Why I collect prewar trains in Standard and Wide Gauge

vintage dark green model train

What do I collect? I collect original prewar trains in Standard and Wide Gauge, i.e. 2 1/8”. Lionel created the gauge in 1906, and called their trains the “Standard of the World.” Soon, Standard gauge caught on as a label, possibly to differentiate from other gauges at the time. When the Ives Toy Co. modified […]

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Lake State Railway purchases four SD70ACe-T4 locomotives

SAGINAW, Mich. — Lake State Railway Co., the Michigan regional railroad, today announced that it is purchasing four SD70ACe-T4 locomotives from Progress Rail. LSRC received an emissions grant to replace five older locomotives with four newer Tier 4 locomotives. The railroad says it chose the SD70ACe-T4 built by EMD successor Progress Rail due to several […]

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BNSF rolls out locomotive-based track inspection system

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway will dramatically increase its track inspection capabilities early next year with the systemwide deployment of locomotive-based sensors that analyze track geometry while pulling trains in revenue service. BNSF developed its ODIN system — which stands for Onboard Defect Identification & Notification — entirely in-house in 2023. The system relies […]

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Navy seeks new flatcars to move missiles

Overhead view of long string of flatcars

WASHINGTON — The Navy has begun the process of acquiring new flatcars to replace those currently used to transport missiles between military facilities. In a request for information issued last month, with responses due today, the Navy is seeking to replace the current DODX 40000 series flatcars, designed and built for the Army in 1981 […]

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Ghayad, AAR’s chief economist, announced as keynote speaker for AAR Research Review

Head-and-shoulders shot of man in blue coat and tie.

PUEBLO, Colo. — Dr. Rand Ghayad, the Association of American Railroads’ senior vice president of policy and economics, will be the keynote speaker at the 31st annual AAR Research Review, hosted by MxV Rail in Pueblo on April 28-30, 2026. Ghayad will open the conference by addressing policy and economic issues shaping the rail industry […]

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NTSB issues final report on shortline conductor injury in North Carolina

Diagram of switching accident on mainline and siding of Coastal Carolina Railway

WASHINGTON — Inadequate training methods contributed to a November 2024 incident on the Coastal Carolina Railway in which a conductor suffered amputation of his left leg after being struck by a railcar in a gravity-drop move, the National Transportation Safety Board said its final investigation report released today (Dec. 8, 2025). The Nov. 19, 2024, […]

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News & Products for the week of December 8th 2025

Color photo showing nose of HO passenger locomotive painted black, dark blue, yellow, and gray on scenicked base with a sky background with clouds.

News & Products for the week of December 8th 2025   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of December 8th, 2025. […]

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Trucking firm countersues Union Pacific, blames crew and crossing design for fatal Texas crash

PECOS, Texas — The heavy haul trucking company whose rig was stopped on a grade crossing and struck by a Union Pacific Z-train a year ago, killing the train crew, has filed a lawsuit against the railroad. The countersuit, filed last week by Boss Heavy Haul and Optimized Process Designs in Reeves County District Court […]

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News Photo: CPKC takes delivery of 100th new ET44AC from Wabtec

Last week, CPKC took delivery of its 100th Tier 4 @WabtecCorp Evolution Series diesel electric locomotive, unit number CP 7549, as part of a multi-year investment in American manufactured locomotive power. These locomotives, being built in Fort Worth, Texas, already are in… pic.twitter.com/O9zRUzaS8A — CPKC (@CPKCrail) December 8, 2025 CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas […]

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Auto parts supplier ready to break ground on NS-served site in South Carolina

ATLANTA — An auto parts supplier will build a $120 million factory on a Norfolk Southern-served industrial development property in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, the railroad announced this week. The new SODECIA AAPICO Joint Venture plant will produce ladder frames for electric vehicle manufacturer Scout Motors. The 400,000-square-foot facility at the Tri-County Global Industrial Site […]

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MxV Rail to collaborate with Korea Railroad Research Institute

PUEBLO, Colo. – MxV Rail and the Korea Railroad Research Institute have formed a partnership to accelerate innovation and address pressing technological challenges. The agreement, formalized during Rail Research Week 2025, establishes a commitment to knowledge sharing, site coordination, and mission-critical research between the organizations, MxV Rail said on Thursday. The partnership enhances the capabilities […]

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