Trainline HO Scale EMD GP-9M Locomotive - Canadian National

Trainline HO Scale EMD GP9M Locomotive Ready-to-Run - Canadian National

ONE OF OUR MOST REQUESTED LOCOMOTIVES!

Product Features

Ready to Run
Dual Fly Wheels
Knuckle Couplers
Diecast Metal Frame
Quality construction and features

From the Manufacturer

The Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors was the last major builder to enter the road switcher market, introducing the GP7 (GP for General Purpose) in 1949. In 1954, the more powerful GP9 was unveiled with a 1750 horsepower prime-mover. This became the most successful of the early geeps, with sales of more than 3,800 locos in the U.S. and Canada. As the GP9s were bumped from major freight and passenger trains by newer locos, they began new careers as switchers. Many roads rebuilt them with a low nose to improve forward visibility and they continue to serve in switching, wayfreight and transfer assignments today. This HO Scale model will be a real workhorse on your model railroad, with great features like a heavy diecast metal frame, powerful can motor with flywheel, eight-wheel electrical pick-up and drive, and a working headlight. Fully assembled and ready for service, they come prepainted in a variety of schemes.

An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including the last two in August, 1963. Power was provided by an EMD 567C sixteen-cylinder engine which generated 1,750 horsepower (1.30 MW).[1] This locomotive type was offered both with and without control cabs; locomotives built without control cabs were called GP9B locomotives. All GP9B locomotives were built in the United States between February, 1954, and December, 1959.

A total of 3,444 units of this locomotive model were built for American railroads, with an additional 646 for Canadian railroads and ten for Mexican railroads. Five units were built for a railroad in Brazil, four units were built for a railroad in Peru and six units were built for a railroad in Venezuela. Of the GP9B, 165 examples were built for American railroads.

There were 40 GP9M units built that are included in the 3,444 units built for United States railroads. A GP9M was built with parts from another older EMD locomotive, either an F unit or a damaged GP7. The use of parts from these older locomotives caused the GP9Ms to have a lower horsepower rating than a GP9. This would be either 1,350 horsepower (1.01 MW) if the donor locomotive was an FT/F2 or 1,500 horsepower (1.12 MW) from F3/F7/GP7 locomotives.

Many rebuilt GP9s remain in service today with shortline railroads and industrial operators. Some remain in rebuilt form on some major Class I railroads, as switcher locomotives. Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway still have many in their fleets in 2007 as switcher locomotives.

See Other Canadian National Locomotives: Bachmann HO Scale 2-6-0 Mogul Locomotive - Canadian National

See Other GP-9M Locomotives: Trainline EMD GP9M HO Scale Locomotive - Burlington Northern / Trainline EMD GP9 HO Scale Locomotive - Rio Grande

See More Canadian National Railway News Stories: Talks Between CN And Locomotive Engineers' Union In Canada Break Off With No Settlement / CN Receives Strike Notice From Union Representing Locomotive Engineers In Canada / CN To Implement Wage Increase And Milage Cap For It's Canadian Engineers / CN Reaches 20th Voluntary Mitigation Agreement (VMA), Makes Substantial Strides In EJ&E Integration

Bachmann HO Scale 2-6-0 Mogul Locomotive - Canadian National

Bachmann HO Scale Ready To Run 2-6-0 Mogul Locomotive w/Tender & Smoke, Canadian National #6012

Product Features

Features operating headlight and smoke
Extra smoke oil included

Product Description

This HO Scale 2-6-0 Mogul Locomotive and Tender / (Canadian National #6012) is by Bachmann Trains. / / FEATURES: Compatible with any HO scale electric track and equipment. / Working headlight on the locomotive. / Locomotive is painted black with a silver front boiler section and / gold bell and whistle. 6012 in gold on each side. / Tender is painted black with the Canadian National logo in red and / gold. / Tender carries a realistic coal load. / Standard black plastic couplers. / Black and silver metal drive wheels on locomotive; black plastic / wheels on tender. / Working smoke unit with included smoke oil. / Operation manual provided. / Lifetime limited warranty on Bachmann locomotives. / / INCLUDES: One HO Scale 2-6-0 Mogul Locomotive and Tender (Canadian National). / REQUIRES: HO Scale Train Equipment / / SPECS: Scale: HO 1:87 / Locomotive Size - Tender Size - / Length: 5-1/4" (133mm) Length: 4-1/4" (108mm) / Width: 1-3/8" (35mm) Width: 1-3/8" (35mm) / Height: 2" (51mm) Height: 1-5/8" (41mm) / sdw 6/13/02 / ir/kh

In the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a 2-6-0 has a pair of leading wheels followed by six driving wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul.[1] In the United States, this type of locomotive was widely built from the early 1860s to the 1920s.

Although locomotives of this wheel arrangement were built as early as 1852, these first examples had their leading axles mounted directly and rigidly on the frame of the locomotive rather than on a separate truck or bogie. In these early 2-6-0s, the leading axle was merely used to distribute the weight of the locomotive over a larger number of wheels. It did not serve the same purpose as the leading trucks of the Americans or Ten-Wheelers that had been in use for at least a decade.

The first 2-6-0 with a rigidly mounted leading axle was the Pawnee, built for heavy freight service on the Philadelphia & Reading. In total, about 30 locomotives of this type were built for various railroads. While they were generally successful in slow, heavy freight service, the railroads that used them didn't see any great advantages in them over the 0-6-0 or 0-8-0 designs of the time. Essentially, this design was an 0-8-0 with the lead axle unpowered.

The first true 2-6-0 wasn't built until the early 1860s, the first few being built in 1860 for the Louisville & Nashville railroad. The design that we know today required the invention of a single-axle swivelling truck. Such a truck was first patented by Levi Bissell in 1858. The New Jersey Locomotive and Machine Company built their first 2-6-0 in 1861 as the Passaic for the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The Erie Railroad followed in 1862 with the first large order of this locomotive type. In 1863, Rogers built what some cite as the first 2-6-0 built in the United States for the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company. It is likely that the locomotive class name Mogul derives from a locomotive built by Taunton in 1866 for the Central Railroad of New Jersey; that locomotive was named Mogul. However it has also been suggested that, in England, it derived from the engine of that name, built in 1879 by Neilson and Company for the Great Eastern Railway.

Canadian National Railroad News Items: Talks Between CN And Locomotive Engineers' Union In Canada Break Off With No Settlement / CN Receives Strike Notice From Union Representing Locomotive Engineers In Canada / CN To Implement Wage Increase And Milage Cap For It's Canadian Engineers / CN Reaches 20th Voluntary Mitigation Agreement (VMA), Makes Substantial Strides In EJ&E Integration

Proto 2000 HO Scale EMD F7A-B Locomotives - Canadian Pacific

Proto 2000 HO Scale EMD F7A-B Diesel Set - Powered - Standard DC - Canadian National #9028 (A) and #9029 (B) (olive, yellow)

ONE OF OUR TOP REQUESTED LOCOMOTIVES!

Product Features

Fully assembled and decorated
All-New drive
14:1 gear ratio for easy multiple-unit operations
Helical gears for ultra-quiet and smooth running
Five-pole, skew-wound, high torque, high efficiency can motor

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Features: All-New Drive, 14:1 Gear Ratio for Easy Multiple-Unit Operations, Helical Gears for Ultra-Quiet and Smooth Running, Five-Pole, Skew-Wound, High Torque, High Efficiency Can Motor, Heavily Weighted for Maximum Traction, Both A and B Units Powered, Painted Metal Grab Irons, Ladder Stand-Offs, Handrails and Lift Rings, Correct Coupling Distance Between A and B Units, Most Authentic Bulldog Nose Ever Done, Correct Windshield Slope, Roof Panel Weld Lines, Correctly Sized Bolt Heads, Complete Scale Fuel Tank withHangers, Battery Box, Air Tank and Underframe Detail, Working Headlight withBezel and Recessed Lens, Working Mars Light as Appropriate - Works on DC or DCC, With or Without Dynamic Brakes to Match Prototypes, Correct Style Lighted Numberboards, Bright Sunny White LED Lighting, Separate, Clear Class Lights, Full Cab Interior withCrew Figures, New Insulated Diecast Magnetic Knuckle Couplers, Full or Partial Fuel Tank Skirts to Match Prototypes, Correct Grab Iron Style and Placement for Each Roadname, Freight, Passenger or Snowplow Pilot, All-New Sideframes withRoad Specific Journals and With or Without Speed Recorder, Nose Lift Rings as Appropriate, Operating Diaphragms as Appropriate, Etched Metal Farr or Horizontal Grilles, Visible Details Behind Grilles and Under Fan Covers.

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), known as CP Rail (reporting mark CP) between 1968 and 1996, is a Canadian Class I railway operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited. Its rail network stretches from Vancouver to Montreal, and also serves major cities in the United States such as Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Its headquarters are in Calgary, Alberta. It owns approximately 14,000 route miles of track all across Canada and into the US[1], stretching from Montreal to Vancouver, as far north as Edmonton, and, after recently acquiring 2 American Railroads (the DME, ICE, they own trackage in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa, as well as two short stretches into two other states including a line to Kansas City, Missouri and a line to Chicago, Illinois, and into the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.

The railway was originally built between eastern Canada and British Columbia between 1881 and 1885 (connecting with Ottawa Valley and Georgian Bay area lines built earlier), fulfilling a promise extended to British Columbia when it entered Confederation in 1871. It is Canada's first transcontinental railway. Now primarily a freight railway, the CPR was for decades the only practical means of long distance passenger transport in most regions of Canada, and was instrumental in the settlement and development of Western Canada. The CP company became one of the largest and most powerful in Canada, a position it held as late as 1975.[2] Its primary passenger services were eliminated in 1986 after being assumed by VIA Rail Canada in 1978. A beaver was chosen as the railway's logo because it is one of the national symbols of Canada and represents the hardworking character of the company. The object of both praise and condemnation for over 120 years, the CPR remains an indisputable icon of Canadian nationalism.
Other Proto 2000 F7A-B Sets: Proto 2000 Diesel EMD F7A-B Set Powered - HO Scale - Santa Fe

Other Canadian Pacific Stories: Canadian Pacific Announces Industry-Leading Biodiesel Testing Underway

CSX Names David Brown Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Source: CSX (Press Release)

CSX Transportation (CSXT) announced today that David A. Brown will be named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer upon the retirement of Tony Ingram, December 31, 2009.

"I am excited about the leadership and experience David will provide. He is well qualified to continue the outstanding work of Tony Ingram and our team in safety, reliability and customer service," said Michael J. Ward, CSX chairman, president and CEO.

"Tony plans a well-deserved retirement after nearly 40 years in railroading. In the last few years, he has delivered to CSXT, its customers, employees and communities, one of the most successful operating tenures in U.S. railroading. Among many other accomplishments, Tony has built an exceptional team that will continue, and build upon, his remarkable legacy," Ward said.

Brown, 50, has a nearly 30-year railroad career, most recently serving as Vice President and Chief Transportation Officer, with operational responsibility for the railroad's 21,000 mile-transportation network. Brown holds a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on transportation from The University of Tennessee.

Succeeding Brown as Vice President and Chief Transportation Officer will be Cindy M. Sanborn, 44, who has been serving as Vice President-Northern region, responsible for operations and service.

"Cindy is a veteran railroader with vast knowledge of operations after more than 22 years of service. She has demonstrated strong leadership and delivered exceptional results in a variety of field and headquarters posts," Ward said.

Sanborn holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Emory University and a master's in business administration from the University of Miami.

CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX Corporation. CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans 21,000 miles with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, http://www.csx.com/.

See Also: CSX Transportation Brings Cleaner Air To Indiana

Canadian Pacific Announces Industry-Leading Biodiesel Testing Underway

Source: Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific and Natural Resources Canada have partnered on an industry-leading biodiesel fuel pilot project under the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, announced Lee Richardson, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre on behalf of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, and Fred Green, Canadian Pacific President and CEO, today. It is the first time biodiesel will be used in Canadian cold-weather rail service.

"The Government of Canada is working closely with industry partners like Canadian Pacific to support the use of renewable diesel in the Canadian fuel market," said Mr. Richardson. "Our Government is investing over $800,000 in this important step forward to help reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions."

The Government of Canada has announced its intent to regulate an average five percent renewable fuel content based on the national gasoline pool by 2010 as well as a requirement for an average two percent renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2011 or earlier, subject to technical feasibility. The National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative provides an opportunity for real-world testing and performance evaluation in advance of regulatory action.

"Rail is already the most efficient means to move goods long-haul," said Green. "This initiative positions CP to make a lasting impact by further reducing our network's environmental footprint. This partnership with the Government of Canada is an opportunity to test the reliability of biodiesel in cold weather, ensuring we continue to provide safe and efficient operations for customers across North America."

Biodiesel is a cleaner renewable alternative to traditional fuels, made from either vegetable oil or animal fats. Biodiesel reduces emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter and also acts as a natural lubricant.

As part of the five-month test cycle, CP will operate four GE AC4400 Diesel Locomotives with FDL-16 engines in captive service between Calgary and Edmonton. General Electric and Calgary-based fuel supplier 4Refuels are cooperating with CP during this testing phase, which began in early November and will run through the end of March.

Canadian Pacific will undertake routine detailed mechanical examinations of the locomotives in the pilot project. The information gathered will be used to determine if a biodiesel mixture of five percent (B5) has any significant adverse effects on a locomotive or its associated systems in cold-climate operation. Impact to reliability, potential changes to the overhaul or maintenance work scope and reviews of specific components on the locomotives will also be monitored.

The National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative (NRDDI) supports projects that demonstrate how renewable diesel fuel will perform under Canadian conditions. This research is in support of the Government's intention to regulate renewable fuel content, specifically the proposed requirement for an average of two percent renewable fuel content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2011 or earlier. This requirement is however conditional upon the technical feasibility of biodiesel use being demonstrated under a range of Canadian conditions. This is a part of the Government of Canada's Renewable Fuels Strategy.

Canadian Pacific, through the ingenuity of its employees located across Canada and in the United States, remains committed to being the safest, most fluid railway in North America. Our people are the key to delivering innovative transportation solutions to our customers and to ensuring the safe operation of our trains through the more than 1,100 communities where we operate. Come and visit us at http://www.cpr.ca/ to see how we can put our ingenuity to work for you. Canadian Pacific is proud to be the official rail freight services provider for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Increasing the use of cleaner, renewable energy is an important part of the Government of Canada's comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, helping to protect the health of Canadians and our environment.

The Government of Canada has committed up to $2.2 billion to support an integrated Renewable Fuels Strategy. The ecoENERGY for Biofuels program is a key component of this strategy and will invest up to $1.5 billion to increase the supply and availability of cleaner, renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. In fact, proposed regulations will require a five percent renewable fuel content based on the national gasoline pool by 2010. The next phase for these proposed regulations will be a requirement for an average two percent renewable content in diesel and heating oil by 2011 or earlier. This requirement is however conditional upon the technical feasibility of biodiesel use being demonstrated under the range of Canadian conditions.

When the two percent mandate is implemented, it is expected that Canada will need close to three billion litres of renewable fuels.

Compared to gasoline, grain-based ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 40 percent on a life-cycle basis. The GHG reduction for biodiesel can be at least 60 percent compared to diesel. Once the five percent and two percent mandates are in place, it is estimated that these regulations, in conjunction with existing provincial regulations, could reduce Canada's annual GHG emissions by four million tonnes.

The objective of the National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative (NRDDI) is to address industry and end-user questions about renewable diesel use by demonstrating how it will perform under Canadian conditions.

Among the questions that have been raised are:

impacts of cold weather;
impacts of long-term storage (with or without temperature fluctuation);
interaction of renewable diesel from various feedstocks with seasonal variations of ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD);
impacts on emerging heavy truck engine technology (in particular 2007 and 2010 emission controls);
impacts on engine and heating systems components; and
distribution infrastructure.

These questions will be addressed by providing non-repayable contributions to approved projects that demonstrate aspects of renewable diesel use and/or distribution in Canada. Funded projects may demonstrate one or more of the following:

the use of various blend levels;
the use of fuels produced from various feedstocks;
the use of renewable diesel in various applications that diesel fuel is likely to encounter in Canada; and
the infrastructure for renewable diesel storage and distribution.

Funding has been made available to facilitate demonstration projects of different scales in both the on-road transportation and off-road sectors.

The NRDDI is administered by Natural Resources Canada.

See Also: The Diesel Railroad Locomotive - From Box Cabs And The SD40 To The SD70 And Gensets

Talks Between CN And Locomotive Engineers' Union In Canada Break Off With No Settlement

Source: Canadian National

Negotiations between CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) ended this evening with no agreement on a new labour contract.

CN and the TCRC had resumed negotiations earlier in the day with the assistance of federal mediators in an attempt to reach a settlement. CN now expects the TCRC to strike the company's Canadian operations.

CN said a TCRC strike is particularly unfortunate because CN has repeatedly offered, and the union has refused, to submit the contract disagreements to binding arbitration in order to avoid a labour disruption.

CN said a labour strike at this time is in no one's interest, as it will hurt CN's customers, its employees and the Canadian economy.

CN will implement its labour contingency plan, under which qualified management personnel will work as locomotive engineers. CN is committed to provide the best possible service to its customers in the circumstances and will do so until it can reach a new agreement with the TCRC.
Locomotive engineers will remain on the job in the following CN territories because of separate collective agreements: northern Alberta, parts of northern and eastern Ontario, northern Quebec, and parts of eastern Quebec and New Brunswick.

See Also: CN Receives Strike Notice From Union Representing Locomotive Engineers In Canada / CN To Implement Wage Increase And Milage Cap For It's Canadian Engineers / CN Reaches 20th Voluntary Mitigation Agreement (VMA), Makes Substantial Strides In EJ&E Integration

Bachmann HO Scale 4-8-4 J Class Northern Locomotive - Norfolk & Western

Bachmann HO Scale 4-8-4 Class J Locomotive w/Dog House on tender, Norfolk & Western / w extra water tank car #608

Product Features

DCC ready
Operating headlight
Separately applied detail parts
Alligator cross heads

Product Description

The Class J 4-8-4 was the last mainline steam locomotive to run in the United States. Designed for optimum speed, the “J” once reached 115 mph during a land speed test until a hesitant engineer closed the throttle.

The design of the Js was completely universal. They were equipped with 300 psi boilers, 70" drivers, and roller bearings on all wheels and rods. The 70" drivers and 300 psi boiler allowed for a higher tractive effort. When operating at maximum psi, the Js delivered 80,000 lbf of tractive effort-the most powerful for 4-8-4 wheel arrangement locomotive without a booster. The engineers designed the J class not to pull freight, but passengers, and at a high speed. The 70" drivers were very small for a locomotive that was to pull trains at over 100 mph. To overcome this, the wheelbase was made extremely rigid, lightweight rods were used, and the counterbalancing was extremely good. As delivered, the Js had duplex (two) connecting rods between the primary (second) and third drivers, but in the 1950s N&W's engineers apparently decided they could do without these and 611 and at least one other Class J were rebuilt with a single connecting rod. The negative effect of the J's highly engineered drivetrain was that it made the locomotives very picky about good trackwork. Her counterbalancing and precision mechanics were so state of the art that it is often said that the J's top speed is only limited by the nerves of the engineer. Judging by their performance in hauling a 10 car 1050 ton train at speeds in excess of 110mph over Pennsylvania Railroad's "racetrack", the Fort Wayne Division, while on loan, it is hard to argue that claim.

The Js were the pride of the N&W, pulling passenger trains such as "The Powhatan Arrow", "Pocahontas", and "Cavalier", as well as ferrying Southern Railway's "Tennessean" between Monroe, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. While on test on the Pennsylvania Railroad, number 610 proved that a J could pull ten cars at 110 mph along a section of flat, straight track. Despite the power and speed capabilities the Js were among the most reliable engines, running as many as 15,000 miles per month, even on the mountainous and relatively short route of the N&W.

Other HO Scale Norfolk & Western Locomotives: Bachmann Spectrum HO Scale 4-8-2 Mountain Locomotive - Norfolk & Western / Broadway Limited HO Scale 2-6-6-4 Class A Locomotive - Norfolk & Western

Other HO Scale 4-8-4 Northern Locomotives: Bachmann HO Scale 4-8-4 GS-4 Locomotive - American Freedom Train #4449 / Athearn HO Scale 4-8-4 Nothern "800" Locomotive - Union Pacific / Bachmann HO Scale 4-8-4 GS-4 Locomotive - Southern Pacific (War Baby) / MTH HO Scale 4-8-4 GS-6 Locomotive - Western Pacific / Bachmann 4-8-4 Northern Locomotive - HO Scale - Santa Fe

Bachmann Spectrum HO Scale 4-8-2 Mountain Locomotive - Norfolk & Western

Bachmann Spectrum HO Scale 4-8-2 Mountain Locomotiv w/DCC & Sound, Norfolk & Western #118

Product Description

This Norfolk & Western USRA Heavy Mountain 4-8-2 Steam Locomotive (#118) is a / DCC Sound-Equipped Spectrum® Model by Bachmann®. / Suitable for Ages 8 & Older. / / FEATURES: Equipped with DCC On Board® technology, which allows you to / digitally control the direction, speed, and lighting of this / locomotive using Bachmann's E-Z Command® Digital Command Control / System (BACU4402), or any NMRA-compliant DCC system. / The decoder itself features the following: / * 2 and 4 digit addresses / * advanced consisting / * dimmable lighting / * settable acceleration, decleration, / starting speed, and much more! / 100% backwards-compatible with standard DC (non-digital) layouts. / Equipped with a 28-speed step decoder. / Main track programming. / Also equipped with a state-of-the-art Digital Sound Decoder that's / based on SoundTraxx® Tsunami® Digital Sound Technology. The / decoder has been designed with a powerful Digital Signal / Processor (DSP) and: / * Supports extended address mode for assigning any / locomotive number up to 9,999 / * Supports advanced consist addressing / * Supports "Operation Mode Programming," allowing CVs to / be changed on the mainline without using a programming / track / The automatic dual mode decoder is set to operate immediately / using either a 12 volt DC power pack or NMRA-compatible / DCC command station. / Many advanced throttle features including: / * Programmable acceleration, deceleration and starting / voltage for prototypical starting and stopping / * Use of standard and alternate speed tables / The 16-bit sound processor provides: / * Adjustable volume control of each sound effect individually / * 1-watt audio amplifier / * Auto-Exhaust allows chuff to be synchronized to the locomotive / speed without the complexity of a synchronizing cam / All of the steam sound effects have been re-mastered and re-digitized / for the best audio possible: / - Steam Exhaust Chuff - Airpump / - Bell - Dynamo

The Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) (reporting mark NW), a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence.

The company was famous for manufacturing steam locomotives in-house at the Roanoke Shops as well as their own hopper cars. Around 1960, N&W was the last major American railroad to convert from steam to diesel motive power.

In the mid 20th century, N&W merged with long-time rival Virginian Railway in the Pocahontas coal region and grew even more in size and profitability by mergers with other rail carriers including Nickel Plate Road and Wabash in adjacent areas to form a system serving 14 states and a Canadian province between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River and Great Lakes with more than 7,000 miles (11,000 km) of trackage.

In 1982, the Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway, another profitable carrier, to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS), but it continued paper operations until it was merged into the Southern (by this point renamed Norfolk Southern Railway) in 1997.

See Also: Broadway Limited HO Scale 2-6-6-4 Class A Locomotive - Norfolk & Western / Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation HO Scale Locomotive - Rock Island

Broadway Limited HO Scale 2-6-6-4 Class A Locomotive - Norfolk & Western

Broadway Limited HO Scale Blue Line 2-6-6-4 Class A Locomotive w/Sound, Norfolk & Western #1235

Product Description

HO Blue Line 2-6-6-4 Class A w/Sound, N&W #1235

In the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotive wheel arrangement, a 2-6-6-4 is a locomotive with a two-wheel leading truck, two sets of six driving wheels, and a four-wheel trailing truck. All 2-6-6-4s have been articulated locomotives, of the Mallet or related simple articulated type.

The 2-6-6-4 was a fairly late development, a product of the superpower steam concept, introduced by the Lima Locomotive Works, which encouraged the use of large fireboxes supported by four-wheel trailing trucks. Such a firebox could sustain a rate of steam generation to meet any demands of the locomotive's cylinders, even at high speed. High speeds were certainly among the design goals for a 2-6-6-4; most of the type were intended for use on fast freight trains.

The first 2-6-6-4s built in the United States were for the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, and these were not high speed locomotives but rather heavy mountain luggers. They received three in 1934 and four more in 1937.

The final class of 2-6-6-4s was the Norfolk & Western Railway's Class A, built starting in 1936. 43 were built until 1950. They were the largest and most powerful 2-6-6-4s, capable of 6,300 drawbar horsepower (4.7 MW) at 45 mph (72 km/h) and able to run at over 70 mph (110 km/h), but were also capable of lugging heavy unit coal trains. They were used until dieselisation in 1959. One locomotive, Norfolk & Western 1218, was preserved and in 1987 was restored to running order, running on frequent excursions until 1991. Today it is on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

Railroad Photo Gallery - Union Pacific GP40-2 1368 (Ex Rio Grande)

Photos & Story By: Ken Hulsey

One of the great things about the mega-mergers of the 1990's, is the fact that now railfans sometimes get a chance to see examples of motive power in their own region that would have never ventured there prior.

Case in point is today's photo study on Union Pacific GP40-2 #1368, which, as you can plainly see, is of ex Rio Grande lineage. To be precise, ex Rio Grande locomotive #3117. Had the Union Pacific never merged with the 'Grande" then it would be a forlorn conclusion that this diesel would have never found itself parked in Ontario, California, where these photos were taken.

Luckily, the UP never took the time to repaint many of their acquisitions, spare the front hood logo and company colored number board.

As luck would have it, I got a chance to talk to a Union Pacific engineer on this day, who informed me that there was and unaltered Rio Grande unit of this type still in use in it's native Colorado, often times paired with UP's, Rio Grande 'Heritage' series SD-70ACE #1989.

On this day in October of 2007, #1368 was lashed up with a pair of ex Southern Pacific road switchers, one of which is numbered 1414. I failed to note the number of the third locomotive.

Of course, I'm assuming that the second engine was Southern Pacific, with the long hood lettering painted over, it could be an old Cotton Belt unit. Locomotives from the SP owned line used to find themselves in the nearby Colton yard quite frequently when it was still in the railroad's ownership.

Since I snapped these photos, I have seen #1368 in and around UP's Colton digs a few times. The last time, being on the head end of a local, paired with a leased unit, traveling south through Grand Terrace with several loads of lumber.

Athearn HO Scale F59PHI Locomotive - Metrolink

Athearn HO Scale Ready To Run F59PHI Locomotive, Metrolink #881

Product Features

Fully assembled and ready to operate
Factory installed wire grab irons
DCC ready wiring harness installed
Machined RP25 profile metal wheels
McHenry scale knuckle spring couplers installed

Product Description

Features / / * Fully assembled and ready to operate / * Factory installed wire grab irons / * DCC ready wiring harness installed / * Machined RP25 profile metal wheels / * McHenry scale knuckle spring couplers installed / / Specifications / / DCC: Ready / SOUND: No / PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURER: Electro Motive Division / COUPLER STYLE: McHenry Scale Knuckle / ERA: 1994 - Present / Minimum Age Recommendation: 14 years / Is Assembly Required: No

The Electro-Motive Diesels F59PHI diesel-electric locomotive is a common locomotive on passenger trains in North America, built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. It is the most common passenger locomotive present on the Surf Line rail corridor in Southern California, where it is used to pull Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, as well as Metrolink and Coaster commuter trains. In the Pacific Northwest, it is used to pull Cascades trains. It is also used by Amtrak California on the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin trains, and it is also used for commuter operations in Seattle (Sounder), Dallas-Fort Worth (Trinity Railway Express), North Carolina (Piedmont), Vancouver (West Coast Express), and Montréal (AMT).

First built in 1994, the locomotive is a 3,200 horsepower (2.3 MW) B-B diesel-electric locomotive intended for service on North American mainlines. This locomotive is equipped with a turbocharged EMD 12-710E3,a 12 cylinder, 2 stroke water cooled "Vee" diesel engine (prime mover). The main (traction) alternator converts mechanical energy from the prime mover into electrical energy that is distributed through a high voltage cabinet and rectifier to direct current traction motors. Each of the four traction motors is directly geared to a pair of driving wheels. The gear ratio of the traction motors (model D87BTR) to wheel axle determines the maximum operating speed of the locomotive; a standard F59PHI has a gear ratio of 56:21 which provides a top speed of 110 mph (176 km/h).

The F59PHI has a fully enclosed carbody which provides protected walkways for easy access to the engine room and trailing units. This arrangement allows routine maintenance while the locomotive is in service. The noteworthy aspect of this locomotive's exterior is the use of composites to present a streamlined appearance.

To supply electrical power for passenger service, the F59PHI is equipped with a secondary electrical generator referred to as the Head End Power (HEP) unit. The head-end generator generates AC power at 480 V AC, 750 amps or about 500 kW to provide power to the passenger carriages for lighting, electric heating, and air conditioning. The head-end generator is powered by a second diesel engine dedicated to it. With this arrangement, the prime mover is not burdened by head-end power generation and consequently is used solely for supplying tractive effort.

Examples of the F59PHI are currently operated by these companies:

Agence métropolitaine de transport
Amtrak
Amtrak California
Metrolink (Southern California)
North Carolina Department of Transportation
San Diego Coaster
Sound Transit
Trinity Railway Express
West Coast Express
Commuter Xpress

See Also: Athearn HO Scale Bombardier Passenger Cab Car - Metrolink / Athearn HO Scale Bombardier Passenger Coach - Metrolink / Metrolink Board Postpones Decision On Proposed Fare Increase

Athearn HO Scale Bombardier Passenger Cab Car - Metrolink

Athearn HO Scale Ready To Run Bombardier Passenger Cab Car, Metrolink

Product Features

Fully assembled and ready for your layout
Full window glazing and interiors
Razor sharp painting and printing
Weighted for optimal performance
Machined RP25 profile metal wheels

Metrolink is a regional rail system that serves Southern California.

It was established in 1991 as the "Southern California Regional Rail Authority" (SCRRA) and service began the following year. Metrolink was established by three founders, Neil Peterson, then director of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission, Richard Stanger, Metrolink's first chief executive, and John Rinard, Metrolink's Chief Engineer. From 1990 to 1993, the SCRRA member agencies acquired track and other property in fee title, easement, or through operating rights from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF Railway), Southern Pacific Railroad (now Union Pacific Railroad) and Union Pacific Railroad. SCRRA member agencies acquired about 200 route miles from Santa Fe for $236 million, over 200 route miles from Southern Pacific for $257 million, and 59 route miles from Union Pacific for $17 million. In 2006, it had an operating budget of $134.8 million. Since July 2005, Metrolink has been operated under contract by Veolia Transport. The contract is for five years and includes the provision of locomotive engineers and conductors. Prior to July 2005, Metrolink was operated under contract by Amtrak.

Metrolink includes lines to Ventura County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Orange County, and San Diego County. It connects with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Metro Rail lines at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, and with the San Diego Coaster and Sprinter at Oceanside. It also connects with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Sunset Limited trains. As of early 2007, it served a total of 54 stations on 388 route miles (excluding shared miles) throughout Southern California.

See Also: Athearn HO Scale Bombardier Passenger Coach - Metrolink / Metrolink Board Postpones Decision On Proposed Fare Increase

Athearn HO Scale Bombardier Passenger Coach - Metrolink

Athearn HO Scale Ready To Run Bombardier Coach, Metrolink

Product Features

Fully assembled and ready for your layout
Full window glazing and interiors
Razor sharp painting and printing
Weighted for optimal performance
Machined RP25 profile metal wheels

Metrolink is a regional rail system that serves Southern California.

It was established in 1991 as the "Southern California Regional Rail Authority" (SCRRA) and service began the following year. Metrolink was established by three founders, Neil Peterson, then director of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission, Richard Stanger, Metrolink's first chief executive, and John Rinard, Metrolink's Chief Engineer. From 1990 to 1993, the SCRRA member agencies acquired track and other property in fee title, easement, or through operating rights from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF Railway), Southern Pacific Railroad (now Union Pacific Railroad) and Union Pacific Railroad. SCRRA member agencies acquired about 200 route miles from Santa Fe for $236 million, over 200 route miles from Southern Pacific for $257 million, and 59 route miles from Union Pacific for $17 million. In 2006, it had an operating budget of $134.8 million. Since July 2005, Metrolink has been operated under contract by Veolia Transport. The contract is for five years and includes the provision of locomotive engineers and conductors. Prior to July 2005, Metrolink was operated under contract by Amtrak.

Metrolink includes lines to Ventura County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Orange County, and San Diego County. It connects with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Metro Rail lines at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, and with the San Diego Coaster and Sprinter at Oceanside. It also connects with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, and Sunset Limited trains. As of early 2007, it served a total of 54 stations on 388 route miles (excluding shared miles) throughout Southern California.

See Also: Metrolink Board Postpones Decision On Proposed Fare Increase

Bachmann On30 Scale Electric Train Set - Rio Grande

Bachmann Trains Roaring Ridge Ready-to-Run On30 Scale Train Set

Product Features

2-6-0 steam locomotive with operating headlight and coal tender
3 Lighted passenger cars
56" x 38" oval of nickel silver E-Z Track
Power pack and speed controller

From the Manufacturer

Valleys echo with the sounds of pulsing steam and churning wheels as the mighty Roaring Ridge makes its ascent into the mountains.

DVD video with assembly instructions

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) was founded in 1870 by General William Jackson Palmer and his life long friend and partner Dr. William Bell as a narrow gauge railway system with the intention of connecting Denver with Mexico City. Narrow gauge was chosen because construction costs — and equally important, construction time — were lower than standard gauge. The route was to pass over Raton Pass in what is now northern New Mexico. Feverish, competitive construction provoked the 1877–1880 war over right of way with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Both rivals hired gunslingers and bought politicians. In June 1879, the Santa Fe defended its roundhouse in Pueblo with Dodge City toughs led by Bat Masterson; on that occasion, D&RG treasurer R. F. Weitbrec paid the defenders to leave. In the end, the Santa Fe won the right to Raton Pass, while the D&RG paid $1.4 million for tracks through the Arkansas River's Royal Gorge to the mining district of Leadville, Colorado. Subsequently, the D&RG focused on exploiting the lucrative mining service opportunities to the west.

The D&RG also pushed west from Walsenburg, Colorado over Veta Pass (now "Old La Veta Pass") by 1877. At the time the 'Uptop' depot on Veta Pass, rising over 9,500 feet (2,900 m) in elevation, boasted the highest elevation for a narrow gauge railroad. The railroad reached Alamosa by 1878. From Alamosa, a line was pushed south through Antonito eventually reaching Santa Fe, New Mexico (the Chili Line) and west as far as Creede, Colorado. A line containing one of the longest tangent tracks in U.S. railroading (52.82 miles) also linked Alamosa with Salida to the north. From Antonito a line was built over 10,015 feet (3,053 m) Cumbres Pass, along the Colorado-New Mexico border, reaching Durango, Colorado in August 1881 and continuing north to the rich mining areas around Silverton in July 1882. A line was also constructed in 1902 as a standard gauge line, perhaps in anticipation of possible standard gauging of the entire line, south from Durango, Colorado to Farmington, New Mexico. Originally hauling mainly agricultural products and serving as a deterent to the Santa Fe building up from the south, the line was converted to narrow gauge in 1926, and later delivered pipe and other construction materials to the local oil and natural gas industry into the 1960s.

Today, the Walsenburg-Alamosa-Antonito line survives as the standard gauge San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad, with passenger excursion trains service provided by the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. Two narrow gauge segments survive as steam railroads, the Antonito-Chama line as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad and Durango-Silverton as the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

See Also: Lionel O Scale Electric Train Set - Rio Grande Flyer- Just In Time For Christmas! / Bachmann HO Scale 2-6-2 Prairie Locomotive - Rio Grande / Trainline EMD GP9 HO Scale Locomotive - Rio Grande

Bachmann G Scale Electric Train Set - North Pole Special

Bachmann Trains North Pole Special Ready-to-Run Large Scale Train Set

Product Features

4-6-0 steam locomotive with operating headlight smoke and speed-synchronized sound
3 Festive holiday cars
8'2" x 4'3" oval of track
Power pack and speed controller
Illustrated Bach Man instruction manual and DVD format video instructions

From the Manufacturer

The holidays just aren’t complete without a train under the tree, and making sure there is plenty of cheer for everyone is the North Pole Special. Our exclusively-named North Pole and Southern Railway magically transports its precious cargo of Christmas gifts around the world, delivering with them the happiness and hope the season brings.

Product Description

The holidays just aren’t complete without a train under the tree, and making sure there’s plenty of cheer for everyone is the North Pole Special. Bachmann's exclusively-named North Pole & Southern Railway magically transports its precious cargo of Christmas gifts around the world, delivering with them the happiness and hope the season brings.

CN Receives Strike Notice From Union Representing Locomotive Engineers In Canada

Source: Canadian National (Press Release)

Company urges Teamsters to work toward settlement to avoid strike threatened for Saturday, Nov. 28

CN today received a 72-hour strike notice from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) of its plan to strike the company at 0001 hours Nov. 28, 2009.

CN said the TCRC's decision is unfortunate because a strike is in no one's interest – not the locomotive engineers, CN's other employees, its customers or the Canadian economy.

CN is urging the TCRC to resume negotiations immediately to reach a settlement. If that is not possible, CN believes the union should agree to submit issues in dispute to binding arbitration before the Nov. 28 strike deadline.

Such an approach is fully consistent with the TCRC's agreement to binding arbitration to end its strike at VIA Rail Canada Inc. in July 2009. In that dispute, the TCRC asked for two per cent wage increases – the same as CN's last offer to the union.

If the TCRC strikes CN, the company is committed to provide the best possible service to its customers in the circumstances.

On Nov. 23, 2009, CN notified the TCRC of its intention to implement only one work rule change to the collective agreements and increase wages by 1.5 per cent effective Nov. 28, 2009. CN decided to invoke these contractual changes to move the company forward after 14 months of bargaining with no resolution in sight. The TCRC's last contract with CN expired on Dec. 31, 2008.

See Also: CN To Implement Wage Increase And Milage Cap For It's Canadian Engineers / CN Reaches 20th Voluntary Mitigation Agreement (VMA), Makes Substantial Strides In EJ&E Integration

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express Fits Into A New Vision For Bernalillo County - Mass Transit Magazine Feature

Source: New Mexico Rail Runner Express (Press Release)

With the New Mexico Rail Runner Express bringing a steady flow of commuters in and out of the station at Rio Bravo and south Second Street, the Bernalillo County / International Sunport Rail Runner station is poised to play an important role in the future of the South Valley. The Bernalillo County Commission last night unanimously adopted the “Bernalillo County / International Sunport Station Area Plan” which is designed to help the area transform into a mixed-use area offering local and regional employment and retail opportunities, housing, and other amenities.

“The Rail Runner introduces a range of new opportunities for the South Valley”, says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “In addition to providing a much-needed transportation alternative for South Valley residents with direct connections to Downtown and to Santa Fe, the Rail Runner makes the area more attractive to high quality residential, retail and office uses. Achieving these new opportunities necessitates rethinking the infrastructure investments in the area – basically, what roads are built and how they are designed – what land uses are permitted by the area’s zoning, and how the new buildings are designed. The Station Area Plan defines these new directions and indicates the County’s commitment to the new future for the area.”

“The Station Area Plan is the product of the efforts and cooperation by business and property owners in the South Valley, Bernalillo County, the Mid-Region Council of Governments, and residents who live in the area. The plan presents an exciting new future for the area” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Art de la Cruz, whose district includes the land covered by the plan.

The plan focuses on the area within a quarter-to-half-mile – basically, walking distance – from the station. The area’s large parcels of vacant land will provide a center of neighborhood serving retail and employment space, which will be designed to encourage walking to and from the Rail Runner and other transit connections. The plan brings with it an elective alternative zoning classification that allows mixed uses, higher density, and development standards to create a pedestrian environment. The plan also defines specific improvements – such as pedestrian and bike paths – that will help the station better serve existing residents and businesses in the Mountain View neighborhood.

The planning effort was a collaborative effort by Bernalillo County and the Mid-Region Council of Governments. MRCOG has actively worked with communities along the Rail Runner corridor to help identify economic and land use opportunities near the Rail Runner station and to plan for infrastructure and policy actions to help achieve the visions for the areas.

In other Rail Runner News:

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express got the cover spot on this month’s Mass Transit Magazine – a national publication dedicated to critical issues in our nation’s transit industry.

“This is great public relations for New Mexico”, says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “We are certainly proud of the job we’ve done to bring commuter rail to our citizens, and now the rest of the country can read about it. This really puts New Mexico on the map.”

The article in Mass Transit delves into what it took to bring commuter rail to New Mexico’s central valley – from the planning and funding stages all the way through the construction and equipment stages – to eventually getting the train on the track in July of 2006. In addition to this in-depth look at the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, there are a number of photos that show the train with its very unique industry-breaking design as it is pictured in various high desert settings throughout the corridor in which it travels.

This article is something that New Mexicans can read and be proud of”, adds Rael. “The Rail Runner represents the fastest start-up of a commuter rail system in the country over the last 25-years, and that’s a huge credit to the citizens of New Mexico who have truly embraced this clean, convenient transportation alternative.”

Mass Transit Magazine is read by more than 20,000 public transportation leaders across the U.S. Those wishing to read the article can view it at the link below.

Read Article

Toys, Train Rides, Santa Sightings & More At the California State Railroad Museum This Holiday Season

Source: California State Railroad Museum

With toys, trains and even good ol’ St. Nick, the California State Railroad Museum is sure to capture and spread the spirit of the holidays with visitors of all ages. While coveted tickets to The Polar Express™Train Ride are completely sold out for 2009, there’s plenty more to see and do at North America’s most popular train museum, both inside and out. In fact, the California State Railroad Museum will debut a nostalgia-inducing new exhibit on Monday, November 16, titled "Some Assembly Required," showcasing railroad-themed toys from the Museum’s collection.

Over the three-day Thanksgiving weekend (Friday thru Sunday), the popular "Train Time for Santa" event will take place—complete with festive Santa Steam Train rides—and the 13th Annual Toy Train Holiday Show in the Museum.

Amidst special holiday "Theater of Lights" activities throughout Old Sacramento that same three-day weekend—November 27 thru 29—visitors to the California State Railroad Museum will enjoy "Train Time for Santa." Ride with Santa aboard his very own steam train! Then explore the 13th Annual Toy Train Holiday Show where hobbyists from around the region will proudly display modular and portable toy and model train layouts set up in the Museum’s Roundhouse surrounded by full size locomotives.

Tickets for Santa’s Steam Train—which include complimentary admission to the Museum—are $15 for adults, $7 for youths ages 6-17 and children 5 and under are free. Santa’s Steam Train tickets are available on a first come, first served basis and trains depart hourly from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot at Front and "K" Streets in Old Sacramento.

For Museum admission only (which does NOT include Santa’s Steam Train), regular museum prices are $9 for adults, $4 for youths ages 6-17, and children 5 and under are free.
Opening November 16, the California State Railroad Museum will showcase a special "Some Assembly Required" toy exhibit that is sure to inspire both wonder and delight with a variety of rare, intricate and colorful railroad-themed toys on display. The exhibit, with toys and games from the impressive California State Railroad Museum collection, will be featured through February 20, 2010.

For more information about the "Some Assembly Required" toy exhibit, "Train Time for Santa," the Toy Train Holiday Show or other museum related events, exhibits and activities this holiday season, visit www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org. For more information about all of the activities throughout Old Sacramento, visit www.oldsacramento.com.

Athearn HO Scale Iron Horse Express Electric Train Set - BNSF

Athearn HO Scale Iron Horse Express Train Set, BNSF

Product Features

Athearn TrainPak power supply
Three freight cars with a matching caboose
GP38-2 locomotive with handrails installed
36" x 45" oval of Bachmann E-Z Track with gray roadbed

Product Description

This nicely-made HO Scale train set features a Burlington Northern-Santa Fe GP38-2 Diesel Locomotive, a boxcar, a gondola car, a tank car, and a caboose. The engine has all-wheel drive and all-wheel power pickup, ensuring smooth, consistent operation. The cars have all-metal wheels and realistic couplers. The track is a loop of Bachmann EZ Track, forming a circle 45 by 36 inches when assembled. The power pack has speed and direction control. Athearn is a well-known maker of HO Scale cars and engines with a reputation for good quality.The Trainz SKU for this item is S11552287.Manufacturer: AthearnModel Number: 1073Scale/Era: HO ModernModel Type: SetsThe Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (M.S.R.P) for this item is $129.99.

Brand new package design with convenient carry handle

Expand Your Train With : Athearn HO Scale PS-2 Covered Hopper - Santa Fe / Athearn 50ft Ice Reefer Box Car - Santa Fe (Scout) / Athearn HO Scale Cupola Caboose - Santa Fe / Trainline HO Scale 50ft Plug Door Box Car - Western Pacific / Athearn HO Scale 50ft Combo Door Box Car - Union Pacific / Athearn HO Scale Bay Window Caboose - Southern Pacific

See Also: Athearn HO Scale SD60M Locomotive - Burlington Northern Santa Fe / Athearn HO Scale SD60M Locomotive - Burlington Northern / BNSF

CN To Implement Wage Increase And Milage Cap For It's Canadian Engineers

Source: Canadian National (Press Release)

CN (TSX: CNR)(NYSE: CNI) today gave the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) notice of its plan to increase wage rates and apply a change to the mileage caps for the company's locomotive engineers the union represents in Canada on CN. CN is taking the step after collective bargaining with the TCRC ended Nov. 20 without a settlement. The contract changes are to take effect 0001 hours Nov. 28. The TCRC's current labour agreement with CN expired Dec. 31, 2008.

CN had informed the union over the weekend of its intention to increase the engineers' wages by 1.5 percent and implement only one work rule change. Today, TCRC-represented conductors have a 4,300-mileage cap limitation, and TCRC-represented engineers have a 3,800-mile cap. With this work rule change, both groups of employees working in the locomotive cab will be working under one consistent rule, and the engineers will see an overall increase in their compensation. On average, CN's locomotive engineers presently work between 15 and 17 days per month.

CN regrettably reached an impasse with the TCRC after bargaining in good faith with the union for more than a year, and has decided to invoke these contractual changes to move the company forward. CN has made several different offers to resolve these collective agreements, all of which have been rejected by the TCRC. CN also offered to refer the matters in dispute to binding arbitration, but the TCRC rejected this option as well. CN still prefers to achieve agreements with the TCRC without a labour disruption.

Under terms of the Canada Labour Code, the TCRC and CN are entitled to engage in a strike or lockout upon 72 hours' notice to the other party.

See Also: CN Reaches 20th Voluntary Mitigation Agreement (VMA), Makes Substantial Strides In EJ&E Integration

Live Entertainment Lights Up Caltrain Holiday Train

Source: CalTrain (Press Release)

The glittering Caltrain Holiday Train, which will stop at nine stations the weekend of Dec. 5 and 6, has become a popular showcase for local musicians. Live performances, onboard the train and at each station before the train’s arrival, help get everyone into the spirit of the season.

Each evening kicks off with a performance at 4:45 p.m. before the train departs the San Francisco station at 4th and King streets at 5:20 p.m.

The Salvation Army, one of Caltrain’s partners in the Holiday Train, has produced some of the most outstanding brass bands in the world and two of them will perform for Holiday Train audiences. A band representing the San Francisco corps will be onboard the train Saturday and Sunday night. The Santa Clara corps will perform at the last stops each night, Santa Clara on Saturday and Sunnyvale on Sunday.

Saturday night, Masterworks Chorale, one of Northern California’s finest choral ensembles, will join the band onboard the train. The group’s guest appearances include performances with the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Opera, and now, thanks to the Holiday Train, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Sunday, the Salvation Army will accompany the Menlo Park Chorus. Now in its 10th year, the chorus combines musical training and discipline with a neighborly feeling. Two high school choirs will entertain audiences at stations. The choir from San Bruno’s Capuchino High School will perform at 5:20 p.m. Saturday at the Burlingame station. “We couldn’t be more excited about our appearance,” said Director Justin Cottrell. “We have a host of great songs that we have been practicing all semester as well as some holiday favorites.” The choir from El Camino High School in South San Francisco will perform at 5:10 p.m. Sunday at the San Bruno station.

The Holiday Train’s second stop on Saturday will be in Redwood City. The City has incorporated the Holiday Train into its annual Hometown Holiday’s event. The outdoor party includes snow, a parade, fireworks and a late-night holiday movie. At 6:00 p.m., the Woodside High School Band will perform at the train station.

Also on Saturday, the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra Sinfonia, will perform at the Menlo Park station at 6:55 p.m. The emphasis on chamber music lies at the core of this award-winning youth string orchestra’s success. The West Bay Model Railroad will be open to visitors from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The display, which dates from the mid-century, features HO, S and O model rail cars zipping through tunnels and over bridges.

The Holiday Train will make its final stop of the evening at the Santa Clara station, home of the South Bay Historical Railroad Society. The display in the historic depot, which will be open from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., includes HO- and N-scale model railroad displays depicting various railroad eras.

The fun continues on Sunday at the San Mateo station where the Golden Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus, a competitive a cappella group, will perform at 5:45 p.m.

At the California Avenue station, the Peninsulaires, the Palo Alto/Mountain View chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, will perform at 7 p.m.

Along the way the train will pick up toys and books for the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program and the Salvation Army’s holiday toy drive.

The Caltrain Holiday Train would not be possible without support for decorations, wiring and costumes from the following sponsors: Linear Technology Corporation, HNTB Corporation, Parsons Brinckerhoff, the Port of San Francisco, Shimmick Construction Company Inc. and Rinat.

The San Mateo County Times, The Daily Journal and Radio Disney are the event’s media sponsors, and in-kind donations are being provided by Peterson Power Systems of San Leandro, Raison D'etre bakery and the San Francisco Caltrain station Subway.

Amtrak, Caltrain’s contractor operator, and the San Mateo County Transit District also are partners in the event.

See Also: Caltrain Gears Up For A Busy Holiday Schedule

The Cajon Pass Railroad Museum - The Birth Of A Dream

Written By: Ken Hulsey

This past weekend I was doing my usual unwinding from the week prior, reading through some of my railroad books, when the most incredible idea came into my mind. What if I could bring people together to build a railroad museum? A museum that would pay tribute to one of the most famous areas in North American railroading, the Cajon Pass.

What an incredible idea, I thought to myself. And since I live in Victorville, CA, what a great way to both combine my love for trains with a possible way to bring more attention to my area and become more involved civilly.

It was at that moment that the "Cajon Pass Railroad Museum" was born.......well in spirit anyway.

The area of the Cajon Pass is the railroad lifeline to the greater Los Angeles area. Over the decades the region has been regarded as one of the best places to view trains in North America....possibly the world, and has a rich railroading history.

It would be the mission of the Cajon Pass Railroad Museum to honor this rich railroading landmark, by presenting examples of railroad equipment that has served the Union Pacific, Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and now, BNSF in this region.

As I sat in ponderance of this certain monumental task, ideas began to flood over me one after another. Potential locations. potential exhibits and ways to fund the museum, they all came to me one by one. Surprisingly, all of these thoughts made perfect sense and seemed to gel together seamlessly.

I can only assume that this was somehow Divinely inspired, because normally my ideas don't come together in this fashion.

Potential Locations For The Museum:

1. Cajon Pass - Certainly the most logical location for a museum about railroading in Cajon Pass would be in the pass itself.

This would be a good location due to the fact that it is easily accessible from the 15 freeway and because rail fans already congregate here to watch trains.

I, however, think that this would be a bad location for the project due to the potential for wild fires in the area. I would hate to have all of this come together, only to have it destroyed by fire someday.

2. Hesperia, CA - This is my favorite location, due to the fact that it is at the top of the pass, and is accessible from the 15 freeway. I believe that building the museum to where it can be seen directly from the interstate would be crucial to its survival, due to the fact that it would attract visits from passing motorists, who may not necessarily be rail buffs.

There is plenty of open land in this area that could be obtained for the project, plus there could be a possible rail connection from the museum built to the Union Pacific's "Palmdale Cut-off".

Let's not forget that the location is also on the historic Route 66.

3. Downtown Victorville - Though not directly visible from the 15, the area near the old Victorville train station makes some sense. This location is also on the old Route 66.

4. Barstow - Though not one of my favorite locations, there is the BNSF yard and historic Harvey House here and a museum would certainly fit in with those.

It is however off the beaten path a bit, which may be a big negative here.

Potential Exhibits:

When thinking about what to display in the museum, two potential pieces of railroading equipment came to my mind instantly.

First, ex Union Pacific 2-8-0 Consolidation #6051 presently located in Fairmount Park Riverside Ca (Photo Above). The loco is in fair shape, but has obviously suffered years of neglect. It is literally just sitting there rusting and no one ever looks at it. It needs to be someplace for people to admire it!

Second, ex Southern Pacific 2-8-0 Consolidation 2825 which presently resides at the San Bernardino County Museum along with a an old Santa Fe caboose.Granted, the locomotive is already at a museum, but as is the case with the locomotive in Riverside, it is in a state of neglect. Presently the loco and caboose are displayed outside, locked up where nobody can get at them. From the look of the equipment I would say that the museum has all but forgotten about it, or given up on restoring it.

The locomotive is listed as a mere footnote on the museum's website.

As you can see from the photo below, there was great fanfare when it was first brought to the museum, but to look at it know, you would think that nobody has touched it since.

I will be taking the time to write separate articles, with photos, about both of these locomotives in the very near future. As luck would have it, both are within minutes of my work. A lunchtime excursion to visit both and find out more info about them definitely is in order.

There are literally pieces of railroad equipment scattered all over the high desert area, which includes Hesperia, Victorville, Apple Valley, Adelanto and Barstow. I believe that gathering all of these items for display in one location would be in every one's best interest.

I also want to quickly touch on some ideas to help fund the museum once it is constructed. The first being a hobby store that centers on model trains. This would also include a website for selling related items.

The second being a 40s or 50s style restaurant that would both tie-in to the golden age of railroading and the nearby historic Route 66 to which this region has always been associated.

I believe that both of these would be able to aide in funding the museum, plus bring extra jobs and tourists to the region.

At this point the "Cajon Pass Railroad Museum" is just a dream.

I did take the time this weekend to create a 'group' on Facebook to gauge interest in the project. You can visit that at Cajon Pass Railroad Museum. Please feel free to join up if you like.

If you have any questions, or you would like to get involved, please shoot me an e-mail at kensforce@yahoo.com

I will, certainly, be posting updates as events unfold so......stay tuned!

Lionel O Scale Electric Train Set - B&O - Just In Time For Christmas!

Product Features

This classic Lionel O-Gauge electric train set is heirloom quality and comes in an easy-to-repack storage box with over 30 pieces in all
Features a die-cast metal 4-4-2 locomotive with operating headlight and puffing smoke
Includes a vintage Lionel Lines boxcar, a gondola with cable reels, a classic red caboose, a short extension bridge and 10 telephone poles
Comes with a 40x60" oval of FasTrack and a bonus Sentinel boxcar
PowerMax Transformer controls forward, neutral and reverse operation
Manufacturer's Suggested Age: 8 Years and Up
Collector Item: Toy Collectible
Dimensions: Length: 40.0 "; Width: 60.0 "
Scale: O Scale

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (reporting marks B&O, BO) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal (which served New York City) and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which would have connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. At first this railroad was located entirely in the state of Maryland with an original line from the port of Baltimore west to Sandy Hook. At this point to continue westward, it had to cross into Virginia (now West Virginia) over the Potomac River, adjacent to the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. From there it passed through Virginia from Harpers Ferry to a point just west of the junction of Patterson Creek and the North Branch Potomac River where it crossed back into Maryland to reach Cumberland. From there it was extended to the Ohio River at Wheeling and a few years later also to Parkersburg, West Virginia.

See Also: Lionel O Scale Electric Train Set - Rio Grande Flyer- Just In Time For Christmas! / Lionel O Scale Electric Train Set - Polar Express - Just In Time For Christmas!