MECCA, Calif. — About 20 cars of a Union Pacific intermodal train derailed Wednesday in the Coachella Valley community of Mecca on Wednesday afternoon, closing a state highway and the railroad’s Sunset Route. Cal Fire said on social media that emergency crews responded to the incident at 5:06 p.m. No injuries were reported. A hazardous […]
WASHINGTON — While Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern prepare to file a revised merger application in late April, federal regulators are requesting specific data related to their proposal to create the first U.S. transcontinental railroad. The request for documents to be submitted prior to the revised application likely could include highly sensitive data related to […]
An Electro-Motive Division SD7 is one of the latest additions to the ScaleTrains Rivet Counter line. The HO scale model, based on a prototype from the early 1950s, features injection-molded plastic and die-cast metal construction; factory-applied, prototype-specific details; and metal semi-scale Type E couplers painted a rusty color. Prototype history Electro-Motive Division produced the SD7 […]
RICHMOND, Texas — Twenty-three cars of a Union Pacific train derailed today (March 18) in the Houston suburb of Richmond. No evacuation has been ordered, although officials say leaks have been detected from two cars carrying ethanol. “Both leaks are contained,” Fort Bend County Fire Marshal Justin York said in a press conference carried by […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board on Friday, March 13, approved Union Pacific’s plans to build 6 miles of new rail line in Maricopa County, Ariz., a project that had been delayed because of concerns over damage to archaeological sites along the right-of-way. The Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension project, or PIRATE, will […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators on Friday denied requests from Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific to open an investigation into Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s handling of UP-NS interline intermodal trains on the Meridian Speedway. The Surface Transportation Board said there was no need to intervene because any service problems have been resolved. The board also said […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has turned down Metra’s request for the board to set conditions and compensation for Metra use of three Union Pacific routes in the Chicago area, calling the move premature. However, the decision released today (Friday, March 13) also set a 60-day deadline to reach an agreement. If the two […]
WASHINGTON — A Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger would reduce shipping options for farmers and make them more vulnerable to price increases, economists for the American Farm Bureau said in an analysis released today (Wednesday, March 11). The long-term effect of the merger could be increased consumer prices for food as expenses rise throughout the food […]
OMAHA, Neb. — In “The Tempest,” Shakespeare wrote, “what’s past is prologue,” meaning history sets the context for the present and dictates future events. Except, apparently, when it comes to transcontinental railroads. In an exclusive interview with Firecrown Media news site FreightWaves, Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena fired back at critics of his company’s blockbuster merger […]
Trains Turntable: Commentary from CPKC CEO Keith Creel Over the last several months, the Class I railroads not named Union Pacific or Norfolk Southern have been accused of opposing the largest, most unnecessary proposed rail merger ever attempted because those railroads are afraid to compete or are selfishly afraid it will hurt their business. Those […]
Looking to add a model of one of the newest freight cars on the rails to your HO layout? Then you’ll want to check out the Greenbrier 5-trough transverse coil gondola from Rapido Trains. The model, based on a prototype introduced in 2021, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, 36″ metal wheelsets, and metal semi-scale […]
In this product review video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno examines the Athearn HO scale Electro-Motive Division SD40-2. Cody begins with the prototype history, noting that EMD produced more than 3,900 units between January 1972 and February 1986. These six-axle units were rated at 3,000 horsepower and featured a 16-cylinder 645E3C diesel engine. The […]
