SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — You could say that Jim Vena’s latest salvo in the war of words over the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger was downright Shakespearean. Which is to say that the Union Pacific CEO thinks the other Class I railroads doth protest too much. “If your competitor was doing something stupid, what would you […]
Lionel Trains has released its 2026 catalog. The 172-page catalog includes new items from the VisionLine, Legacy, LionChief, Harry Potter, and Battery O lines. Highlights include a number of semiquincentennial locomotives and rolling stock, including a 4-4-0 brass hybrid steam locomotive (No. 2631620), a Legacy T1 American Freedom Train in two versions (Nos. 2631430 and […]
Many of us dream of a model railroad empire on a massive scale. While the time, space and resources required usually dictate whether or not that dream becomes a reality, it never hurts to be inspired. Whether you’re daring to dream or have what you need to dare yourself, explore these monster track plan recommendations! […]
DARIEN, Conn. — Genesee & Wyoming’s industrial development results in 2025 included 44 projects accounting for more than $1 billion in customer investments along its short line railroads in 16 states. The projects are expected to generate more than 700 jobs in communities along G&W’s U.S. freight railroads and add more than 82,000 carloads, G&W […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway had its safest year ever in 2025. The railroad’s employee personal injury rate improved by 10% compared to the old record set in 2023. Rail equipment incidents improved 13%, which BNSF said enabled it to continue to lead the industry. “I am so proud of what our teams were […]
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Watco is looking to grow its portfolio with the acquisition of a 7-mile short line railroad serving Oak Ridge, Tenn. The short line holding company filed its verified notice of exemption to the Surface Transportation Board on Jan. 8, seeking to acquire and operate 7 miles of rail line and 6.6 […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed a big gain in the first full week of 2026. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, weekly traffic for the period ending Jan. 10 was 510,457 carloads and intermodal units, a 9.7% gain over the same week in 2025. That included 232,803 carloads, up 16.7% compared […]
Railroads proposing mergers inevitably make ambitious promises and projections, particularly about faster service and more competition. Not all of them become reality, despite the best intentions of railroaders who work at a feverish pace to develop the operating plans submitted to federal regulators. A case in point: CSX, as part of its 1999 acquisition of […]
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — BNSF Railway CEO Katie Farmer still doesn’t see further rail industry consolidation as inevitable if a Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger is approved. Just the fact that the topic keeps being discussed could be taken as an argument against the merger, Farmer said in a conversation with Trains prior to her appearance today […]
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The CEOs of Canadian Pacific Kansas City and BNSF Railway took aim at the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger during the first day of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers winter meeting — and urged the rail customers in attendance to voice any concerns they may have to federal regulators. CPKC CEO […]
BALTIMORE — Following the completion of a year-long cosmetic restoration, American Freedom Train locomotive No. 1 was unveiled to the public in a special ceremony at the B&O Railroad Museum on Jan. 12. The engine pulled the American Freedom Train in the Northeast during its 1975-76 tour commemorating the Declaration of Independence and celebrating the nation’s […]
AYER, Mass. — Norfolk Southern marked a milestone on Tuesday morning when its first New England double-stack train arrived in Ayer, Mass., behind its Conrail and Delaware & Hudson heritage units. With NS engineer Matt Bushart at the throttle and conductor Adam Feeley in the left-hand seat, Chicago-Ayer intermodal train 264 made its inaugural run […]
