A rail enthusiast’s top 10 hot spots

city buildings with train on bridge

Top 10 hot spots I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively during my almost 60 years of rail photography, and have been able to see and photograph railroads throughout the continent. In addition, I’ve lived in the Midwest, the Northeast, Texas, Georgia, and in Virginia for the past 25 years. Here are 10 of […]

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Stewartstown Railroad to celebrate 140th anniversary

STEWARTSTOWN, Pa. — A rural, farm-to-market short line that struggled to survive through floods and legal challenges is getting ready to celebrate its 140th anniversary. Chartered in September 1884 and opened a year later, the 7.4-mile-long Stewartstown Railroad tourist carrier in south-central Pennsylvania is marking one of the longest-lived U.S. rail operations under its original […]

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Metro-North’s Waterbury Branch remains closed by flood damage

Wash-out section of railroad track

WATERBURY, Conn. — Service on Metro-North Railroad’s Waterbury Branch remains suspended following significant flood damage to the route on Sunday, Aug. 18, while Danbury Branch service was restored in time for the evening rush today (Monday, Aug. 19), the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reports. Waterbury Branch damage includes a significant mudslide between the Seymour and Ansonia […]

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News photos: Reading & Northern officially opens Nesquehoning station

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at train station

NESQUEHONING, Pa. — Port Clinton, Pa., based-Reading & Northern officially opened the newest station for its busy passenger excursion business on Saturday, Aug. 17, holding a ceremony for the new facility on its Nesquehoning campus that also includes training and mechanical facilities. The ribbon-cutting preceded an excursion featuring former Reading Co. T-1 4-8-4 No. 2102, […]

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New York City Transit ordered to address track worker safety by FTA

Workers in subway tunnel

NEW YORK — The Federal Transit Administration this week issued a special directive ordering the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to address “an escalating pattern of safety incidents” regarding workers in the New York subway system, citing 38 near-miss incidents in 2023 in addition to a worker fatality in November 2023 and an incident involving a serious […]

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Last gasp of PRR steam

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Pennsylvania Railroad B6sb 0-6-0 5244 simmers inside the road’s roundhouse at Camden, N.J., on October 4, 1958. PRR stopped using steam locomotives nearly a year previously, but 5244 hung on until mid-1959 on lease to New Jersey short line Union Transportation Co. Frank Kozempel photo […]

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NJ Transit to observe one-week ‘fare holiday’

Commuter trains on two tracks of three-track line at station

TRENTON, N.J. — NJ Transit will observe a “fare holiday” Aug. 26 to Sept. 2, offering free rides on all modes across its network, Gov. Phil Murphy announced today (Thursday, Aug. 15). The move is described as a “thank you” to riders for their continued patronage, particularly in light of ongoing service issues. NJ Transit […]

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ASLRRA names Brewin as vice president of congressional affairs

Woman in front of flowers

WASHINGTON — The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association has appointed Nicole Brewin as vice president of congressional affairs. Brewin will be leading the congressional affairs team at Washington-based ASLRRA, which represents 600 short-line and regional railroads, organizing legislative support for issues facing the industry, including investment in infrastructure, and surface transportation and tax policy. […]

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