Great American Steam Locomotives: Articulateds DVD | 16126 The Articulateds are the largest steam locomotives ever built. Starting as slow speed monsters hauling heavy trains over mountain ridges, they became a regular feature of many of the largest Class 1 railroads, handling everything from slow drag freights, to fast time freights, and even were able […]
Zone & Region: Pacific Northwest
Tacoma Rail ends service to Frederickson, Wash.
Another little piece of the Milwaukee Road is fading away in Tacoma, Wash. Tacoma Rail aka Tacoma Municipal Belt Line Railway consisted of three divisions. The Tidelands Division, the Mountain Division and the Capitol Division, now known as the Lakewood Division. The Capitol Division included lines in the Olympia, Wash., area and industries in South […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 12 | Paint stripper. Retaining wall. Tunnel centered.
Our host proves that you don’t have to focus on just one thing for great lengths to find the fun in this hobby! This time out, he’s got a paint stripping project to tackle, retaining walls to install, and a tunnel to daylight a tad more. And if that’s not enough, David even discovers a […]
Rocky Mountaineer in the Rockies
The Rocky Mountaineer began as a VIA Rail service in Canada in the late 1980s. Operating over Canadian National tracks from Vancouver, British Columbia to Jasper, Alberta, the service was privatized in 1990 and the Rocky Mountaineer now operates three routes in Canada and a new route in the United States. We caught up with […]
Olympia & Sand Creek, Episode 12 | Paint stripper. Retaining wall. Tunnel centered.
Our host proves that you don’t have to focus on just one thing for great lengths to find the fun in this hobby! This time out, he’s got a paint stripping project to tackle, retaining walls to install, and a tunnel to daylight a tad more. And if that’s not enough, David even discovers a […]
Man faces felony charge in Tacoma derailment
TACOMA, Wash. — Prosecutors in Pierce County, Wash., have filed a felony charge against a 65-year-old Tacoma man accused with derailing one car of an oil train to derail on Tuesday in Tacoma’s Tideflats industrial area. The Tacoma News Tribune reports the man was charged in Pierce County Superior Court with a felony count of […]
Man arrested after derailment of tank cars in Tacoma, Wash.
TACOMA, Wash. — A 65-year-old man was arrested Tuesday for tampering with railroad equipment, causing a derailment of tank cars carrying oil in Tacoma’s Tideflats industrial area. The Tacoma News Tribune, which reported the arrest, did not report the man’s name or any additional identifying details. The incident occurred about 7:55 a.m. Tuesday and involved […]
Amtrak service halted between Seattle and Portland, Ore.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Amtrak service between Seattle and Portland has been canceled through at least Wednesday after a landslide between Vancouver, Wash, and Kelso, Wash., on Monday. Amtrak announced the service disruption on Monday evening following the cancellation of the Seattle-Portland portion of several Cascades trains earlier in the day. The passenger operator cites a […]
Empire Builder adds cars following derailment
CHICAGO — With horns blaring while track crews working in the tunnel at the scene of Sunday afternoon’s derailment stepped safely out of the way, the westbound Empire Builder emerged from the north side of Chicago Union Station this afternoon (Monday, May 8) with an extra coach and two additional sleeping cars compared to its […]
Sound Transit resumes normal light rail service in downtown Seattle
SEATTLE — Light rail service is returning to normal frequencies through the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, Sound Transit has announced, following a period of single tracking for emergency repairs at the Westlake station. The repairs, required after a ground-level construction crew broke through the roof at the Westlake station, were completed ahead of schedule. The […]
Weekend disruptions hit VIA, Amtrak long-distance trains (updated)
EDMONTON, Alberta — Early-season forest fires in Alberta temporarily shut down Canadian National’s main line between Jasper and Edmonton over the weekend, forcing VIA Rail Canada to turn the westbound and eastbound Canadians at those locations and bus passengers between them. Meanwhile, a variety of issues inflicted significant delays on Amtrak long-distance trains. This included […]
Sound Transit receives US DOT loans
SEATTLE – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that its Build America Bureau will provide $327 million in low-interest loans to Sound Transit for improvements to its system. By providing Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) and Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans the Bureau helps expedite infrastructure projects and reduce project […]