LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — U.S. railroad traffic levels have been stagnant over the past 15 years because the Class I railroads were obsessed with profit margins while neglecting growth opportunities, CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs says. Hinrichs, speaking at an investor conference last week, was asked why railroads have struggled to grow, even setting aside the […]
John G. Kneiling, by profession a consulting engineer, wrote Trains Magazine’s Professional Iconoclast column for many years. His column called out perceived problems with the rail industry and suggested new ways of thinking about solutions. Fifty years ago, in the September 1975 issue, Kneiling took aim at the government-supported Conrail, then newly created from several […]
WalthersMainline HO 68-foot Railgon gondola Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $34.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersMainline HO 68-foot Railgon gondola features: 36” metal wheels on plastic axles Based on prototypes in service from 2010 to present day Body-mounted Proto-Max metal couplers Detailed brake gear New paint […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak, looking to garner more publicity for the Aug. 28 launch of its new premium NextGen Acela fleet, has piggybacked a tracksuit promotion onto New York’s Fashion Week (Sept. 11-16). According to Amtrak: The most comfortable way to travel just got even more comfortable; as it is launching its first-ever line of […]
Second of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Although the Mardi Gras Service’s twice-daily departures are off to a good start, as outlined in Part 1 of this report, it appears more outreach along the route and attention to operating detail will be necessary to get the best results moving forward. Community engagement ‘For day-to-day onsite […]
First of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Confetti cannons that showered Amtrak’s 10-car Mardi Gras Service inaugural special as it headed to Mobile, Ala., on Aug. 16, 2025, have moved on to other celebrations. Meanwhile, the twice-daily, New Orleans-Mobile round trips have proven that the day’s enthusiasm has survived the transition. The next tasks: completion […]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California legislature today (Sept. 13, 2025) passed a bill allowing a ballot measure for a sales tax in five Bay Area counties to help fund public transit in the area. SB 63, introduced by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin, would place the measure on the November 2026 ballot. It […]
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Port of Montreal’s Contrecœur container terminal project — subject of a new agreement announced this week by the port — is among the first five projects that will be examined by the Canadian government’s new Major Projects Office, which aims to fast-track the regulatory process for significant construction. Prime Minister Mark […]
NEW YORK — The Staten Island Railway has completed its conversion to a fleet of R211 subway cars, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced. In an event at St. George on Staten Island, MTA officials celebrated the fact the isolated 14-mile, 21-station segment of the New York City Transit rail system now has a full […]
WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $94.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car features: 30-foot postal apartment with mailbag stanchions, sorting cases, and more Based on prototypes in service from 1914 to 1970s Clear window glazing Detailed underbody with […]
In August 2025, my wife and I planned a trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family and friends. While we frequently travel by air and rental car, and have taken shorter train trips in the U.S. and Europe, we’ve never done a long-distance rail experience. So, we decided to take Amtrak’s Empire Builder from […]
President Donald Trump, in an appearance on Fox & Friends this morning, praised Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and said the railroader offered suggestions on where the administration should call up the National Guard to fight urban crime. Vena met with Trump and other administration officials at the White House on Tuesday regarding UP’s $85 […]
