WATSONVILLE, Calif. — For the second time this winter, Amtrak has been forced to halt Coast Starlight service for an extended period in the wake of weather-related damages to Union Pacific’s Coast Line. Following a fierce winter storm that made landfall on Friday, March 10, a 74-year-old earthen levee along the Pajaro River in Monterey […]
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators imposed a number of conditions on the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, including a novel way of enforcing the railways’ promise to not tamper with current interchanges. Nearly all of the conditions were proposed by CP and KCS themselves as part of the Surface Transportation Board’s merger review […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak says on-time performance of the Sunset Limited remains poor, highlighting an urgent need for action by the Surface Transportation Board on its request for an investigation into the train’s operations. In a Monday filing, the passenger operator provides a status report on quarterly performance of the Sunset, the subject of its Dec. […]
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved when 12 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Monday night at UP’s yard in Cheyenne, Cowboy State Daily reports. UP spokesman Make Jaixen told the news site that the cause of the derailment is under investigation. Cleanup was continuing on Tuesday. […]
McPHERSON, Kan. — A broken wheel is believed to have caused Sunday’s derailment of a Union Pacific train in McPherson, leading to a spill of denatured alcohol, the Associated Press reports. The derailment Sunday morning ignited a small grass fire in addition to causing the alcohol spill [see “Union Pacific train derails …,” Trains News […]
News & Products for the week of March 13th 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 13th 2023. […]
CHICAGO — Washouts in California, plus heavy snows there and along BNSF Railway’s Hi Line across North Dakota and Montana, are among obstacles thrown at Amtrak’s national network the last several days, precipitating cancellations, significant delays, and route truncations. A washout north of San Luis Obispo, Calif., caused the Coast Starlight to be cancelled in […]
MODESTO, Calif. — Planned expansion of the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service into Stanislaus and Sacramento counties will be delayed by two years, with the first trains not running until 2026, the Modesto Bee reports. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, which manages the service currently running between Stockton, Calif., and San Jose, attributes […]
Aspen Crossing takes you back to a simpler time. Along a 14-mile, 2.5-hour train ride, passengers get to enjoy serene prairie views, pass historic wooden elevators, learn about the area’s agriculture and the railroad, or simply relax to the soothing sounds of the wheels to the rails. Choices In addition to regular excursions year-round, there […]
An Amtrak Cascades day trip to Portland, Oregon is a great way to visit Portland, from Seattle in Washington State. Three daily southbound departures from Seattle provide access to Portland. For the purpose of this day trip review, this article recommends southbound Cascades train No. 503 departing from Seattle’s King Street Station each day at […]
Exploring Illinois’ vast history and the interconnectedness of the state and railroads, there are fewer options better than an Amtrak Missouri River Runner day trip from iconic Chicago Union Station, the capital of American railroading, to the state’s capital city of Springfield and return. Each day, the Missouri River Runner departs from Union Station, located […]
An Amtrak Cascades day trip from Portland to Seattle is a great way to travel. There are currently three daily departures from Portland that provide access to Seattle, plus Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. For the purpose of this getaway, we recommend northbound Cascades No. 500, which is scheduled to depart Portland Union Station at 8:05 a.m. […]
