OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific’s operations are recovering as more conductors graduate from training classes and are deployed in revenue service, executives said at an investor conference today. UP’s traffic is up 2% in the quarter to date, but would be higher if not for ongoing service problems related to crew shortages, particularly on the […]
American Car & Foundry 50-foot exterior-post boxcar Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Era: 1974 to present Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com 50-foot American Car and Foundry exterior post boxcar features: Plate B dimensions 33” turned-metal wheelsets with RP-25 contours Proto-Max metal couplers Road names: Burlington Northern […]
BOISE CITY, Okla. — Thirteen cars of a BNSF unit coal train derailed Friday evening near Boise City, blocking a state highway for several hours, the Cimarron County Sheriff’s Office reports. No injuries were reported. KVII-TV reports the derailment occurred about 6:50 p.m. State Route 325 was reopened about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday. BNSF’s main […]
PERRIS, Calif. — An evacuation order has been lifted and an Interstate highway reopened after BNSF Railway workers were able to stabilize a leaking tank car on Saturday, KTLA-TV reports. Interstate 215 was closed Friday morning, more than 100 people were evacuated, and service on an adjacent Metrolink commuter rail line was halted because of […]
EAST GALESBURG, Ill. — A grade crossing remains closed and cleanup is ongoing in the wake of an Aug. 3 derailment of a BNSF Railway intermodal train, the Galesburg Register-Mail reports. The State Street crossing at the derailment site is expected to reopen next week, a BNSF spokesman told the railroad. Darrell Corbin, acting mayor […]
Spokane Portland and Seattle passenger trains: All through August 2022, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway. The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway was the product of sparring during 1905-1909 between “Empire Builder” James J. Hill of the Great Northern and Edward H. Harriman of the Union […]
If there’s one thing all railroaders have in common, it’s the ability to complain about anything and everything. They’re world-class grumblers. So when train crews and labor unions bash the railroads for this, that, and the other thing, sometimes you have to wonder if they’re crying wolf. Wonder no more. The union-management pot, which is […]
General Electric C44-9W diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin NEM connector and factory-installed speakers, $169.99 Era: 1990s to mid-2000s+ (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com General Electric C40-9W diesel locomotive features: Body-mounted McHenry knuckle couplers Road-name-specific horn, snow plow, rear grills, trucks, and antennas Factory […]
OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway’s revenue and profits rose in the second quarter despite volume being down nearly 6%, Berkshire Hathaway, the railroad’s parent company, reported on Saturday. The railroad’s operating income rose 7%, to $2.37 billion, as revenue grew 15%, to $6.45 billion. Earnings improved, Berkshire said, as revenue per carload and intermodal unit […]
KEYTESVILLE, Mo. — A judge in Chariton County, Mo., has scheduled a hearing on whether to delay lawsuits over the June 27 derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief while the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the fatal accident. Meanwhile, an Amtrak employee has filed a suit claiming the passenger operator “intentionally” crowded the […]
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Counties in Washington state that rely on BNSF Railway trains to remove garbage have asked for congressional help in dealing with unreliable service from the railroad. The website GoSkagit.com reports that Skagit County Public Works Director Grace Kane says the county’s trash transfer station was last closed on July 11 because […]
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman says railroad service is suffering for one simple reason: The big four U.S. Class I systems aren’t paying enough to retain and recruit train crews. BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific are experiencing ongoing crew shortages that since last year have caused widespread congestion and […]
