NJ Transit orders 200 new railcars, 12 dual-power locomotives

Commuter train with silver locomotive and single-level passenger cars

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit has exercised options to purchase an additional 200 Multilevel III commuter railcars and 12 ALP45 dual-power locomotives from Alstom, the manufacturer has announced. The purchase, valued at approximately $1.05 billion, had been authorized by the NJ Transit board in May. “Service reliability and safety is one of my highest priorities, […]

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Hitachi Rail opens new Maryland plant

View of inside of new rolling stock factory

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Hitachi Rail opened its new $100 million railcar factory in Maryland on Monday (Sept. 8, 2025), designed to deliver up to 20 railcars per month. The 307,000-square-foot factory, which will employ 460 workers and is credited with supporting 1,300 jobs in total, features more than $30 million in digital enhancements, including artificial […]

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Pride of the Pennsy

Pride of the Pennsy

The westbound Broadway Limited is just a few miles from its destination as it pauses at Englewood Union Station on the South Side of Chicago in 1933. The Pennsylvania Railroad’s premier train traded its heavyweight cars for streamlined equipment in 1938. Photo by Rail Photo Service […]

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News & Products for the week of September 8th 2025

A yellow blue and orange model caboose

News & Products for the week of September 8th 2025   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of September 8th, […]

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10,000-mile journey: CPKC’s epic rail documentary debuts

steam train in distance

CALGARY, Alberta — CPKC has turned the 2024 Final Spike Tour, featuring No. 2816, the Empress 4-6-4 steam locomotive, into a 50-minute documentary that will premiere on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at the Calgary International Film Festival. Titled The Pulse of the Continent, this breathtaking film chronicles the 76-day journey marking the first anniversary of […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 21 | Building Mainline Bridges

Enthusiasts of railroad engineering will enjoy this helpful, instruction episode, which details how to build and install bridges and abutments on a model train layout. Following the Canadian National prototype, this video focuses on a 70-foot single-track deck girder bridge and a 30-foot single-track through girder bridge. Learn how to properly use a Walthers bridge […]

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Ukraine opens first standard-gauge rail line

Low-angle view of dual-gauge rail line with concrete ties

UZHHOROD, Ukraine — Ukraine has opened its first standard-gauge rail line, the first step in better integration of the country’s rail system with its European neighbors. The European Union’s Delegation to Ukraine announced Friday that the 22-kilometer (13.7-mile) route of national rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia connects the Western Ukrainian cities of Uzhhorod, on the border with […]

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BNSF derailment in Montana leads to Empire Builder cancellation

BNSF Railway logo

SUMMIT, Montana — A BNSF derailment Saturday evening (Sept. 6, 2025) blocked the railroad’s main line on its Hi Line Subdivision, leading to the cancellation of Amtrak’s Empire Builder scheduled to depart today from Portland, Ore., and Seattle. An updated BNSF customer advisory says the derailment near Summit was reported about 6 p.m. local time. […]

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