NTSB interviews engineer of Amtrak Cascades train No. 501 NEWSWIRE

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The remains of Amtrak Cascades train No. 501 in December 2017. Steve Carter WASHINGTON — As part of its ongoing investigation into the Dec. 18, 2017, derailment of an Amtrak passenger train in DuPont, Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board released Thursday an update about the agency’s investigation. NTSB investigators interviewed the engineer and the […]

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‘Pacific Surfliner’ consists expanded again NEWSWIRE

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A Pacific Surfliner hugs the beach at Carpinteria, Calif., in 2013 Bob Johnston LOS ANGELES — Amtrak and the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency continue to expand the capacity of Pacific Surfliner service in response to the closure of U.S. Route 101, which severed the direct highway connection between Santa Barbara, Calif., and the rest of […]

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Amtrak permanently retiring Pacific Parlour Cars NEWSWIRE

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Amtrak’s Seattle-to-Los Angeles Coast Starlight crosses a trestle at Goleta, Calif. Pacific Parlour cars used in the train’s consist will soon be removed from Amtrak service. Bob Johnston The Pacific Parlour Cars, which were built by Pullman-Standard for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway as hi-level lounge cars and have been a regular part […]

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Making your rail mileage count

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An NS 21st Century Steam excursion adds to the mileage totals for riders at Williamstown, Ky., in May 2014. Two photos, Robert S. McGonigal Railroads are all about places – where the rails go to transport freight and passengers. In the 1920s, the “Index of Railroad Stations” at the back of each edition of The […]

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First look at the Amfleet I coach fleet refresh NEWSWIRE

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The interior of a newly refurbished Amfleet 1 coach. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK – For Amtrak’s 450-odd, 40-something-year-old Amfleet I passenger car fleet, the Budd-built cars are newsworthy yet again, and the news is passenger comfort. The new interior redesign brings the 21st century to the Northeast and the Midwest. Trains News Wire recently toured […]

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‘Amtrak Cascades’ train derails onto Washington highway

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This overall view shows cars off both sides of the tracks at the Interstate 5 bridge near DuPont, Wash. Two photos, Steve Carter SEATTLE – Several people are dead after a southbound Amtrak Cascades train derailed on an overpass above Interstate 5 near Olympia. Although several motorists were injured when the train fell off the […]

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Alex Mayes’ top 10 railfan spots

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Westbound CSX train Q261 climbs the Sand Patch grade at Foley Overlook, near Fairhope, Pa., on Oct. 9, 2011. Three photos, Alex Mayes Trying to come up with just 10 favorite train-watching spots posed a challenge for me, as I have a lot of favorite spots, all of which have their particular characteristics. For this […]

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Matt Van Hattem’s top 10 railfan spots

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A southbound CSX intermodal train skirts the Hudson River at Bear Mountain, N.Y., on May 12, 2011. Three photos, Matt Van Hattem Every region has fascinating places to watch trains, and working at Trains brought me to locations I had always longed to visit as well as great spots I might not have otherwise come […]

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MRVP Insider: Modelers in a Minivan along the Main Line

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Combine a world-renowned modeler (Pelle Søeborg), a guy that’s great at photographing trains (Drew Halverson), another who’s pretty darn good at both (Cody Grivno), and a sunny day spent trackside, and you get Modelers In A Minivan Along The Main Line! Join their jaunt across the Wisconsin countryside, and you’ll see just what inspires this […]

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