Social Media Ideas for Class 1 Railroad

CSX marks unique status with DC 250 rail event

CSX rolled out its U.S. 250th commemorative locomotives in Washington where it claims the title as the sole Class I freight railroad. The post CSX marks unique status with DC 250 r...

The Scale of Heavy Haul: Why America’s Railroads Need New Momentum

To understand the North American rail network, it is necessary to think beyond global standards. The enormous routes operated by Class I railroads form the logistical and economic...

Jun 9, CSX Unveils Two Patriotic America250 Heritage Locomotives

CSX Transportation has joined the growing roster of Class I railroads honoring America’s upcoming 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) with the unveiling of two specially painted...

CSX Rolls Out America250 Locomotives

JACKSONVILLE –– CSX is the final North American Class I railroad to introduce locomotives in patriotic paint schemes to celebrate America250. The post CSX Rolls Out America250 Loco...

Jun 25, U.S. Rail Traffic Climbs 7.1% Year-over-Year

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) released its latest Weekly Rail Traffic report today, showing continued momentum in North American freight rail volumes.

Jul 5, Southern Pacific's Class AC-9 2-8-8-4s

While the railroad is legendary for its fleet of cab-forward 4-8-8-2s (Classes AC-4 through AC-12), it also fielded a small but impressive group of conventional articulateds: the t...

Jun 29, Milwaukee Road’s Passenger Trains: Speed, Innovation, and Hiawathas

The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad—universally known as the Milwaukee Road—stood out among American railroads for its aggressive pursuit of high-quality passenge...

Jul 9, Northern Pacific's 4-6-6-4 "Challengers"

Between 1936 and 1944, the NP acquired 47 Challengers in three subclasses (Z-6, Z-7, and Z-8), making it the second-largest owner of the type after the UP.

High-Accuracy, High-Speed Dynamic Railroading –– Commentary

NASHVILLE –– There is only one correct path forward for a real rail growth future, and it is still not a Class I merger, or mergers of any kind. The post High-Accuracy, High-Speed...

Jul 9, Northern Pacific's Class Z-5 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstones"

In the twilight of the steam era, the Northern Pacific Railway pushed the boundaries of locomotive engineering with its Class Z-5 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstone" type steam locomotives.

NS-UP merger could give Charleston needed rail boost: analyst

The proposed merger of Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway would create single-line rail network that could shift discretionary cargo to Charleston and other underu...

Jul 2, The Prairie Line Introduces America 250 Locomotive

Switching and logistics company The Prairie Line has rolled out its striking new America 250 locomotive, TPLX 1776.

Jun 1, Oregon 'Dinner Train' Rides At Hood River

The Mt. Hood Railroad is the moving part of that postcard—a century-old short line that began as a working railroad.

Jun 1, Maryland 'Dinner Train' Rides At Cumberland

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) has become one of the Mid-Atlantic’s signature heritage operations—equal parts mountain railroad, living museum, and “special-occasion”...

EXCLUSIVE: Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern CEOs talk about the rail merger that could reshape the U.S. economy  

As the Big Boy steam locomotive thundered into Philadelphia for the USA 250 celebration, the CEOs of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern talked about the proposed merger that could...

Jun 28, The Great Steel Fleet: A History Of NYC's Passenger Trains

The New York Central Railroad operated one of the most extensive and prestigious passenger networks in American history. Its trains blanketed the Northeast and Upper Midwest.

STB Accepts Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger Application

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) has formally accepted Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s merger application for review, marking the next stage in a proposed deal that...

Jun 28, B&O Boxcab Diesel #50: EMC's 1800 HP Locomotive

The B&O, America’s first common carrier railroad chartered in 1827, sought innovative solutions. In 1935, it acquired a groundbreaking machine: the Electro-Motive Corporation...

May 28, STB Accepts Revised Union Pacific-Norfolk Merger Application

In a significant development for the U.S. freight rail industry, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) today accepted for consideration the revised major merger application filed...

How Canadian National Railway (CNI) Is Driving Network Strength With Record Grain Volumes Across Western Canada

Jun 2, Chessie System Diesel Roster (All Time)

Though Chessie itself owned no equipment—locomotives remained on the books of its subsidiaries with C&O, B&O, or WM reporting marks—the system unified operations across 11,...

Private equity’s quiet takeover of US short-line railroads

There are roughly 600 short-line railroads in the United States. These small businesses operate nearly 50,000 miles of track, about 30% of the national freight rail network, and ha...

Jun 29, B&O Track Charts: Newark Division (1964-1967)

Centered on Newark, Ohio, the division comprised mostly single-track lines radiating from a major yard and shop complex. It was never a high-speed mainline like the B&O’s route...

Jul 11, Western Pacific's 4-6-6-4 "Challengers" (M-100)

In the late 1930s, the Western Pacific stood at a crossroads. Traffic volumes were recovering from the Great Depression, and the railroad needed more powerful, faster locomotives t...