Like his father, the Midwest Central Railroad became a siren for Kendall Osier, who now serves multiple mechanical and operating positions at the 3-foot gauge railroad in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Alongside his wife, Lauren, the 24-year-old is also the co-founder and president of the Midwest Narrow Gauge Preservation Society, a fledgling non-profit whose mission is […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has opened a new track and platform at Washington Union Station, expanding the facility’s capacity. Track 22, on the station’s lower level, previously was a storage track with no passenger access. It will primarily serve Virginia Railway Express commuter trains, as well as Amtrak long distance and Virginia trains. The project required […]
The mill in LaPointe is a bustling industry that requires frequent switching by the Bona Vista RR. Today, 2-8-0 Consolidation no. 28 is assigned to the local, and it will pick up the two loaded hoppers at the mill. Gerry Leone took the photo on his freelanced HO scale layout. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Amtrak’s request to dismiss the passenger operator’s complaint over handling of the Sunset Limited and close the board’s investigation into the matter. “The Board favors parties coming together to voluntarily resolve disputes whenever possible, and I commend the parties here for finding a mutually satisfactory outcome,” STB […]
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis has issued its final Environmental Impact Statement for the Green Eagle Railroad, a 1.3-mile line that would be part of a new 19-mile rail route and bridge connecting Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negas, Mexico. The report addresses two route alternatives, the Southern and Northern […]
WASHINGTON — None of Amtrak’s three business segments achieved the target of 80% customer on-time performance in the second quarter of 2025, the fourth consecutive quarter that has been the case. The quarterly on-time performance report was released last week by the Federal Railroad Administration. State-supported trains fared best in statistics released by the Federal Railroad […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF set an all-time monthly record for terminal dwell in July, with cars spending an average of 21 hours in its major yards. Terminals that set new marks for low dwell include Barstow, Calif.; Belen, N.M.; Northtown, Minn.; and Pasco, Wash. BNSF’s intermodal and automotive terminal in Pearland, Texas, which serves […]
GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — OmniTRAX has been selected as the switching partner for Tata Chemical Soda Ash Partners’ mine in Green River, one of North America’s largest soda ash mines and home of one of the world’s largest reserves of trona ore. The agreement, effective as of Aug. 1, will provide dedicated shipping and track […]
I found this manuscript from the late John Grams in our manuscript files. There was no date on the envelope but it’s likely from the early 1990s. The article discusses 12 Lionel products that, while great inventions, were fraught with problems or didn’t work exactly as advertised. He included the following disclaimer: Lionel trains were […]
NEW YORK — The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — at 840 miles the largest independent regional railroad in the U.S. — is being acquired by FTAI Infrastructure in a billion-dollar deal, the companies announced today. FTAI, which owns short line and terminal switching operator Transtar, will pay The Wheeling Corp. $1.05 billion to acquire […]
CHAMA, N.M. — The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic will host a five-day celebration Aug. 13-17 marking the 100th anniversary of the Denver & Rio Grande Western’s K-36 steam locomotives, delivered from Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925. Nine of the 10 locomotives still exist; five are at the C&TSRR, with four still in regular operation. A […]
Facts and features Name: Brush Creek & Western Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 21 x 45 feet Prototype: freelance Locale: St. Louis, Mo., to Oklahoma City, Okla. Era: 1935 to 1975 Style: peninsula Mainline run: 300 feet Minimum radius: 28″ Minimum turnout: No. 5 Maximum grade: 2% Benchwork: open grid Height: 16″ to 72″ Roadbed: lauan […]
