News photos: Guelph Junction Railway lands new customer

Orange locomotive passes construction equipment at work

The city-owned Guelph Junction Railway has added a new customer, Flash Freight Systems, constructing a siding on the city’s north end near Woodlawn Avenue and Edinburgh Road. Flash Freight, headquartered 8 miles north of Guelph in Ariss, Ontario, will be using the siding to transload cement, potato flakes, peas, and lumber. The siding was constructed […]

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Visiting Rapido – Bus and Train Tour

Visiting Rapido – Bus and Train Tour | When David Popp and Ben Lake recently traveled north of the Canadian Border to explore all that’s new with Jason Shron, President of Rapido Trains Inc., they were treated to a special sidetrack trip. On their way to see what new N and HO scale models Rapido […]

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Organizers, supporters make push for Montreal-Boston night train

Map showing proposed passenger route from Montreal to Boston via Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Old Orchard Beach, Maine

COATICOOK, Quebec — More than 60 political and business representatives from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border packed the former Coaticook railway station, now a craft brewery, this week to plead for a new night train between Montreal and Boston. Francois Pepin, a retired network planner with Montreal’s transit agency, Société de transport de Montréal […]

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Rails vs. Trails conflict heats up in Maine: Special Report

Passenger train crosses diamond in area surrounded by trees

AUBURN, Maine — An Aug. 25 hearing before a Maine Department of Transportation advisory council heard conflicting proposals to use 25 miles of idle state-owned tracks for a Portland-Auburn commuter rail system, or to remove those tracks to create a trail. Meanwhile, a Canadian-based organization, the Night Trains Foundation, has suggested yet another use: as […]

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Amtrak set to resume service to Vancouver, B.C.

Blue and silver road-switcher locomotive on passenger train

Passengers line up at Pacific Central Station the Vancouver, British Columbia, for that afternoon’s Amtrak Cascades departure. The round-trip that includes this train is to be restored at the end of September. (Bob Johnston) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak will resume single daily round-trip Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sept. 26, two […]

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Transport Canada proposes Southwest Ontario passenger rail study

Passenger train on multi-track main line

WINDSOR, Ontario — Admitting that the government’s focus so far has been on corridor rail improvements east of Toronto, Canada’s transport minister announced Tuesday his agency will explore options to “improve passenger rail frequencies, on-time performance, and shorten travel times in Southwestern Ontario.” Minister Omar Alghabra said Transport Canada “will seek an external advisor, who […]

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Transportation Safety Board calls for PTC-style system for Canada

Canadian national locomotive with extensive damage on one side

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has called for implementation of a form of positive train control on Canadian railroads and new crew training measures as a result of its investigation into a 2019 collision of two Canadian National trains near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The TSB found that factors in the […]

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Rapido 3,800 cubic-foot capacity cylindrical covered hopper

Drawing of 11 different cylindrical hoppers

3,800 cubic-foot capacity cylindrical covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70 Era: 1965 to present (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc., 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5 Canada; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Features Round-hatch or trough-hatch design as appropriate Dofasco S-2 100-ton trucks 6- or 11-side panel body […]

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HO scale Siemens Venture-series passenger cars

Model Railroader placeholder image

Siemens Venture-series passenger cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: To be announced Era: 2020s+ Manufacturer: Bachmann Trains, 1400 E. Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124; 215-533-1600; bachmanntrains.com Features: Detailed, illuminated interiors Road-specific exterior configurations E-Z Mate Mark II couplers Blackened machined metal RP-25 contour wheels Dual-mode horn, bell, brake sounds, headlights, ditch lights, and marker lights (cab […]

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CN, energy firm Keyera to look at new terminal in Alberta

Canadian National logo

CALGARY — Canadian National and oil and gas service and transportation firm Keyera will evaluate development of a new terminal to ship conventional and clean energy in Alberta’s “industrial heartland,” the companies announced Wednesday. The facility would be on adjoining land belonging to CN and Keyera and would provide a single terminal to transport energy […]

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Canadian Pacific, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference reach two-year agreement

Canadian Pacific Railway beaver logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific has reached a new two-year agreement with Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train and Engine employees through binding arbitration, the railroad announced. The union represents about 3,000 engineers, conductors, train and yard workers in Canada. The agreement, which runs through 2023, includes 3.5% wage increases in 2022 and 2023, as well as increased […]

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