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Wabtec on March 13 reporting landing multiple contracts to supply more than 680 pantographs for six major commuter rail and metro projects across India, including Chennai Metro Phase II; Mumbai Metro Lines 4, 5, and 6; Indian Railways’ MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) and Vande Bharat Sleeper programs. The pantograph systems, it said, “will improve overall fleet availability for the projects providing more reliable, efficient, and sustainable rail operations.”

Wabtec will manufacture the systems at its Transit facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2026.

“India continues to make substantial investments in modernizing and expanding its commuter rail infrastructure,” said Ajay Mani, Managing Director for Wabtec Transit India. “These orders underscore the trust our customers place in Wabtec and our longstanding commitment to the country’s rail ecosystem. Our proven pantograph technology is designed for modern mobility needs and capable of operating in even the most demanding service conditions.”

Wabtec’s pantograph technology is said to feature “lightweight, high stiffness frames and optimized linkages that ensure stable current collection across varying speeds and overhead equipment conditions.” According to the company, “precision controlled contact force, aerodynamic collector heads, and low-wear carbon strips help reduce arcing and wire wear, improving power collection efficiency.” The pantographs are equipped with “advanced damping for consistent performance,” and meet EN and IEC international rail standards, it noted.

“While the invention of the ‘diamond shaped’ pantograph traces back to John Q. Smith and commuter train travel in the San Francisco Bay of 1903, the perfection of the panto is widely attributed to Wabtec forebear Louis Faiveley,” according to Wabtec. “Not only did he improve upon the diamond style panto with his own enhanced design in the early 1920s, he eventually broke the mold entirely with the invention of the single-arm panto. Faiveley’s step-change design went on to set the world speed record (331 kmh/206 mph) for an electric powered train that same year, 1955, and is the industry standard to this day.”

Wabtec in 2016 acquired a majority stake in Faiveley Transport of France, a manufacturer and supplier of pantographs, as well as products ranging from braking systems and couplers, passenger access systems and platform screen doors, air conditioning, and passenger information systems. It acquired the remaining shares in 2017.

• Wabtec: ‘Strong’ 4Q25, Full-Year Results
• For CSX, $670MM Power Upgrade Order
• Wabtec Lands $1.2B UP Locomotive Overhaul Order
•  CPKC, NS Advance Locomotive Modernizations
• Wabtec Acquires Frauscher
• Wabtec Expanding Brazilian Footprint
• Wabtec Lands $4.2B Kazakhstan Locomotive Contract
• Driving the Future of Rail: A Conversation With Wabtec’s Eric Gebhardt

Four Alstom Innovia R APM vehicles began serving riders at Tampa International Airport (TPA) on March 13 as part of a modernization project, according to the manufacturer.

TPA has ordered a total of 16 cars to replace 30-year-old cars, which have logged more than 1 million miles each and were produced by Bombardier Transportation, which Alstom acquired in 2021. The third-generation model is “quieter, easier to maintain, and more energy efficient,” according to Alstom, which noted that interiors feature improved lighting, updated video information screens, and doors with obstacle-detection systems. In addition, Alstom is installing its Urbalis Flo automatic train control system, which it said “allows trains to run more frequently, increasing the system’s capacity and reducing passenger wait times.”

The first four Innovia R vehicles are serving as the Blue shuttles to and from the A and C concourses (known as “airsides”). By the end of the year, the APM connections to three of the airport’s four airsides will be equipped with new vehicles and the new signaling system, according to Alstom. Alstom said it is also building the guideways, signaling system, and vehicles for the future Airside D, which is expected to open in 2028.

All the APM vehicles are being manufactured at Alstom’s plant in West Mifflin, Pa., near the site where the first APMs were developed and tested in the 1960s.

TPA opened in April 1971 with a Bombardier Transportation-made APM system to connect riders from its central terminal to four airsides. Bombardier, and now Alstom, has also maintained the APM system at Tampa since its launch.

“Since 1971 Alstom has worked with the Tampa airport to keep passengers moving swiftly and reliably; some of the cars we’ve provided have logged over 1 million miles,” Alstom America President Michael Keroullé said. “Today we’re proud to celebrate a new milestone in this decades-long partnership, introducing our latest and most advanced APM vehicles into service, designed and manufactured in the United State. This is an important part of our broader commitment to support the improvement of the airport’s shuttle system.”

“TPA’s signature shuttles go back to our opening in 1971, and were the first of their kind at any airport in the world when they debuted,” TIA CEO Michael Stephens said. “Now we are proud to offer another first, with TPA being the first airport in the world to offer these brand-new shuttles coupled with the new technology and operating system that will be guiding them.”

Separately, last May Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport took delivery of the first of 29 Innovia APM 300R vehicles from Alstom.

• Toronto Orders New Subway Train Fleet
• IAM Alstom Members Ratify First Contract
• Mexico Awards $1B Passenger Fleet Contract
• From Expo 86 to Everyday Essential: SkyTrain Marks 40 Years
• Finch West LRT Opens
• Alstom, CTDOT Unveil Commuter Railcar Mockup
• Montreal REM Segment 2 Launches
• NJT Slates $917MM Multilevel I, II Overhaul

FRA Administrator David Fink and key staffers on March 10 visited the Jacksonville headquarters of Duos, which is described as a developer of “intelligent vision-based solutions using Machine Vision and AI to analyze fast-moving freight, passenger, transit trains, and trucks.”  

During the visit, Duos executives demonstrated the company’s Railcar Inspection Portal (RIP®), Mobile Railcar Inspection Portal (m-RIP), centraco® and other patented technologies that the company said are “designed to enhance rail safety, operational efficiency, and real-time monitoring across the U.S. rail network.”

Administrator Fink and FRA representatives toured the facility and reviewed how Duos’ inspection technologies help railroads detect mechanical defects, identify safety risks, and improve monitoring across freight and passenger rail operations, according to the company.

“Hosting Administrator Fink provided an opportunity for us to demonstrate how our RIP can identify potential mechanical issues, significantly enhancing rail safety,” said Adrian Goldfarb, President of Duos Technologies rail subsidiary. “Our technology can inspect every railcar passing through the system at speeds up to 125 mph, and within 60 seconds, alert the operator to potential safety issues, including a potential derailment.”

According to Duos, the visit also “highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry innovators and federal regulators in modernizing rail inspection technologies.” By combining AI-powered inspection and “actionable” intelligent data with real-time analytics, Duos said it supports “the broader mission of the Federal Railroad Administration to improve rail safety, strengthen infrastructure oversight, and promote innovation across the U.S. rail system.”

• Duos Appoints Doug Recker as Corporate Officer, President (part of People News)
• Next-Level Safety and Efficiency
• Duos Secures 11th Railcar Tech Patent
• Duos, CN Ink Five-Year Strategic Agreement

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CSX on March 16 reported that 21 rail-served properties across 10 states have received its “Select Site” program designation, bringing the total to 80.

“CSX worked with more than 30 communities to gather information and identify top candidates for the CSX Select Site program, which connects expanding companies with highly desirable rail-served properties,” the Class I said. “Of the more than 1,110 sites served by CSX, only 6% are designated as a CSX Select Site.”

Each of the 21 new properties, it noted, earned a gold, silver, or bronze rating based on an evaluation of a range of characteristics—from rail access and zoning to utilities and more.

The newly added CSX Select Sites are:

Gold Level

• I-80 Logistics Park – Minooka, Ill.

Silver Level

• Fort Meade Rail Ready Industrial – Fort Meade, Fla.
• First Florida Tradeport – Wildwood, Fla.
• Wiley Connell Site One – Crawfordsville, Ind.
• Enterprise Industrial Park – Defiance, Ohio
• Franklin Logistics & Development – Letterkenny 29 – Chambersburg, Pa.
• Hwy 321 Greenfield Rail Site – Gaston, S.C.
• Southbound Road Greenfield Rail Site – Gaston, S.C.
• Stonecrest Farm Rail Site – Greenwood, S.C.
• Gibbs Rail Site – Sumter, S.C.
• Enterprise Center at VA Port Logistics Park – Suffolk, Va.

Bronze Level

• Pioneer Park – Dade City, Fla.
• Georgia Breakbulk Logistics Park – Brunswick, Ga.
• Kingsbury Industrial Complex – La Porte, Ind.
• Washington CSX Industrial Rail Site – Washington, Ind.
• Massachusetts Life Sciences Logistic Park and Transloading Facility – Bellingham, Mass.
• CSX-Owned East Brookfield MA Site – East Brookfield, Mass.
• Mshiké Industrial Complex – Holland, Mich.
• Kileville Site – Dublin, Ohio
• Dan Rogers Site – Dillon, S.C.
• Willoughby Site – Marion, S.C.

“Each CSX Select Site highlights the power of preparation and partnership,” CSX Senior Director of Industrial Development Kellen Riley said. “These sites give manufacturers confidence to move forward while helping communities translate readiness into real economic growth and job creation.”

Commented Jake Weir, Senior Director of Industrial Development at R.J. Corman, whose 219-acre Willoughby Site earned bronze status: “A site of this caliber doesn’t just show up on the market overnight. It requires significant time, often years, and commitment from key stakeholders to get it to a position where it can be effectively marketed to potential rail users. This Bronze Select Site designation from CSX is an acknowledgment of all the work that has been put into this property by the entire team, and the value that short line partners, such as R.J. Corman, bring to the table for Class I railroads like CSX. We sincerely appreciate everyone who has played a role in this process and CSX’s willingness to include this property in their Select Site Program this year. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this incredible property as we continue our site preparation initiatives.”

According to CSX, since the last round of candidate site designations in April 2025, Owens Corning announced a “major investment” at South Industrial Park, a Silver CSX Select Site in Prattville, Ala. The project, it said, will create 100 “skilled manufacturing jobs and strengthen Prattville’s local economy while further expanding CSX’s industrial footprint across the region.”

Separately, earlier this month BNSF broke ground on its sixth Logistics Center, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Norfolk Southern announced the certification of more industrial development sites along their lines.

• Building Successful Industrial Development Spaces
• CSX Adds Eight Rail-Served Properties to ‘Select Site’ Program

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NJ Transit and Amtrak on March 16 placed the first track on the new Portal North Bridge into service.

A ceremonial first train over the new bridge, a fixed span, operated March 13, marking a “major milestone for service reliability on the Northeast Corridor,” said NJ Transit, as it begins transferring service. The ceremonial train consisted of MultiLevel coaches and an NJT ALP45-DP locomotive wrapped in graphics celebrating America’s 250th (YouTube video below). The second and final track will be placed into service on the new bridge in the fall. The original Portal Bridge, a moveable span more than 100 years old, will be demolished.

In October 2021, a $1.6 billion construction contract was awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV), making it the “single largest construction award in NJ Transit’s history.” Skanska said its work includes the bridge superstructure, approaches, and supporting rail infrastructure.

Recently, RT&S reported on the progress and construction photos. The project spans 2.44 miles of the NEC. NJ Transit and Amtrak shared the estimated quantities of materials used. These include 45 million pounds of steel, 219,000 cubic yards of concrete, 185,000 linear feet of pipe piles, 20,000 linear feet of drilled shafts, 4,850 linear feet of retaining walls, and 3,289 linear feet of construction access platforms. Crews have worked to construct retaining walls, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans, foundations, and are scheduled to demolish the existing bridge in 2027. The project is part of the Gateway Program, which seeks to double rail capacity between Newark and New York.

“The segment of the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York is the busiest stretch of rail in the country, carrying more than 400 trains and 200,000 NJ Transit and Amtrak riders every weekday,” said NJT President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “The first train over the new Portal North Bridge marked a major milestone toward completing one of the most consequential infrastructure projects in the nation and delivering the reliability our customers expect and deserve.”

“The Portal North Bridge represents the first major bridge project cutover completed on the Northeast Corridor, and we’re proud to celebrate this tremendous milestone with our partners at NJ Transit, [New Jersey] Governor [Mikie] Sherrill, and the US DOT,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris

“Completion of the Portal North Bridge is a landmark achievement for the Northeast Corridor, replacing a century-old structure with a modern, fixed network tied arch bridge that enhances reliability, reduces delay, and reinforces the resilience of one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors,” said Brian Reilly, Portal North Bridge Project Director, Skanska USA Civil. “Delivered with our joint venture partner Traylor Bros., this project provides safer, more efficient travel for the millions of passengers who rely on it each year and represents a significant step forward in building stronger, future-ready rail infrastructure for generations to come.”

Editor’s Commentary: “The old Portal Bridge was completed just a few months after Mother Theresa was born. Infrastructure that old creates delays. Delays ruin birthday parties, preclude family dinners and create stress for someone just trying to get home after a long day at work. The growth of New Jersey relies on finishing projects like the Portal Bridge and the Gateway Tunnel. Because New Jersey will only keep growing if we keep moving,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-N.J., pictured). Pardon me, but Mother Theresa? Seriously? How many people know who Mother Theresa was, and why is she relevant to Portal North Bridge? Just sayin’. – William C. Vantuono

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Multiple organizations including the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), BNSF Railway Company, the Freight Rail Customer Alliance (FRCA) and National Coal Transportation Association (NCTA), the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), have provided comments on the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Jan. 7, 2026, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to repeal its regulations on 49 C.F.R. Part 144, “Intramodal Rail Competition,” and to restore reciprocal switching.

On July 8, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated an STB Final Rule allowing for reciprocal switching, which was opposed by railroads and drew criticism from shippers.

In a letter (download below), dated March 10, 2026, to the STB, the NITL commended the Board on its proposal to repeal Part 1144, which will “modernize its regulatory framework by removing burdensome and ineffective regulations,” according to the League.

“Part 1144 imposes unreasonable burdens on shippers whose facilities are captive to a single railroad and who seek to use the reciprocal switching statute to access a second railroad to obtain competitive, efficient, and reliable freight rail transportation. Removing Part 1144 will create new opportunities for competition in the rail industry to be a key mechanism to improve rail service and solve freight rail challenges for the benefit of U.S. manufacturers, farmers, distributors of raw materials, and the American economy,” NITL wrote in the letter.

In a letter (download below), dated March 10, 2026, to the STB, BNSF explained that it “does not oppose the repeal of competitive access rules (CARs).”

“The statutory scheme that will guide future cases is consistent with BNSF’s long-held belief that Board intervention should be limited to instances of market failure, while also ensuring that in those instances where Board regulation is warranted, the remedies must be accessible, well-tailored, and effective for all stakeholders,” the Class I wrote. “Moreover, this statutory focus on market dynamics makes it imperative that the Board consider all relevant competitive forces when considering future requests for competitive access. BNSF further notes that this proposal comes at a pivotal moment for competition in the railroad industry, as Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) seek to consolidate an unprecedented amount of market power through their proposed merger. For reasons that BNSF will address in the merger proceeding, the long- 2 term competitive harms of that transaction pose a significant threat to the U.S. economy and the American consumer. Nothing in the NPRM alters the Board’s responsibility to prevent those harms in addressing the proposed merger.”

The FRCA and NCTA in a March 10, 2026, letter to the STB, commended the Board for issuing its proposal.

“The requirement in the regulations to demonstrate anticompetitive conduct before being able to obtain reciprocal switching and through route prescription to attain the benefits of competition has proved insurmountable in practice, so much so as to have a profound chilling effect on efforts to pursue what could prove to be a very valuable form of competition. Enhanced competition is needed for the benefit of not only for shippers, who have on average faced real rate increases (as measured against the GPD-IPD) for over two decades, but also for the railroads, whose excessive exploitation of their market power has led to stagnating and falling volumes over the past two decades,” the organizations wrote in the letter (download below).

Notwithstanding these concerns, FRCA and NCTA said that they welcome the proposal as a “much needed and long-awaited correction to the harm inflicted by the Midtec approach.” While there may be challenges, the proposal, the organizations wrote, “adheres to the statutory language and has the potential to result in meaningful competition, lower rates, and improved service, none of which can be said of the status quo.”

SMART-TD, in its March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below), provided comments in strong support of the Board’s NPRM to repeal 49 C.F.R. Part 1144 and to restore reciprocal switching determinations to a “case-by-case analysis consistent with the Staggers Rail Act.”

“Competition strengthens industries. It strengthens service. And it strengthens the workforce that keeps the nation’s freight and passenger rail systems operating safely and efficiently. The existing regulatory framework has shielded rail monopolies for the past 4 decades. It is time to remove that shield.

“SMART-TD urges the Board to finalize this rule and restore reciprocal switching to its proper statutory footing,” wrote the union, which represents approximately 100,000 transportation employees, including active rail members working in all railroad operating crafts such as engineers, conductors, trainmen, switchmen, hostlers, and yardmasters.

“Repealing Part 1144 is the right first step in making statutory relief available and finding solutions that better serve the public interest, or that correct for inadequate competition,” the organization wrote in a March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below). “Without any replacement regulation, petitions would be evaluated case by case. Such an approach may work well, provided the Board makes all relevant information public and places any necessary evidentiary burdens on the party most able to meet the burden. However, USDA encourages the Board to continue judicious monitoring of shippers’ use of reciprocal switching. If, for example, shippers continue to cite high rates or poor service—and still do not bring cases before the Board—STB may need to provide additional regulatory clarity as to eligibility, such as the guidelines it proposed in 2016.”

The Anticompetitive Conduct standard adopted in Part 1144, the ACC wrote in its March 10, 2026, letter to the STB (download below), “stands as an outdated and unwarranted barrier to competition in the freight rail industry. The conditions that led to the adoption of the standard no longer exist; its repeal is not only permissible, but necessary. ACC strongly supports the Proposed Rule to fully repeal Part 1144 and allow the Board to consider requests for reciprocal switching, through routes, and through rates on a case-by-case basis under its statutory authority.”

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The government of Ontario in Canada on March 13 announced the acquisition of 127 miles (205 kilometers) of CN rail line between North Bay and Washago.

The C$138 million investment is a milestone in bringing back Northlander passenger rail service between Timmins and Toronto, with a rail connection to Cochrane. The acquisition was completed back in February and secures a dedicated rail corridor, according to the Ontario government, thereby creating jobs and improving on-time performance and reliability. It represents more than 25% of the corridor where the Northlander will operate.

Passenger service on the rail corridor will be prioritized; however it also supports freight traffic with “freight revenues directed back to the provincial Crown corporation Ontario Northland,” the government said. Additionally, freight operations will be streamlined in North Bay, where freight trains were previously disassembled, transferred onto CN track and reassembled before continuing south. Along the corridor from North Bay to Washago, nearby communities will be connected with this investment in infrastructure.

Previously, the Ontario government marked other milestones in its support of the return of Northlander service. In September 2025, it competed constructing 1,074 yards (982 meters) of new track for the passenger service. In January 2026, the first of three Siemens Venture trainsets arrived for the service. Later that same month, the government announced it was investing more than C$100 million in infrastructure upgrades.

“[W]e’re taking a pivotal step towards bringing back the Northlander and better connecting Northeastern Ontario families and workers to the opportunities and services they rely on,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “This investment will prioritize passenger service by supporting fast, reliable service along the line.”

Ontario Northland CEO Chad Evans said of the acquisition: “Today [March 13] marks a significant step forward as we prepare to usher in the new era of the Northlander service. The acquisition of the Newmarket Subdivision between North Bay and Washago will support on-time performance and a more dependable travel experience for passengers. Ontario Northland is proud to work with the province to deliver a transportation network that better serves people, businesses and communities across the region.”

“CN was pleased to work with the Government of Ontario and Ontario Northland on this agreement to transfer ownership of this section of the Newmarket Rail Subdivision,” CN Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Ghislain Houle said. “By securing its own corridor for passenger operations, the province is taking an important step toward restoring the Northlander and strengthening transportation connections across Northern Ontario. CN remains committed to working collaboratively with partners to support reliable passenger service while continuing to deliver safe, efficient freight transportation for our customers.”

• Ontario’s Northlander Service Revival Advances
• Northlander Service Revival Advances With Contract Award, Train Design Unveiling
• North Bay Rail Bypass Construction is Completed

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Henry, who will transition into the role from his current position as Director of Rail Operations at VRE, will be the first COO for the commuter rail service since 2019, when the role was vacated upon Rich Dalton’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a position subsequently held by Dalton until October 2025.

As COO, Henry will serve as a key strategic partner to VRE CEO Katie Choe, with a primary charge of “ensuring operational readiness to increase service in accordance with the recently adopted System Plan 2050.” Working collaboratively with other senior leadership, Henry will be responsible for the delivery of safe and reliable commuter service for all passengers and stakeholders, day-today rail operations, mechanical operations, and promoting and ensuring a positive customer experience. He will also provide oversight and guidance to the departments of Rail Operations and Mechanical Operations.

Henry first joined VRE as Director of Operations in 2010. In this previous role, he was responsible for “ensuring reliable daily operations of rail service, the management of operating contracts, incident response coordination, and partnering with mechanical leadership to align mechanical priorities with operating needs.” Henry also led the customer service teams and operational communications to passengers. In total, Henry brings more than 40 years of experience in providing multi-site operations management and customer support. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and an MBA from Rollins College.

VRE says it is “poised for a dramatic transformation” over the next several years, with capital projects under way throughout the system that will “improve reliability, enhance the passenger experience, and allow for significant increases in the level of service provided.” The projects are coordinated in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s multi-billion-dollar investment into rail infrastructure through the “Transforming Rail in Virginia” initiative. Henry will provide “critical support to liaise across departments and agencies to plan and activate service adjustments throughout the life of these projects, and implement service increases as enabling projects are completed.”

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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) has officially launched a public input survey, now open through March 27, to help guide the development of the 2026 Virginia Statewide Rail Plan. The agency is seeking feedback to ensure the updated plan “reflects the needs and priorities of passengers, freight partners, and communities across the Commonwealth.”

The Statewide Rail Plan, DRPT says, “establishes a vision for the future of rail in Virginia, outlining both short-term (six-year) and long-term (20-year) investment horizons.” To help shape this vision, the survey gathers public input on potential improvements to passenger rail service as well as freight rail considerations, including impacts at highway rail crossings. Respondents are also invited to share their perspectives on key strategies identified by DRPT to enhance passenger and freight rail service statewide.

Residents, business owners, farmers, and commuters are encouraged to participate in the survey, which takes approximately five to 10 minutes to complete.

In the coming months, DRPT will partner with the University of Virginia’s Institute for Engagement and Negotiation to host a series of public meetings. These meetings, the agency says, “will provide an opportunity to review survey findings and gather additional feedback on how Virginians would like to see the rail system evolve.”

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UP in June 2022 filed a petition for exemption to allow the rail line’s launch in connection with the Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension Project or the PIRATE project. The line would connect the Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone (PAMZ) to the UP main line west of the project area and provide rail service for Commercial Metals Company (CMC)—said to be largest manufacturer of steel rebar in North America and Central Europe, as well as a leading producer in the steel long products market—as well as an alternative mode of freight transportation to future shippers (see maps below). According to UP, the line will allow CMC to receive raw materials and ship products to customers by rail more efficiently from two facilities in Mesa, eliminating an estimated 35,000 trucks per year.

“Construction and operation of the Line will introduce a new freight transportation option in the PAMZ for both current and potential future shippers,” the STB said in its decision (download below).

“It will also facilitate the diversion of traffic from truck to rail, thereby increasing overall energy efficiency,” the STB continued. “With OEA’s [the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis] final recommended mitigation, there will be no potential for significant environmental impacts from construction and operation of the Line.” After considering the transportation merits and environmental issues, the Board, considering the entire record, said it approved Alternative 1 in the Draft and Final Environmental Assessments (EAs), subject to compliance with the environmental and historic mitigation measures set forth in its decision Appendix (see Alternative 1 details below). “This action, as conditioned,” it noted, “will not significantly impact the quality of the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.”

OEA in August 2023 delayed issuance of a Final EA after discovering that “there had been significant ground disturbance and damage to National Register of Historic Places-eligible archaeological resources within the proposed right-of-way,” according to the STB. “Following briefing on the issue, the Board was unable to reach a majority decision on whether a violation of NHPA had occurred, and the historic review process under NHPA resumed.” OEA on Feb. 27, 2026, issued a Final EA updating the environmental analysis and responding to the comments received on the Draft EA. “In the Final EA, based on that analysis, OEA determined that the conclusions in the Draft EA remain valid,” STB reported. “The Final EA also recommended conditions to the Board to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the project’s potential impacts on the environment and historic properties.”

While this project “satisfies the criteria for exemption,” the STB noted, “UP’s failure to adequately protect the identified National Register-eligible archaeological sites in the APE from disturbance during the pendency of the proceeding was deeply troubling. UP represents that it has instituted several new practices to ensure that, going forward, cultural resources are not disturbed or damaged during the pendency of the NHPA Section 106 process for a construction project … UP acknowledges that failures in communications and lack of awareness of the historic review process by various UP personnel are ‘unacceptable’ and ‘in need of correction’ … Should a future lapse in awareness or communications by UP personnel (or agents acting on UP’s behalf in connection with a construction project) result in impermissible disturbance or damage to cultural property, the Board will closely scrutinize UP’s conduct and consider whether significant consequences are appropriate. The Board expects UP to take all necessary steps to ensure that cultural resources are not disturbed or damaged during the Section 106 process in future construction cases.”

According to the STB, petitions for reconsideration must be filed by April 2, 2026.

• STB Issues Final EA for UP’s Proposed Arizona Line
• STB Directs UP to Correct ‘Deficiencies’ in Arizona Rail Line Project Proceeding

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The Izaak Walton Inn, a historic railroad lodge at the edge of Glacier National Park in Montana, has been listed for $18 million. The sale comes just two weeks after it closed due to financial troubles.

The lodge is situated along BNSF Railway’s former Great Northern Railway main line through northwest Montana and has long been a favorite among railroad enthusiasts. The GN partnered with the Addison Miller Company to build the hotel in 1939 to accommodate the crews needed to keep its main line over Marias Pass open during winter. In recent years, the mountain hamlet has become a popular spot for cross-country skiers, although the railroad still housed crews at the inn to support winter operations. Along with the historic hotel, several cabooses and an EMD F45 have been converted into cabins on the grounds. Amtrak’s Empire Builder also stops near the inn.

LOGE Camps bought the inn in 2022, and it underwent a major renovation before reopening in late 2024. But earlier this year, it was revealed that LOGE Camps was experiencing “significant” financial issues and shuttering all of its operations, including the Izaak Walton. The inn and the almost 90 acres it sits on have been described as a “turnkey resort” to potential buyers.

—Justin Franz 

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Artitec just continues to amaze with 232 new products already announced for this year covering both Civilian and Military ranges. The detailing and weathering of their products are exquisite!

In their civilian program, their range of vehicles from cars to tractors continue to expand. Day to day scenes like a drink vending machine (387.661); fisherman on a boat (387.658) and “What’s for dinner?” (5870160). They have a new mechanic’s garage offered in 4 different country versions with detailed interiors, (10.474;475;476;477). Of course, their figure range offers more typical scenes that we all recognize as needed on our model railways, even kids having a snowball fight, (5870148).

In their military program, several new tank versions are offered in the BRD; USA; German Wehrmacht; DDR and even Canada gets a mention with a Crusader Anti-aircraft tank, (6870766).

Far to much to discuss, so enjoy browsing the line-up and note, most items are available in a wide range of scales.

There are six new paint schemes in the Atlas Master Line production of its ACF 17,360-gallon tank car model. The tank car comes in HO (MSRP: $49.95) and N (MSRP: $39.95) scales. The HO tank car (right) includes metal wheels and body-mounted AccuMate couplers. The N-scale model comes with plastic wheels and couplers mounted to the car’s trucks.—Atlas Model Railroad Co., atlasrr.com

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Accurail’s American Car & Foundry (ACF) 2,970 cubic foot capacity CenterFlow hopper car is arriving in a special America’s 250th Anniversary (2026) release. The two-bay covered hopper will be painted silver and the fantasy decoration includes a representation of the Liberty Bell and Declaration of Independence document. The car will include a 250th Anniversary America 1776–2026 banner. The car’s sill will include standard data information in black, along with ACF’s logo. The easy-to-assemble HO-scale kit retails for $22.98. —Accurail, Inc., accurail.com

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Review by Tony Cook/model photos by the author

PIKO America’s excellent reproduction of German locomotive builder Krauss-Maffei’s ML4000 returns with new versions decorated for Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and Southern Pacific (SP).

This fully assembled HO scale model is one of those efforts that makes you wish a manufacturer would offer more releases. PIKO America’s North American prototype offerings in 1:87 are limited, compared to the vast collection of European subjects the company catalogs. For this reason, some hobbyists pursuing North American prototypes likely do not have PIKO America on their radar. This six-axle diesel-hydraulic locomotive replica is a standout and I am certain I am not the only collector that remains impressed with this ML4000 and looks to the future for more from this hobby company.

When this HO model project was announced, the company stated later looks for these 1960s era locomotives would be future releases following the debut run’s as-delivered examples. What is on display in this review is a later look for the ML4000, and based on Rio Grande’s group of three units. Troubled by exhaust overtaking the necessary quality air for good operation (not unlike the pursuit of Tunnel Motors to come from Electro-Motive), two openings were added to the lower sides of D&RGW’s ML4000s. This feature and the rooftop tanks are additions to the tooling for this production run. Check your February and September 2025 editions of Model Railroad News to see previous Rio Grande and Southern Pacific models from PIKO America and you’ll quickly spot many differences between as-delivered ML4000s from those runs and this modified edition release.

ABOVE: SP 9022 shows the patched Rio Grande livery look PIKO presents in this new locomotive release. You’ll notice the air intake panels on the lower body side near the center unit and addition of rooftop tanks. When Rio Grande management decided they had experimented enough with the diesel-hydraulic concept, Southern Pacific picked up the trio of Rio Grande units. —Kevin EuDaly collection

In addition to the tooling revisions, PIKO America presents its Southern Pacific 9022 with a faded appearance to the single-stripe Aspen Gold and silver Rio Grande livery. When SP acquired D&RGW’s trio of ML4000s, which differed from the look of the units Southern Pacific took delivery of in 1961 (same time the Rio Grande units arrived from Germany), the new owner initially removed flying Rio Grande lettering and 4000-series numbering and applied black Southern Pacific lettering on the sides, an “SP” on the nose, and 9000-series numbering.

PIKO’s fading is subtle, but well executed. My photos illustrate the lighter/faded hues, but in person they are even more obvious and quite authentic looking. Check out the photo on the facing page of SP 9022 in patched Rio Grande paint, and you will see, with some weathering applied, this new PIKO America modified ML4000 model dressed for SP could be an eye-catching addition to your roster.

ABOVE: The ML4000 tooling includes modifications and additions to the detailed plastic body shells. You’ll spot two added grilles along the lower body sides. These served to improve the quality of air brought into the unit. Tanks on the roof are additions for this modified appearance. PIKO America presents Rio Grande livery on these two releases, but note the faded quality of the Aspen Gold hue on Southern Pacific 9022 (right). 

Like the previous ML4000 releases, buyers will find this finely rendered miniature offered with a standard DC setup or with PIKO’s TrainSounds electronics providing audio features, and digital operation and control of lighting and sound functions.

The model is an Expert series release in PIKO America’s line and comes secured on two posts on a plastic base. The model is not secured by screws, but simply lifts up and off its base. A guide is included for DCC operations and should be examined before you fire up your ML4000 and attempt to head out on your main line, as the usual European mapping of functions is present. These features can be revised to follow the North American locations you may be more familiar with when going to select a throttle function. I’m eager to see PIKO America return with more, and hope to see the company add other exotic prototypes to its line like this wonderful ML4000.

The post Modified Diesel-Hydraulics from PIKO USA in HO Scale appeared first on Model Railroad News.

Review by Ryan Crawford/model photos by Tony Cook

In late 2025, ScaleTrains began shipping its latest HO scale Rivet Counter run of Electro-Motive Division’s (EMD) SD38-2 diesel locomotives. Offering of this uncommon EMD six-axle prototype is not surprising in today’s marketplace, especially with the components on hand from ScaleTrains’ popular Rivet Counter EMD SD40-2. Utilizing the company’s SD40-2 platform, this Dash 2 model would be a natural for the Tennessee-based company. The two prototypes (SD40-2 and SD38-2) share the same 68 foot 10-inch frame. The difference in the two is not size, but applicable horsepower by way of EMD’s popular 16-cylinder, 645E diesel prime mover. The SD40-2 utilizes a turbocharger, netting 3,000 hp, while the SD38-2 uses the same engine block, but is fed via a set of superchargers (what diesel historians label “normally aspirated”) that puts out 2,000 hp.

The easiest way to explain the creation of EMD’s SD38-2 is to place a GP38-2 car body on top of an SD40-2 chassis; in essence, that is what you have with this locomotive. The detail differences between the SD40-2 and SD38-2 are the number of radiator fans (two for the 38 and three for the 40) and size of the radiator intake screens. The SD40-2, being turbocharged, has a single exhaust outlet, whereas the SD38-2 possesses two exhaust outlets. The idea behind this combination of two similar locomotive models yields a unit that can move heavy tonnage (six axles equal improved tractive effort), and the removal of the turbocharged motor that is not needed for heavy drag applications.

The SD38-2 became popular with roads that hauled heavy unit trains, such as central Illinois coal-hauler Chicago & Illinois Midland (C&IM), and iron ore roads such as Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range. EMD marketed its SD38-2 as an excellent locomotive for hump yard applications. This Rivet Counter SD38-2 production includes examples covering those users well. ScaleTrains does exhaustive research of prototypes and always offers good execution with prototype-specific and railroad-specific details for its Rivet Counter HO-scale diesel locomotives. This review will focus on one of the six C&IM SD38-2 prototypes offered by ScaleTrains.

ABOVE: Above: On June 2, 1974, just weeks after delivery, C&IM 74 is coupled to 75 at Springfield, Ill. This is exactly how the units were painted when delivered in May 1974. Notice the railroad has yet to install the all-weather cab window, orange trim on the step edges, and the rear diamond decal (look at unit 75 in background). Within a year, the orange trim would be added, as were the cab windows and the diamond decal on the rear hood. Good attention to detail on the ScaleTrains Rivet Counter replica is the three sets of instructions on the hood door in white. —Richard R. Wallin photo, Ryan Crawford collection 

C&IM Motive Power History
Owned by Commonwealth Edison (CWE) for more than 80 years, Chicago & Illinois Midland had one job: hauling coal to feed the hungry boilers of CWE’s power plants in the Chicago area. The locations included a massive power plant located at Powerton, Ill., just south of Pekin. Since 1926, the modern C&IM, stretched 121 miles across Illinois from Taylorville to Pekin. At a location known as CIMIC (named for the two railroads, C&IM and Illinois Central, that met at this location), C&IM utilized 16 miles of trackage rights on Illinois Central to reach Springfield, Ill. Springfield became the railroad’s headquarters in 1956. Up until the mid-1950s, coal hauling duties were entrusted to an expertly maintained roster of 0-8-0, 2-8-2, and 2-10-2 steamers.

When it was time to dieselize, C&IM manage-ment turned to EMD, which surveyed the railroad and proposed that 11 diesels could do the work of 21 active steam locomotives. In April and May 1955, two EMD SW1200s, 18 and 19, were purchased and went to work. By November 1955, C&IM added four additional SW1200s (20–23) and five rugged SD9s (50–54) to handle the tonnage on C&IM’s route. During the early dieselization phase, coal was picked up from Peabody Mine No. 10, located at a recently constructed coal handling yard known as Ellis, four miles east of Pawnee, Ill. This segment of the railroad ran east and west and was named the Taylorville Division, running from Taylorville to CIMIC. Coal trains were hauled northward through Springfield and on to Havana, the location of a modern coal dumping operation on the Illinois River, known as the Havana Coal Transfer Plant, and it was here that coal trains were emptied by a Wellman rotary car dumper and transloaded into awaiting barges. The barges would handle the coal upriver to the many small CWE plants in the Chicago area. Coal from mine No. 10 and coal received from connecting railroads was also way-billed to CWE’s Powerton Generating Station south of Pekin. By 1960, the little C&IM was bursting at the seams with coal business; and those 11 EMD diesels handled the tonnage.

ABOVE: This photo of C&IM 75 and 73 at Powerton, Ill., on March 29, 1978, matches well with ScaleTrains’ HO scale Rivet Counter SD38-2 models. Footboards are gone from the pilot, a beacon has been installed on the roof, all-weather windows appear on the cab, and upturn extensions are welded to the coupler cut levers. Trailing unit 73 clearly shows it retains the diamond herald on its rear hood. Unit 75 retained part of its original hose holders on the pilot, but those will be removed in a few years, which is exactly how the ScaleTrains replica is detailed. —Robert Farkas photo, Ryan Crawford collection 

As coal volumes remained steady, management decided to purchase additional locomotives. In Septem-ber and October 1960, the railroad received the only two RS1325 road switchers EMD built (30–31). These four-axle, half-breed switcher/road units would be among the rarest diesels ever to come out of EMD’s plant, and their rarity brought flocks of railfans from all over the world. Unfortunately, the RS1325’s small size, and low horsepower, would not fill the bill for heavy-tonnage coal trains. They were simply not suitable for a coal hauling railroad. Realizing this, C&IM management went back to EMD for help. In 1961 and 1962, the railroad took delivery of a pair of six-axle 1,800-hp, SD18s (60–61). This was a great investment for C&IM as coal tonnage began to really blossom through the mid-1960s. Unfortunately, in 1967 the railroad withered for lack of business due to CWE’s decision to build a new power plant at Kincaid, just across the highway from the already active Peabody Mine No. 10. When this operation began, C&IM’s tonnage was drastically cut, and storm clouds loomed on the horizon.

In 1970, a dramatic change of events unfolded which would forever change C&IM. Commonwealth Edison was in the midst of complying with Clean Air Act legislation and began purchasing low-sulfur coal from newly opened Western U.S. mines located in Wyoming and Montana. This changed the routing of coal southward on the C&IM instead of northward. With this massive influx of Western coal, now interchanged with Chicago & North Western and Burlington Northern in East Peoria, C&IM’s diesel fleet was stretched to the absolute max. The railroad was faced with a decision on purchasing new diesels to meet these new tonnage demands. C&IM purchased six 2,000-hp SD38-2s (70–75) from EMD in May 1974. This wise decision would have positive implications for the next 22 years of the railroad’s existence.

C&IM’s EMD SD38-2s
Chicago & Illinois Midland began receiving these newest and most powerful on the roster diesels in May 1974, arriving on property from May 9 through May 29th. ScaleTrains’ review model C&IM 75, was received at Springfield Shops from an Illinois Central Gulf transfer at 1:30 P.M. on May 29, 1974. Surprisingly, the fleet lacked the traditional red band with white pin stripes worn by all other diesels on the roster. The SD38-2s were outfitted with similar features: 3,200-gallon fuel tank, no dynamic brakes, 81-inch low nose with ratchet-style handbrake, flush-mounted exhaust stacks, and dual cab controls.

When delivered, they lacked the rear company diamond decal, radio antenna, and three-pane all-weather windows. These were added by the railroad shortly after arrival. Ironically, the brass bell and unique, top of hood bracket was not installed by EMD; but instead, were placed on the front porch of the locomotives during transit and installed by C&IM shop forces at Springfield. The paint scheme was a basic green dip job with black trucks and black jacking pads. They had 18-inch C&IM hood initials on the car body and 14 1/4 inch road numbers painted on the access doors below the cab, all in white. All six units wore the traditional diamond decal on the cab sides and on the front nose when delivered, with the rear decal added after delivery. The units cost $350,000 each, a modest sum by today’s standards, and the railroad paid an extra $75,000 for a spare HTC truck.

Above: This ScaleTrains Rivet Counter SD38-2 brings several looks and all road numbers for Chicago & Illinois Midland in this production run. This example, C&IM 75, features a look the unit possessed a short time after its delivery in 1974 through much of the rest of the 1970s.

When delivered, the SD38-2s had orange handrails with green stanchions. The orange on the step edges and footboards did not come along for a couple of years. They also displayed orange coupler cut levers on the front and rear pilots. Footboards were present on the pilots, which were eventually outlawed by the FRA in 1978. Around 1977, all C&IM’s road units were fitted with a Commander beacon that was located atop the cab, near the rear cab edge. One interesting detail concerning the placement of the beacon on the SD38-2s was the plate which held the beacon, about eight inches above the cab roof. This raised plate helped establish better sight lines due in part to the modern EMD angular cab design…

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