Digest: South Carolina port agency seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston

South Carolina Ports logo

Tuesday midday rail news: S.C. Ports Authority seeks funds to improve rail access to Port of Charleston The South Carolina Ports Authority is seeking $550 million in funding from state legislators to improve rail and barge access to the Port of Charleston, the only major East Coast port without near-dock rail access. The State newspaper reports the […]

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Digest: Failure to secure cars, ice led to CN yard death, TSB of Canada says

Transportation Safety Board of Canada logo

Wednesday morning rail news: Transportation Safety Board of Canada issues report on 2018 CN yard death Failure to fully secure two unattended cars and ice contamination of those cars’ brakes led to a fatal accident in 2018 at Canadian National’s yard in Edmundston, New Brunswick, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says in a report issued […]

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Digest: New agreement allows BNSF Bismarck bridge project to move forward

Train coming off bridge on broad curve

Still more Monday morning rail news:   New agreement allows BNSF Bismarck bridge project to move forward without final decision on current bridge BNSF Railway’s long-running effort to replace its 138-year-old Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge over the Missouri River can continue to move forward after a new agreement between the railroad, the U.S. Coast Guard, and […]

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Digest: BNSF train derails in Arizona, prompting lengthy ‘Southwest Chief’ delay

BNSF logo

More Monday morning rail news: BNSF intermodal train derails in Arizona, stopping Southwest Chief No injuries were reported when a BNSF intermodal train derailed Sunday afternoon near Joseph City, Ariz., KPHO-TV reports. Photos show several double-stack well cars off the tracks, with containers overturned. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office says the accident was reported about 1 […]

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Canadian National’s proposed Toronto-area intermodal terminal wins government approval

Rendering of proposed rail yard

OTTAWA – Canadian environmental officials have given Canadian National a green light for the $250 million intermodal terminal it aims to build outside of Toronto. The minister of environment and climate change last week announced the government’s decision to approve the Milton Logistics Hub, subject to 325 environmental conditions that would make it the most […]

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Manitou & Pike’s Peak Cog Railway re-construction work

Track workers and a back hoe work high on a mountain top.

  Trains’ Editor Jim Wrinn visited the Manitou & Pike’s Peak Cog Railway in August 2020 to grab video above the tree line to record portions of the tourist line’s re-construction project. The railroad itself is being completely re-built and is expected to re-open in May 2021. The railroad has also ordered new trains from […]

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Manitou & Pike’s Peak Cog Railway re-construction work

Track workers and a back hoe work high on a mountain top.

  Trains’ Editor Jim Wrinn visited the Manitou & Pike’s Peak Cog Railway in August 2020 to grab video above the tree line to record portions of the tourist line’s re-construction project. The railroad itself is being completely re-built and is expected to re-open in May 2021. The railroad has also ordered new trains from […]

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Digest: Michigan City moves on land acquisition for South Shore project

A silver passenger train operates in the middle of a street.

Michigan City OKs eminent domain to acquire land for South Shore project The city council of Michigan City, Ind., is moving forward on eminent domain proceedings to complete the land acquisition needed for the South Shore Line’s Double Track project, which will drastically remake the single-track street running in the community that is a unique […]

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Digest: Virginia legislators working to acquire federal land needed for Long Bridge project

Satellite image showing approximate locations of new bridge project.

Legislators seek transfer of federal park land for Long Bridge project Virginia’s Congressional delegation is attempting to get a small section of National Park Service land transferred for use in the Long Bridge project that is an essential part of the state’s plan to ease rail congestion, with the state’s senators considering a move to […]

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Digest: West Virginia launches site to report blocked grade crossings

Public Service Commision of West Virginia logo

Tuesday afternoon rail news:

 West Virginia announces new site to track blocked grade crossings
 The Public Service Commission of West Virginia has launched a new online site to report trains blocking grade crossings. By state law, it is illegal for a train to block a crossing for more than 10 minutes except in the case […]

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Digest: NRC announces series of webcasts in place of January convention

Tuesday afternoon rail news: NRC to hold ‘First Look’ webcasts in place of annual convention The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association will hold a series of webcasts in January to replace its annual NRC Conference, which had been scheduled for January 2021 in Hollywood, Fla., scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The “NRC First […]

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Model Railroader basic training: How to cut rails

Hands cutting a piece of model railroad track

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page When building your model railroad, you may have times when you need to cut track to fit in a certain space. Model Railroader associate editor Cody Grivno will show you how to easily cut track in this basic training video. […]

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