KCS to get 30 new GE ES44AC locomotives
March 4, 2012 / Updated July 6, 2012
Class 1 Railroads
WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration announced recently a $54.6 million loan to Kansas City Southern Railway Co. (KCSR) for the purchase of 30 new General Electric ES44AC locomotives. The diesel-electric locomotives, to be built in Erie, PA, are more energy-efficient and produce significantly fewer carbon emissions than the locomotives they are replacing. Carbon emissions are something that does need to be taken into account with automobiles in any form, especially if they are used constantly and have an impact on the environment. Knowing how to mitigate carbon footprints with travel, whether that be by land or air, can be found on websites such as https://www.cooleffect.org/content/travel-offset, it can also show how much money is being saved which can help so many who may be struggling in these times.
The locomotives, which will be funded by the FRA’s Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program, will be deployed throughout KCSR’s system to accommodate increased demand for shipments of coal, chemicals, grain, sand, stone, gravel, plastics, metals, and automobiles.
RRIF provides direct loans for eligible borrowers to acquire, improve, or rehabilitate rail and rail-related intermodal equipment and facilities. There is currently up to an aggregate of $35 billion available in the RRIF program for these types of projects.
Spring is when large-scale model railroaders with their green thumbs plant and prune colorful foliage grown nearly to scale. In some areas, maintaining outdoor layouts is quite challenging because of changing weather. Nancy Norris, an author who builds garden railroads professionally, says some plant varieties have become more difficult to grow in certain Hardiness Zones. In some cases it means garden railroaders having to put more emphasis on growing native plants rather than relying on varieties more susceptible to extreme conditions. She recommends new gardeners consult with their local nurseries for the best choices for an outdoor layout. Norris also has a few recommendations of her own.
Sweeping tariffs imposed on goods imported into the United States are stirring model railroad manufacturers. As a result, model railroading and other hobbies will cost more. In February the U.S. applied a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China, and the tax has since escalated. Suppliers – including Athearn, InterMountain Railway Co., Broadway Limited, Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains – have been putting dealers and customers on notice that prices will increase tariffs are implemented.
The first rule of railroading is “expect movement on any track at any time in any direction.” This may seem like an overabundance of caution, but railroading is a dangerous sport. Always expect a train when you’re around the tracks. The second rule of railroading is that there is an exception to every rule. The North American freight car fleet in 2023 consisted of 2.03 million rail cars, according to Railinc’s Umler Equipment Index. Rail car fleet management — how empty cars get dispatched to move to their next loading point — is an ever-moving process and often requires fleet car managers to be nimble.
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