Software upgrade led to CN computer outage

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — The Canadian National Railway computer outage that disrupted GO Transit and VIA Rail Canada trains on Tuesday was caused by a software upgrade, CN said on Wednesday. CN spokesman Jonathan Abecassis told CTV News that the railroad had determined the problem was because of “an internal systems upgrade, which affected CN’s ability to […]

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British government axes part of planned high-speed route

High speed trainset leaving station with large trainshed

MANCHESTER, England —  In a speech today (Oct. 4) at the annual Conservative Party conference, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced cancellation of construction of the second stage of the planned high speed rail project known as HS2. That segment was to link Manchester and Birmingham. The decision — if it survives an election due […]

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Connecticut museum plans to restore 2-6-2

Black steam engine running along green field. Railroad Museum of New England to restore 2-6-2.

THOMASTON, Conn. — The Railroad Museum of New England is launching a fundraising campaign to restore Sumter & Choctaw Railway 2-6-2 No. 103 to service. No. 103 has been part of the RMNE collection since 1986 and was one of the first heritage steam locomotives to operate in the Northeast, from 1962 to 1975. No. 103 […]

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New Golden Spike Monument en route to Utah

Golden spike monument in a park. Transcontinental Railroad Golden Spike.

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, at the Kentucky studio of sculptor Douwe Blumberg, a crane gently lifted a gold spike measuring 43.3 feet long and weighing just under 7,000 pounds, onto a decorated semitrailer. The spike, commissioned by Utah’s Golden Spike Foundation, is a new memorial commemorating the workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad. Starting […]

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Intermodal traffic shows signs of life in September

WASHINGTON – U.S. rail traffic was up 1.5% in September as intermodal had its best month of the year, the Association of American Railroads reported today. U.S. railroads originated 921,716 carloads in September, up 2.3% from a year ago. U.S. railroads also originated 1,008,896 containers and trailers in September, up 0.7%. In September, 13 of […]

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Does my postwar Lionel GG1 have a reverse unit?

dark green electric locomotive model

There’s a switch on top of my Lionel No. 2332 Pennsylvania GG1. I’ve heard it controls how the engine reverses. I’ve run the locomotive on a test track, and without my touching it the locomotive reversed following the transformer direction switch. Is everything working right? – Jim Rohrbach, San Mateo, Calif. The switch on the […]

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MTH and Atlas announce shared tooling deal

orange and black steam locomotive with passenger cars from MTH

MTH Electric Trains and the Atlas Model Railroad Company announced a shared asset deal that will allow each company to use select models from the other company’s O scale tools and molds. The first of these shared assets will be passenger car tooling that can complement locomotives being produced by the other company. The program […]

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Cumbres & Toltec Scenic names new general manager

Colorful railroad logo. Steve Butler Cumbres & Toltec Scenic.

CHAMA, N.M. and ANTONITO, COLO. — The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has named Steven Butler as its new general manager. Butler takes over from Scott Gibbs, one of the railroad’s Colorado commissioners, who had temporarily stepped in to run day-to-day operations. A life-long rail enthusiast, Butler’s family owned a tourist railroad in the Midwest. […]

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Rapido Trains UK Great Western Railway AA20 Toad brake van

Model of a grey and white British enclosed crew train wagon with two silver wheels.

Available at www.rapidotrains.co.uk in 10 road numbers and several paint schemes. List price: £39.95 (approximately $50.00 as of this writing) Pluses Fine handrails, detailed interior, free-rolling metal wheels, and NEM coupler pockets Minuses Loose interior detail needed repair Verdict A highly detailed rendering of a staple of GWR and early British Railways rollingstock – every […]

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