer Conrail has named Brian E. Gorton as its president and chief operating officer, succeeding the retired Timothy Tierney. The move, announced Thursday, was effective April 19. Gorton, who began his railroad career as a conductor for Conrail in 1987, was most recently the general manager of […]

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Imperial

Steam locomotive with train from overhead with mountains beyond

Imperial Southern Pacific GS-4 No. 4439 leads train No. 40, the eastbound Los Angeles-Chicago Imperial, 3 miles north of Corona, N.M., on the Golden State Route, as it nears its handoff to the Rock Island at Tucumcari, N.M., on May 27, 1949. The route was a significant one for the SP. D.L. Ingersoll photo […]

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Canadian Pacific, Canadian National weigh in on approval of CP voting trust for Kansas City Southern (updated)

Logos for Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Kansas City Southern

Canadian Pacific and Canadian National both reacted positively Thursday evening to a Surface Transportation Board decision allowing CP to place Kansas City Southern into a voting trust as part of its merger plans. CP calls it a “critical milestone” in its bid, while CN says it is encouraged the voting trust that is part of […]

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STB approves Canadian Pacific request to put Kansas City Southern in voting trust

Logos for Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators on Thursday approved Canadian Pacific’s request to put Kansas City Southern into a voting trust while their proposed $29 billion merger is under review. Canadian National, which has a dueling $33.7 billion unsolicited offer under review by the KCS board, also has asked the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to consider its […]

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Canadian National plans major upgrade to IC-KCS route to Kansas City

Freight train curves through town behind depot

MONTREAL – As part of its proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern, Canadian National envisions spending $250 million to create an upgraded route linking Kansas City, Mo., with Eastern Canada via Springfield, Ill. The big prize in a CN-KCS merger is connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. But the combined CN-KCS route to Kansas City would […]

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