Atlas N scale EMD SD35

Color photo showing cab and short hood of N scale diesel painted blue and black on white background.

Atlas N scale EMD SD35 Scale: N (1:160) Price: Direct-current model with factory-installed speaker, $134.95; with ESU sound decoder, $249.95 Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas N scale EMD SD35 features: Blackened metal wheels Body-mounted Accumate couplers Clear window glazing Directional, golden white light-emitting diode lighting Factory-painted […]

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Metra adding trains on BNSF, UP North lines

Silver and read locomotive on commuter train

CHICAGO — Metra will add service on its most-used route, the BNSF Line, and make changes to two of its Union Pacific lines in September, the commuter operator has announced. On the BNSF Line between Aurora, Ill., and Chicago, the schedule effective Sept. 8 will include two new morning inbound express trains and two afternoon […]

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Weekly U.S. rail traffic sees slight decline

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — After six weeks in positive territory, U.S. weekly rail traffic slipped slightly below 2024 levels during the week ending Aug. 16, 2025. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 512,970 carloads and intermodal unites, a drop of 0.7% from the same week a year ago. That […]

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CSX ‘strongly disagrees’ with activist investor’s accusations

Man in white polo shirt speaking in front of CSX backdrop

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs says his railroad strongly disagrees with the assertions that an activist investor made in a letter that was made public this week. Ancora Holdings seeks to force CSX to promptly engage in merger talks with BNSF or Canadian Pacific Kansas City — and argues that Hinrichs should be […]

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Amtrak awards contracts for maintenance facility upgrades at three Northeast locations

Computer illustration of planned building at railyard

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has awarded contracts and begun activity preceding construction for modernization of yards in Boston, New York, and Washington to prepare them for the delivery of new Airo trainsets. “These investments are key to introducing our new Airo trains on the Northeast Corridor beginning in 2027,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a […]

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House committee to investigate California high speed rail

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Members of the House of Representatives are launching a new investigation into federal funding for the California high-speed rail project, James Comer, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, announced Tuesday. Comer (R-Ky.) said in a press release that the committee wants to know if the California High-Speed Rail Authority “knowingly […]

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FTA says it could withhold funds from New York MTA over subway safety issues

Workers in subway tunnel

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration on Tuesday warned it could take actions against New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority — including withholding 25% of the transit agency’s federal funding — over what the FTA called New York City Transit’s failure to address safety risks for subway track maintenance workers. The FTA issued a special directive […]

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Broyles named CEO of R.J. Corman Railroad Group

Head shot of man in suit and tie

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — R.J. Corman Railroad Group has named Justin Broyles as president and CEO, the company announced Tuesday (Aug. 19, 2025). Broyles had been named to the positions on an interim position in June [see “Broyles named interim CEO …,” Trains.com, June 27, 2025]. Broyles, formerly chief commercial officer at Patriot Rail, rejoined R.J. […]

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Understanding N scale couplers

Color photo of N scale freight car truck with Micro-Trains Line Co. Magne-Matic knuckle coupler

Q: I have gone to train shows and garage sales and bought many N scale cars with all sorts of different couplers. I am trying to create my own standard and stick with the majority of people with N scale rolling stock. I know there are many vendors out there. Can you help me sort […]

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