WASHINGTON — Amtrak announced today that the first five Next Generation Acela trainsets will begin operating over its Boston-Washington Northeast Corridor on Thursday, Aug. 28. Information regarding which departures will be new Acelas and when they can be booked was not initially revealed. “As the official launch date approaches, customers should look for more information […]
WASHINGTON — The bipartisan Railroad Track Maintenance Credit Modernization bill, which supports short line railroad track and bridge projects, passed the 100 co-sponsor mark in the House of Representatives this week. To date, the bill to continue the tax credit that short lines receive for maintaining and improving their physical plants, has 102 sponsors, the […]
MINNEAPOLIS — Metro Transit will pull the plug on its Northstar commuter rail service in January due to a lethal combination of low ridership and rising costs. More frequent bus service will replace the trains beginning Jan. 5, 2026, Metro Transit officials said during a Metropolitan Council meeting yesterday. The last weekday Northstar trip will […]
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 […]
Porter no. 2 is busy switching ore cars at the King Solomon Mine on Rod Eaton’s freelanced 1:22.5-proportion Hitchcock Ry. The Porter 0-4-0T is an LGB model, and the ore cars are Northeast Narrow Gauge products. Rod, of Champlin, Minn., also took the photo. Model Railroader‘s Photo of the Day features images from our archives, […]
There is a special bond shared by fathers, sons, and trains. My father and I share a passion for riding and photographing trains. This spring, my father’s health took a bad turn. To cheer him up, we chatted about his early experiences riding trains and our many travels together. I mentioned how the New York, […]
Kato HO scale GE P42 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current models, $210 to $220; with pre-installed ESU LokSound sound decoder, $398 to $420 Era: 1996 to present (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; 847-781-9500; katousa.com Kato HO scale GE P42 features: Both trucks have coreless motor, […]
CHICAGO — Railcar builder FreightCar America reported adjusted net income of $3.8 million, or $0.11 per share, in the second quarter despite weaker revenue from lower deliveries, beating market estimates of $.06 per share. The company said revenue for the quarter ending June 30 totaled $118.6 million, compared to $147.4 million in same quarter last […]
CHICAGO — A text and email alert received overnight by passengers ticketed on Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr departing Denver Monday, July 28, warned, “Train 6 will have reduced seating capacity due to unplanned equipment maintenance needs. Passengers may have difficulty finding seats. Passengers are encouraged to rebook travel if possible. We apologize for any inconvenience.” […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic continues to run ahead of 2024 levels. According to Association of American Railroad statistics, traffic for the week ending Aug. 2, 2025, was 513,529 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.9% increase over the same week a year earlier. That figure included 233,805 carloads, up 6.4%, and 279,724 containers and […]
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 […]
