Updates

6/21/2025

Web Camera  Updates

Added

• Tracy, NB by TrainVideos
• Melbourne, FL by RailStream.net
• Onawa, IA by Steel-Highway.com
• Woodside, NY by Woodside Train Camera
• Glidden, IA by Trains On Demand

Removed

•  Landgraff, WV by RailStream.net

Did you know...

Our server automatically monitors YouTube streams each night and updates their links as needed. Typically, rebooting a webcam results in a new YouTube video link.

Direct links to individual cameras are accessible through the mobile app or the online webcam database. I’m also updating the website’s camera direct links on the location maps very soon (currently just links to the operators website). 

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com 

Wheeling & Lake Erie

• WE1776 - Celebrating 250 Years of Independence

Norfolk Southern

• NS6345 - Vandalized - Bigfoot Nose
• NS5120 - High Hood

BNSF

• Numerous BNSF H1 (SD40-2, GP Units)
• MRL SD40-2

Indiana & Ohio

• IORY4091 - Genesee & Wyoming (Whisker)

CPKC

• CP7470 - Strathcona's (CPKC Paint)

Portland & Western

• PNWR - (2306, 2308, 2311, 2312) - ATSF Bluebonnet

6/17/2025

Added - IORY4091 (Genesee & Wyoming (Whisker))

Added CPKC7470 - Strathcona's (CPKC Paint)

6/16/2025

Added - CN - Iowa Northern Units 

>> SPECIAL NOTE FOR HIDING LOCOMOTIVES <<

I understand that not every locomotive group in the app may be of interest to you. If you'd like to hide a specific locomotive or an entire group, follow the steps below:

1. Open the app and navigate to More > Settings 
2. Scroll to Hide Locomotives
3. Select Specific Locomotives or Locomotive Groups to add or remove as needed.

Please ensure you're running version 4.33 or higher, as locomotive groups have replaced the now-deprecated locomotive categories. 

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

6/15/2025

6/14/2025

Added - MNCR203 - (MTA Central) - Released yesterday

6/13/2025

App Version 4.35 is now rolling out to the app stores.

• The Inbound Trains screen has been refreshed for a more friendly experience.
  
  
• ETA context has been added to the screen.  If an ETA extends a couple of days out, you may see "Rough Estimate" displayed for better clarity.
  
  
• As railfans submit updates on locomotive movements, ETA calculations will be refreshed to better assist those further down the line.

If the update isn’t visible yet, check the store again within 24-48 hrs.

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

6/10/2025

Added BNSF H1 locomotives.  We know this is not a definitive list so if you spot a BNSF H1 not in the system, please provide video or photo evidence via the contact page and we'll look to add it.

>> SPECIAL NOTE FOR HIDING LOCOMOTIVES <<

I understand that not every locomotive group in the app may be of interest to you. If you'd like to hide a specific locomotive or an entire group, follow the steps below:

1. Open the app and navigate to More > Settings 
2. Scroll to Hide Locomotives
3. Select Specific Locomotives or Locomotive Groups to add or remove as needed.

Please ensure you're running version 4.33 or higher, as locomotive groups have replaced the now-deprecated locomotive categories. 

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

6/8/2025

Added CO614 - Steam - On it's journey from Clifton Forge, VA to Pennsylvania

6/4/2025

Added - NS1080 (Delaware & Hudson) - SD70ACe

Apologies for the delay! I was volunteering with our local Salvage Army, and when I finally checked my phone, I was met with a flood of notifications about the new locomotive. Many thanks to everyone who reached out about the new Heritage Unit!

*** SPECIAL NOTE WITH HIDING LOCOMOTIVES ***

I understand that not every locomotive group in the app may be of interest to you. If you'd like to hide a specific locomotive or an entire group, follow the steps below:

1. Open the app and navigate to More > Settings 
2. Scroll to Hide Locomotives
3. Select Specific Locomotives or Locomotive Groups to add or remove as needed.

Please ensure you're running version 4.33 or higher, as locomotive groups have replaced the now-deprecated locomotive categories. 

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

6/3/2025

CSX YN2 locomotives have been added in response to the overwhelming demand we've received over the past few months and as their numbers continue to decline.

SPECIAL NOTE

I understand that not every locomotive group in the app may be of interest to you. If you'd like to hide a specific locomotive or an entire group, follow the steps below:

1. Open the app and navigate to More > Settings 
2. Scroll to Hide Locomotives
3. Select Specific Locomotives or Locomotive Groups to add or remove as needed.

Please ensure you're running version 4.33 or higher, as locomotive groups have replaced the now-deprecated locomotive categories. 

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

Added - VIA2218 / VIA2317 (Lumi)

5/31/2025

Added - RNCX1893 - 30th Anniversary (Piedmont Service)

5/30/2025

Unfortunately, a small bug managed to sneak in and affected around 30 reports over the past 2 days, causing them not to display. Most of these were Amtrak/Metra locomotives, though a few others were impacted as well.

The issue has been resolved as of 5:15 PM EST, so everything should be back to normal!

Apologies to those affected!  I do my best to avoid mishaps, but every now and then, the universe likes to remind me that I'm only human! =P

Brian =)
HeritageUnits.com

5/25/2025

Removed - CN3309 - CN Wafer Logo (logo removed)

5/23/2025

Added - NS992800MW / NS992801MW - MofW Orange Power Unit

5/21/2025

Added - CFNR2403 - Genesee & Wyoming (Whisker)

5/14/2025

Removed - CN 3226 - 100th Anniversary - Logo removed

5/10/2025

Due to the number of requests to track certain vandalized NS units, I've added them to the site for reporting until they are repainted.   

NS1000 - Vandalized - Red, White, Blue Stripes
NS4364 - Vandalized - Pink Stipes

We do not condone or support the vandalism of locomotives in any form.  Tracking and reporting of these units are intended for informational and historical purposes only.

5/8/2025

There was a temporary photo upload issue that occurred the morning of 5/8/2025.  This should now be resolved

Georgia Central - GS533 (B32-8) - Honoring Our Veterans and Troops

Amtrak - AMTK620 (ACS-64) - Crayola (Yellow)

Amtrak - AMTK621 (ACS-64) - Crayola (Blue)

5/3/2025

4/30/2025

Added UP1616 - Abraham Lincoln (SD70M) to the system for tracking.  Reporting is temporarily suspended until it enters road service following today’s unveiling.

4/29/2025

4/26/2025

4/20/2025

Removed - BNSF 645 - ATSF Warbonnet - Sold to Comstock Mountain Lion Railroad (repainted all maroon color)

4/17/2025

4/11/2025

4/10/2025

4/7/2025

4/5/2025

4/3/2025

4/2/2025

3/31/2025

3/29/2025

3/28/2025

3/26/2025

3/16/2025

3/13/2025

Added - CSXTGMS-1 - Geometry Unit

Added - CSXTGMS-2 - Geometry Unit

3/11/2025

Removed - BNSF 9768 - Executive/Grinstein Paint - Scrapped

3/8/2025

3/6/2025

2/26/2025

2/22/2025

2/19/2025

Removed - CSXT 4500 - Spirit of Cumberland - Scrapped

2/18/2025

2/15/2025

2/13/2025

2/11/2025

Removed - UP 9771 - CNW Paint - Rebuilt/Repainted (photo link)

2/6/2025

2/4/2025

I've made updates to the routing configuration for CSX within the system where the NS Harrisburg line can now be utilized (NS trackage right agreement while CSX Baltimore Tunnel is being worked on).  All CSX trains within the system will start reprocessing their routes shortly.   

Please note that the system will calculate the fastest route between origin/destination and thus any trains without waypoints configured make take the new NS trackage rights.  If you run into a train symbol that you know doesn't take this route, please submit a train edit on it and let us know the correct route and we'll make the changes needed. 

Brian =)

2/2/2025

1/28/2025

1/27/2025

1/26/2025

1/25/2025

1/23/2025

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the lack of updates recently; I’ve been out of commission for a bit but am feeling much better and back on track.

I’m currently focused on a new version of the app to address a quirky iOS bug where a train route line takes an unexpected detour straight to the North Pole. This issue is specific to iOS, and I’m hoping to have it resolved in the coming weeks.

And if all goes well, I might even sneak in a couple of extra features with this release—stay tuned!

Brian =)

12/31/2024

12/26/2024

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holidays!

I’m currently refining the maps (currently only the browser version) to display a dotted line indicating the predicted future path, along with the origin and destination stations. 

Once it's polished, I plan to implement the same feature in the mobile apps.

Brian =)

12/24/2024

12/23/2024

Removed - BNSF 1506 - BN Paint (Sold to LTEX)
Removed - BNSF 549 - ATSF Warbonnet (Sold to LTEX)

12/20/2024

12/18/2024

12/17/2024

On Monday, the system encountered issues that caused it to become unresponsive. This was related to a recent patch applied over the weekend. The issue should now be resolved, but I will be monitoring it closely over the next few days. Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Brian =)

12/16/2024

12/14/2024

The web camera database is now accessible on the website (previously available only through the mobile app). This includes all camera locations submitted by the Heritage Units community, along with individual links for each camera at the location.

The server will regularly monitor the health of each camera's URL and will attempt automatic updates, particularly for YouTube live feeds, as reboots can disrupt previous links. If a link is dead please contact us to let us know so we can review it for possibly updates/removal. 

We encourage eveyone to support the camera operators—setting up and maintaining these locations requires significant effort and expense.

Best wishes!
Brian =)

12/12/2024

12/10/2024

12/6/2024

12/2/2024

12/1/2024

Added - WE7004 - Patched Former CEFX Blue/White

Added - WE7006 - Patched Former CEFX Blue/White

Added - WE7007 - Patched Former CEFX Blue/White

Updated @ 11:35AM (Thank you Julian)

Train Symbol - NS 13V
Power is NS 4120 NS 1017 NS 4611 
(ex-CEFX) NS3979, NS3968, NS3992, NS3989, NS3974, NS3971, NS3969, NS3972, NS3990, NS3993 

Captured on cameras (VRF Altoona, PA at 4:34 AM and Railstream Cresson, PA at 5:03 AM), 10 NS (formerly CEFX) units appear to be in transit, likely for rebuilding.

They were spotted on a westbound manifest train behind NS units. (Train symbol to be updated once confirmed and locomotive #'s once spotted in daylight)

Good luck everyone!

Brian =)

11/30/2024

11/26/2024

Last night Amtrak 161 (Phase I - 50th Anniversary) caught fire at the Amtrak Maintenance Facility in Northeast D.C..   We're suspending reports on AMTK161 indefinitely and will flag it future removal from the site. 

Link to news artical

11/24/2024

11/20/2024

11/16/2024

11/14/2024

Removed the following locomotives.  Rebuilt and repainted to standard NS paint. 

NS3980 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3985 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3983 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3994 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3987 - Central, Maine & Quebec

NS3981 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3984 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3966 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3995 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

NS3996 - Patched - Former CEFX Blue/White

11/11/2024

11/10/2024

Removed - SOO 4410 - SOO Paint (repainted to SSRX 4410)

11/8/2024

11/6/2024

11/5/2024

10/31/2024

10/25/2024

10/21/2024

We've added back UP9696 (CNW Paint) for its journey to Texas, where it will undergo a rebuild and repaint.

This unit has been inactive from the heritage units reporting since it was stored in 2018.

10/15/2024

10/13/2024

KCSM4139 - Breast Care Awareness
KCSM4727 - Breast Care Awareness
KCSM4662 - Breast Care Awareness

10/8/2024

We've unlocked KCS FP9s for reporting as they're currently on the move.

10/7/2024

A new field, "Turn Job," has been added to the train symbol database.

Currently, this field is only visible on the website, but it will be available in the mobile app within a few days. 

Note that if any existing train symbol contained the word "Turn" within the notes; that we automatically defaulted the Turn Job flag to 'on'.    

Brian =)

10/6/2024

Add the Great Lakes Central Railroad which includes the following

Locomotives

• Added GLC329 - Tribute to Louis P. Ferris Jr (SD40M-2)
• Added GLC393 - 10th Anniversary (GP35)
• Added GLC394 - City of Clare (GP35)
  

Train Symbols

• Setup known train symbols

Subdivisions

• Added subdivisions / milepost
• Setup routing logic for the GLC

EWLX329 - Montana Rail Link (SD45-3)
EWLX815 - Wisconsin Central (GP30)
EWLX7311 - Chessie System (SD18)

WAMX3536 - Texas Tech University (GP35)
WAMX3834 - Pittsburg State University (GP38-3)
WAMX4001 - Wichita State University (GP40-2LW)
WAMX4158 - Cherryvale Chargers (SD40-2)
WAMX4207 - Texas Tech University (SD40M-2)

10/4/2024

10/3/2024

10/2/2024

9/29/2024

With reports emerging about the damage to several bridges on the CSX Blue Ridge Subdivision and the subsequent rerouting of CSX trains, I've updated the routing configuration to bypass the affected subdivision until further notice.

Within the next few hours, all CSX symbols in the system will automatically adjust their routes accordingly.

Brian =)

9/26/2024

9/23/2024

Added - UPY309 & UPY409 - UP Hybrid mother-slug set.

9/20/2024

9/19/2024

9/17/2024

Added - CSXT1851 - NC&StL (LinkedIn Post)

9/16/2024

Removed - IC 2462 - Blue Devil - At SLM in Welland, ON waiting to be scrapped (thanks Jay K. for the info)

9/15/2024

9/14/2024

9/11/2024

9/10/2024

9/5/2024

8/30/2024

8/29/2024

At 11:30a EST our primary internet provider has reported that they're down.  I've failed over to our backup provider at 11:40a but it could take up to an hour for your device to recognize this change.  

Brian =)

8/26/2024

8/20/2024

Removed - BNSF 9705 - Executive/Grinstein Paint (Sold to Progressive Rail)

8/16/2024

8/15/2024

Added - PW4069 - Honoring Veterans & Service Members

8/12/2024

8/11/2024

8/6/2024

8/5/2024

8/4/2024

Added - WEBX2058 - New Haven

7/28/2024

MBTX1129 - MBTA Heritage Maroon paint

7/27/2024

(Mobile Devices) - Click here to read the entire update

Since I developed the routing engine over a year ago, I've been documenting instances where routes are incorrectly assigned and require manual adjustments.

Recently, I've devoted significant time to adding conditional routing logic to handle various scenarios, such as directional travel, specific train types, and unrealistic junction turns. Here are a few examples:

Cincinnati, OH:

NS and CSX share tracks where trains traveling north of Cincinnati use CSX lines, while trains heading south into Cincinnati use NS lines. This is generally the case, though exceptions do occur (I'll be adding alternative routing in the future).

Butler, IN:

Prevent eastbound trains on the NS Chicago Line from going westbound on the NS Huntington District to Fort Wayne due to the lack of a connection.

BNSF Washington:

Empty eastbound grain trains are usually routed through Tacoma, WA, whereas loaded grain trains are routed through Vancouver, WA.

These examples represent the initial phase of implementing new conditional routing rules. If you notice any scenarios where routing is incorrect, please let me know so I can make the necessary corrections. It’s most helpful if you can submit an edit through the train symbol and specify in the notes to moderator the correct route.

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has previously assisted with routing discrepancies. Your feedback has been invaluable, and I truly appreciate it.

One common misconception I hear is that Google maps is calculating the routes... not true.  The system is entirely custom-built specifically for railroads... been many years of work mapping railroads (USA/Canada) and creating the routing engine. =)

Brian

HeritageUnits.com

7/26/2024

There was a system issue that was preventing new accounts from registering. This has been resolved as of 7:30PM EST. 

Brian =)

7/23/2024

Added - CSXT1877 - C&EI (Chicago & Eastern Illinois)

7/19/2024

7/17/2024

Removed - SOO 4412 - SOO Paint - Repainted into the new CPKC scheme

7/13/2024

Removed - AMTK168 - 25th Anniversary (Heartland Flyer) decal was removed

7/12/2024

7/9/2024

Hi Everyone,

If you're running an older version than 4.12; please upgrade to the latest version within the app stores (visit Google Play or Apple Store).  

Note that 90%+ of you are already running this version for several weeks so this message is for the 10%.   You can check your version by going to the home screen and scrolling to the very bottom.

Starting later this week I'll start disabling the server to responding to the "legacy" pull notifications and will require 4.12 to submit new reports.    Not only does this assist me with supporting the current version; it also allows me to reduce the load on the server and look to expand the routing engine to do additional railroads.

Brian =)

HeritageUnits.com 

6/28/2024

6/25/2024

6/23/2024

6/22/2024