A moribund Norfolk Southern coal-hauling branch in Alabama last month hosted its first train in more than a decade. NS coal train 702 rumbled over the revived Berry Branch, carrying Warrior steelmaking coal to export at the Port of Mobile, Ala., via the railroad’s 3-B Corridor. “Right now it is one train a week, and […]
Recently, I began teaching a series of classes at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania titled Railroad Photography 101. I cover the basics in this two-hour course, beginning with a short digital slide show encompassing more than 60 years of photography. I also provide a list of 10 basic tips — things like making sure batteries […]
Rapido HO MOW flat and camp cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single camp car, $69.95; three-pack (diner, kitchen, and office vans), $199.95; and six-pack (sleeper vans), $399.95. Separate sale camp trailers (dining, kitchen, office, and sleeper), $24.95 each. Conrail F30A MOW flatcar with deck rails: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70. Era: 1980s to present Manufacturer: […]
ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern has launched a Trades on Track scholarship program to help the railroad attract vocational students to its workforce. The $5,000 scholarships can be used for tuition, computer equipment, tools, and other expenses for people living in any one of the 22 states that NS serves. Atlanta-based SkillPointe Foundation is overseeing the […]
This reboot of The Roundhouse, an on-camera interview series established in 2013, welcomes host Brian Schmidt, Editor of Classic Trains Magazine, and guest Rob McGonigal, former (retired) Editor of Classic Trains Magazine, back to the roundtable. Just as the Summer 2025 issue of the now 25-year-old periodical is set for publication, Brian and Rob sit […]
WASHINGTON – The Association of American Railroads has asked the Department of Transportation to scuttle the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person train crew rule. “For too long, outdated, arbitrary regulations have stood in the way of implementing data-backed solutions that can further strengthen railroads’ already remarkable safety record,” AAR CEO Ian Jefferies said in a statement. […]
This full-page ad from roller bearing manufacturer Timken appeared 75 years ago in the May 1950 issue of Trains Magazine. It’s a reminder that roller bearings represented a huge advancement over the earlier friction, or plain, bearing design. Axle-mounted roller bearings are a critical component in modern railroading due to their role in enhancing efficiency, […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs sought to rally the troops today as the railroad continues to battle congestion that began in the weeks before a key Baltimore tunnel was closed on Feb. 1 for a long-awaited clearance project. In a bulletin to employees, Hinrichs touted the railroad’s industry-leading operational and financial performance record […]
CHICAGO — FreightCar America said net income totaled $50.4 million in the first quarter while revenue of $96.3 million fell 40.2% from the year-ago period. The Chicago-based railcar builder (NASDAQ: RAIL) delivered 710 units in the quarter ended March 31, down from 1,223 units in the previous-year quarter. Adjusted net income was $1.6 million, or 5 […]
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Southern and the Port of Virginia have launched a RailGreen Corridor that offers intermodal customers a verified way to reduce supply chain emissions. NS provides daily intermodal service in the corridor linking Norfolk Harbor with the Virginia Inland Port (VIP) in Front Royal, Va. Freight moving along this lane is now […]
Although replaced in recent years by roller bearings, friction bearings (also called solid bearings or plain bearings) were a railroad standard for many years. Friction bearings were blocks of metal, usually brass, resting atop the axle and lubricated by oil-saturated wool waste enclosed in a hinged-lid journal box. To keep the bearing from getting too […]
DENVER — The state of Colorado and Union Pacific on Monday signed an agreement extending the railroad’s lease of Moffat Tunnel for 25 years, a deal that also allows for expanded passenger service on the route through the Rockies as soon as 2026. The 99-year lease on the state-owned tunnel signed was scheduled to expire […]
