FORT WORTH, Texas — Montana Rail Link officially became a fallen flag on Jan. 1 when the regional railroad ceased operations and became BNSF Railway’s MRL Subdivision. Burlington Northern leased the former Northern Pacific main line from Jones Junction, Mont., to Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1987. In January 2022 BNSF and MRL announced an agreement to […]
Europe’s biggest rail freight companies are facing major challenges in 2024, despite efforts by politicians to encourage more freight movement by rail and less by road. In some countries, new ownership or new companies are challenging established operators and providing business opportunities for smaller companies. In most of Europe, the biggest rail freight company is […]
ORINDA, Calif. — Nine people were injured when a Bay Area Rapid Transit train derailed and caught fire today, the transit agency reports. None of the injuries were major, BART said in a press release, although all of those involved were transported to area hospitals for evaluation. The derailment occurred about 9 a.m. and involved […]
Locomotives & rolling stock Menards has also released American Car & Foundry two-bay Center Flow covered hopper cars. Shown here is CN in a 1971 promotional paint scheme (2759230). The cars have die-cast couplers, navigate O-27 curves, and each is uniquely numbered. Cost: $34.99. Order from menards.com/trains Atlas O has announced new paint schemes for […]
Welcome to 2024, News Wire readers. There’s no predicting what the new year has in store for us, but in case you’ve been otherwise occupied over the holiday season, here’s a chance to review our recent history of top News Wire stories of the year, as well as this year’s Top 10 (actually 11) topics, […]
TORONTO — Two people were hospitalized with serious but non-life threatening injuries after a fire broke out on a Toronto subway train Sunday afternoon. CityNews reports that the fire caused by an e-bike broke out on the first car of a Toronto Transit Commission train at the Sheppard-Yonge station about 3 p.m. The bike was […]
Nothing says “O gauge toy trains” like a postwar-style display layout. Even if these tabletop railroads don’t always make the most efficient use of floor space, it’s hard to discount their nostalgic appeal, easy construction, and potential for fast-paced toy train and accessory action. While a small layout can keep an operator busy and viewers […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak has fully restored service on the Northeast Corridor following computer and signal issues earlier today (Dec. 31, 2023), the company said in a post on the social media site X at 11 a.m. ET. NJ Transit and SEPTA, which were also affected, report their service has also resumed. Amtrak initially reported […]
Norfolk Southern’s disastrous hazardous materials wreck in East Palestine, Ohio — which put the railroad industry’s safety record under a withering spotlight — is Trains News Wire’s top story for 2023. The Feb. 3 derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border likely was caused by the catastrophic failure of a wheel bearing on a covered hopper carrying […]
Are you building a siding or a yard? Or are you in the process of planning an N scale layout but not sure what turnouts are available? This N scale turnout roundup should help to answer some questions you may have. Turnouts (also referred to as switches) are pieces of track that allow a train […]
Montreal Locomotive Works DL535E diesel locomotives have proven to be versatile narrow-gauge haulers made famous by a garden railway staple. In 1969, American Locomotive Co. of Schenectady, N.Y., was building seven six-axle, 1,200-hp DL535E diesel locomotives, Nos. 101-107, for the White Pass & Yukon when the builder abruptly shut down its manufacturing operations. […]
ORLANDO — Gutsy. There is no other way to describe the splash Brightline made — or the revenue risk it took — after the company flipped the switch on what, by year’s end, would become 32 trains each day between South Florida and Orlando. Service began Sept. 22 to much fanfare. The $6 billion effort […]
