Watco wins bid for North Carolina branches, famed Saluda route severed

Watco Jay Hastings

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Watco is the winning bidder for a cluster of Norfolk Southern lines in western North Carolina. The short line holding company has filed a “Certificate Of Compliance” with the Surface Transportation Board. The name of the new operation will be Blue Ridge Southern Railroad LLC. According to the filing, the new railroad will […]

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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Norfolk Southern begins GP33ECO locomotive program NEWSWIRE

NS GP33ECO No 4700 Juniata shop Allen Rider photo

The first GP33ECO begins to take shape at Juniata Shops in late April. Allen Rider – Norfolk Southern ALTOONA, Pa. – Norfolk Southern’s Juniata Locomotive Shop has begun a new rebuild program to convert older four-axle EMD locomotives to modern, low-emissions road switchers. The first locomotive to enter the program was NS GP50 No. 7004 […]

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NS to discontinue service over former Norfolk, Franklin & Danville NEWSWIRE

NORFOLK, Va. – The Surface Transportation Board has approved Norfolk Southern’s petition to discontinue service over 53.2 miles of the former Norfolk, Franklin & Danville trackage in southern Virginia. The discontinuance is in effect between milepost 37.0, near Franklin, and the end of the line at milepost 90.2 near Lawrenceville. In its filing, NS told […]

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Video: Building a 5 x 8 harbor railroad part 4

Steve Otte working on a model house.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Structures and trackwork dominate this episode of the Model Railroader staff’s Rice Harbor video journal. Associate editor Steve Otte describes the lighthouse for Rice Harbor. Steve built the structure from a Branchline Trains kit, and the model also features a working beacon. Editor […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds

Jay Smith painting a bird.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]

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Thin Branch Series: Backdrops part 4 – Clouds

Jay Smith painting a bird.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In our final backdrop painting installment, artist Jay Smith shows you how to add clouds to the sky of your model railroad. To complete the scene, he also provides tips for painting simple birds. Look for Jay’s other backdrop-painting videos on MR Video […]

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