Ask Trains: How do train crews earn their pay?

Union Pacific Ask Trains engine crew pay

A Union Pacific local train passes through suburban areas near Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., in October 2017. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney Question: How do trains crews earn their money? — Lee Martens, Rifle, Colo. Answer: In short, it is complicated. There are differences between how most Class I railroaders are paid and their short line colleagues — […]

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Ask Trains: Will Precision Scheduled Railroading affect Amtrak timekeeping?

Amtrak running on Canadian National Illinois Central tracks in Illinois

Siemens Charger SC-44 No. 4632 leads Amtrak train 391, the southbound Saluki from Chicago to Carbondale, Ill., on the Canadian National Centrailia Subdivision, after passing the coaling towers that were built for the then Illinois Central Railroad in 1949. 18302-27 Jim Pearson Question: What effect, if any, will the implementation of Precision Scheduled Railroading by […]

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‘Long-term deterioration’ likely cause of Toledo bridge collapse

Maumee_Bridge_Harding

“Long-term deterioration” is believed to be the cause of this bridge collapse onto Norfolk Southern tracks last week in Toledo, Ohio. Michael D. Harding TOLEDO, Ohio — Officials believe long-term deterioration was the cause of last week’s bridge collapse that blocked Norfolk Southern’s main line through Toledo for more than six hours. The Toledo Blade […]

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New model trains for the week of April 11, 2019

Broadway Limited Imports HO scale Union Pacific late 4-6-6-4 Challenger steam locomotive

Broadway Limited Imports HO scale Union Pacific late 4-6-6-4 Challenger steam locomotive HO scale locomotives Union Pacific late 4-6-6-4 Challenger steam locomotive. Clinchfield (painted black and graphite with coal tender in two road numbers) and Union Pacific (black and graphite with coal tender in two numbers, black and graphite with oil tender and smoke lifters […]

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Virgin Group’s Branson highlights MiamiCentral rebranding

Virgin_Miami_Johnston

MIAMI — Sir Richard Branson became the media darling of South Florida this week as Virgin Trains USA rebranded MiamiCentral, the massive terminal complex revitalizing a downtrodden area bordering the city’s business district. It was the initial move in the long-expected rebranding of Brightline passenger service. The flamboyant Branson, dressed in white and attracting a […]

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Finding the Transcontinental Railroad’s special tree that marked 1,000 miles from Omaha

Transcontinental Railroad 1000 mile tree in Utah

The Transcontinental Railroad’s replacement 1,000-mile tree in Utah. Jim Wrinn Of all of the locations that Union Pacific marked either formally or informally in the 1860s as it worked westward toward Promontory, one of the most interesting is the 1,000-mile tree. Nestled next to the tracks in Weber Canyon between Evanston, Wyo., and Ogden, Utah, […]

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Piedmont Road: the place on the Transcontinental Railroad where Thomas Durant was delayed traveling to Promontory

Piedmont Road: The place along the Transcontinental Railroad where Thomas Durant was held up by workers or washouts (or both!)

A view of the Union Pacific main line from Piedmont Road near the Altamont and Alpine tunnels along the Transcontinental Railroad route. The location is where, legend has it, that Union Pacific workers delayed Thomas Durant’s train on his way to the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah. Jim Wrinn A tried and true […]

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Rediscovering the Ames Brothers monument on the Transcontinental Railroad’s Sherman Hill

Transcontinental Railroad: Ames Monument at Sherman Hill in Wyoming.

The Ames Brothers monument along the former Union Pacific and Transcontinental Railroad right-of-way in Wyoming. The monument is on the Sherman Hill grade. Richard Koenig OLD SHERMAN, Wyo. — One of my favorite places on the first Transcontinental Railroad is Sherman Hill. It was the first big obstacle in Union Pacific’s way when the railroad […]

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What’s in a photograph?: Mountain-type F3s on the Union Pacific

UnionPacificatButteMont

Jerry A. Pinkepank 1 “Mountain Type” F3A. Briefly in 1947, EMD referred to its steam-generator-equipped, passenger-geared F3s as “The Mountain Type.” These units were intended for use on passenger trains that traversed grades for which E7s were not suitable. In September 1947 Union Pacific got eight F3 A-B-B sets, plus three extra A units, all […]

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