MTA to test ‘fare capping’ for NYC transit, new discounts for commuter rail

Logo of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

NEW YORK — Users of New York City Transit subways and buses will pay no more than $33 in fares per week under a “fare capping” pilot program to begin March 1, 2022, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials announced Monday. The New York Daily News reports that riders who use the new OMNY tap-and-pay system will […]

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Norfolk Southern reports some headway against congestion, crew hiring

Man in orange vest climbing onto black locomotive

ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern is working to hire conductors to fill its depleted crew ranks in key areas of the system, railroad President Alan Shaw has told federal regulators. “We recognize our current service levels do not meet our customers’ or our expectations. We also understand the critical role we play in supporting our customers’ […]

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Budget Christmas train layout for about $60 in scenery

Two people behind a small winter-themed toy train layout.

Looking for a budget Christmas train layout? Look no further. Classic Toy Trains Production Editor Rene Schweitzer and Digital Editor Steve Sweeney sort through garland, tinsel, ceramic buildings, and LED lights and more from Menards worth about $60. Watch them craft or place each piece for a winter-themed layout in less time than it takes […]

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Budget Christmas train layout for about $60 in scenery

Two people behind a small winter-themed toy train layout.

Looking for a budget Christmas train layout? Look no further. Classic Toy Trains Production Editor Rene Schweitzer and Digital Editor Steve Sweeney sort through garland, tinsel, ceramic buildings, and LED lights and more from Menards worth about $60. Watch them craft or place each piece for a winter-themed layout in less time than it takes […]

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Amtrak service in Fort Madison, Iowa, to move to restored 1910 Santa Fe station

Man speaking on station platform with train in background

FORT MADISON, Iowa — The City of Fort Madison celebrated completion of an almost 14-year effort to restore its downtown passenger station on Friday, Dec. 10, with Southwest Chief service to and from the station to begin this Wednesday, Dec. 15. Work at the downtown facility, built by Santa Fe in 1910, required raising the […]

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Model railroad locomotive, freight car, passenger equipment, structure, and accessory announcements for December 16, 2021

Three HO scale Procor 20,000-gallon tank cars from Rapido Trains.

Product news 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. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of December 16, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division SW1500 diesel locomotive. Burlington […]

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Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern receive A-minus environmental ratings

CDP logo

LONDON — Norfolk Southern and Kansas City Southern have received A-minus ratings from global environmental non-profit CDP for their efforts to address climate change. Earlier, Canadian National and CSX had been recognized as among 200 companies worldwide named to CDP’s “A list” [see “Canadian National, CSX  named …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 7, 2021]. Norfolk […]

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NS derailment damages Southern Railway heritage unit

Green, gold, and white locomotive on its side in darkness, headlight still illuminated

PITTSBURGH — Norfolk Southern’s Southern Railway heritage unit, ES44AC No. 8099, was among two locomotives damaged when a train hit a rock slide and derailed early Sunday in Pittsburgh’s Baldwin Borough. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the derailment occurred about 4 a.m. along the Monongahela River paralleling State Route 837, with both locomotives overturning and five […]

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Tri-Rail service to Brightline’s Miami station faces clearance issues

Light blue commuter rail train in station

MIAMI — A long-delayed plan to bring Tri-Rail commuter service to Brightline’s downtown MiamiCentral station has hit a new snag: Tri-Rail’s cars will not fit in the station — and they may also be too heavy for the viaduct lifting the tracks from street level to MiamiCentral’s above-ground platforms. The Miami Herald reports that an […]

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New York MTA sets farewell for long-serving subway equipment

Stainless steel subway train in station

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced plans for a series of celebratory final runs as it retires subway equipment that it says are some of the world’s oldest active subway cars. The R32 cars, nicknamed Brightliners, were built by the Budd Co. in Philadelphia, with the first of the cars making their […]

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Canadian government to fund Port of Vancouver improvements

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Canadian government will help fund an engineering study of capacity improvements for a Canadian Pacific rail line in Vancouver as part of a series of projects to improve container traffic in and around the Port of Vancouver. The study will look at improvements on the CP line connecting intermodal and […]

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