Five of the big six railroads show traffic declines for year to date

Of the big six Class I railroads, only Canadian Pacific’s traffic volume was in positive territory for the first quarter. But that was due to favorable comparisons with last year’s first quarter, when a March labor dispute in Canada shut down CP’s operations for two days. The best the other railroads could do during the […]

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Bill to limit train length introduced in Nevada

CARSON CITY, Nevada — The Nevada legislature has become the latest to consider limiting the length of freight trains, through introduction of a bill which would prohibit trains of more than 7,500 feet. AB 456, introduced on March 27, sets penalties for violations beginning at $5,000 and escalating to $25,000. The bill also would set […]

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ASLRRA honors individuals for safety, railroads for business development

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association logo

NEW ORLEANS — Texas North Western Railway track inspector Raul Guerrero has been honored as Safety Person of the Year, and  Austin Milton, director of safety and training at Indiana Rail Road, was named Safety Professional of the Year by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Also at the ASLRRA Annual Conference and […]

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ASLRRA honors Pacific Harbor Line with two awards

Two black and silver locomotives with strings of containers

NEW ORLEANS — Southern California’s Pacific Harbor Line was recipient of two awards Monday — the inaugural Environmental Award and the Veterans Engagement Award — at the American Short Line and Regional Rail Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition. Also, the ASLRRA posthumously awarded its Schlosser Distinguished Service Award to Jack Parliament, retired from the D&I […]

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CSX becomes first railroad to reach sick time deal with conductors’ union

Man throwing switch as train with blue and yellow locomotive waits

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation has reached a tentative agreement with the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division B&O union to provide trainmen and conductors with paid sick leave benefits. Pending ratification by SMART-TD B&O members, the agreement will increase the number of CSX operating employees with paid sick leave benefits to more […]

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My favorite caboose: MR staff picks

Model of a red caboose follows a yellow boxcar

My favorite caboose: The MR staff picks their favorite caboose model and explains why it’s their favorite. What’s your favorite caboose? Leave a comment and let us know!   Mitch Horner International Car Co. I-18 steel bay window caboose I’ve been enamored recently by Tangent’s Chessie System “’73+ Repaint Version 2” International Car Co. I-18 […]

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Nickel Plate Road’s major components

Map of the Nickel Plate Road’s major components

The Nickel Plate Road’s major components were all in place by 1949.     The Nickel Plate, formally the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, was conceived in 1881 as a Buffalo-Chicago project to compete with the parallel Lake Shore & Michigan Southern (later New York Central) of William H. Vanderbilt. To thwart rival […]

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Amtrak E60 locomotives

Front three-quarter view of Amtrak E60 locomotives

Amtrak E60 locomotives are an important bridge for Northeast Corridor electric railroading between the GG1s of the 1930s and 1940s to the AEM-7 and HHP-8 locomotives of the 1980s and early 2000s.   E60 locomotive history General Electric developed the E60 C-C or six-axle locomotives at its Erie, Pa., plant in the early 1970s. The […]

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Fairbanks-Morse H12-44TS locomotive: A special diesel for a special job

Three-quarter view of Fairbanks-Morse H12-44TS locomotive

  The Fairbanks-Morse H12-44TS locomotive was a familiar-looking unit with different internals.   FM was a fierce competitor in the early days of dieselization, perhaps remembered most for its H24-66 Train Master, a six-axle 2,400 hp road-switcher that impressed almost every railroad it demonstrated on.   Among its lesser-known successes were three specialized units produced […]

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Kansas City Southern Shay locomotives

One of two Kansas City Southern Shay locomotives with a train

Kansas City Southern Shay locomotives were oddballs on a steam locomotive roster of non-conformity. Ephraim Shay came up with the design for the geared locomotive in the 1870s. The Lima Locomotive Works popularized the design and sold almost 2,770 copies.     Throughout the Leonor F. Loree administration, Kansas City Southern was a loyal Alco […]

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