Ron Hoess’ Eastbound Chestnut Hill & Stifftown Branch PRR

Scene of model train layout

This HO scale layout (13′ x 18′) is a point-to-point switching layout that depicts the Stifftown Branch and the first portion of the Chestnut Hill Branch of the PRR. The setting is North Philadelphia circa 1958. Since this is a prototype layout, all of the structures are scratchbuilt to better match the prototype. Key signature […]

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Broadway Limited Imports N scale PRR T1 4-4-4-4

Broadway Limited Imports N scale PRR T1 4-4-4-4

Broadway Limited Imports N scale PRR T1 4-4-4-4 The T1 is equipped with magnetic knuckle couplers. Details like wire grab irons and train-phone system antenna add to the realism. I recently reviewed two N scale diesel locomotives from Broadway Limited Imports (BLI) featuring Paragon3 Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders with Rolling Thunder (March and May […]

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Gateway Project idles while politicians dispute progress NEWSWIRE

Trains_Washington_Watch

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao came under fire Wednesday at an appropriations hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives, with transportation subcommittee chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., charging the Trump administration with “neglecting to include even one cent for the Gateway project” in its fiscal year 2020 budget request. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s proposed […]

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‘Human error’ likely cause of MBTA collision, derailment

MBTA

BOSTON — “Human error” is being blamed for Tuesday’s collision of two Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority trains near Boston’s South Station, which resulted in the derailment of one train and cancellation of commuter trains on the MBTA’s Fairmount Line for part of Wednesday. The accident occurred about 8 p.m. Tuesday, when a Fairmount Line train […]

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MTA touts continued improvement for New York subways NEWSWIRE

MTA

NEW YORK — Statistic show continued improvement for New York City’s beleaguered subway system, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said at a Wednesday press conference. MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye, Managing Director Veronique Hakim, and NYC Transit President Andy Byford highlighted statistics showing better on-time performance and increased customer satisfaction. These latest performance results are […]

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Amtrak to spend $90 million on Baltimore station improvements

Amtrak logo.

BALTIMORE — Amtrak will spend $90 million to upgrade Baltimore’s Penn Station, a move expected to ignite $400 to $600 million in development around the station area, the Baltimore Sun reports. Amtrak will make station and track improvements and lease an adjacent lot to a group, Penn Station Partners, to build a mixed-use project. “Amtrak […]

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Cuomo speech rails at MTA, offers fixes NEWSWIRE

Subways_Spielman

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for major changes to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York’s subways — as typified by these No. 7 trains at Corona Yard in Queens — in a Thursday speech. Ralph Spielman NEW YORK — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told a civic group Thursday that the Metropolitan Transportation […]

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