GO Transit to end Toronto-London, Ontario, commuter train

Green and white commuter train approaches crowded platform

LONDON, Ontario — A two-year pilot program offering GO Transit commuter rail service between London and Toronto — hampered by its lengthy travel time — will not be renewed when the trial period ends in October, the London Free Press reports. The single round trip, which debuted in October 2018, is currently scheduled for exactly […]

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Strike shuts down British Columbia ports

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Port workers in British Columbia went on strike Saturday, an action with the potential for impacts on the Canadian and U.S. economies and immediate significance for three Class I Railroads. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada’s Longshore Division walked out at 8 a.m. Saturday. The move affects about […]

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Locomotive models in Bicentennial paint

Color image of electric locomotive in patriotic paint scheme.

With Independence Day just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some N and HO scale locomotive models in Bicentennial paint schemes. As the 200th birthday of the United States approached, numerous prototype railroads renumbered and repainted locomotives in patriotic schemes to pay tribute to the nation. […]

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Bicentennial diesel locomotives photo gallery

Red-white-and-blue Bicentennial diesel locomotive

There were more than 200 red-white-and-blue Bicentennial diesel locomotives. Many “Bicens” were specially renumbered, but some (the 76s, 200s, 1776s, 1976s, etc.) were not. Bicentennials roamed the rails in every state (beyond the “lower 48” were two Alaska Railroad FP7s and a rail historical group’s tiny GE in Hawaii); in Panama (a 5-foot-gauge Alco RSC3); […]

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Workers strike at Canada’s National Steel Car

White end-cab switcher moves cars

HAMILTON, Ontario — About 1,500 workers are on strike at railcar manufacturer National Steel Car, the Hamilton Spectator reports. The workers, represented by United Steelworkers Local 7135, walked out on Thursday, June 29. Local president Frank Crowder told the newspaper via email that “significant issues,” including wages, remain on the table. The company’s latest offer […]

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Tips for your right-of-way

view of garden railway with boxcar at right

Tips for your right-of-way Easy tunnel liner When building tunnels, making a solid interior structure to maintain the tunnel’s structural integrity may be a challenge to those who may not know where to start. An old mailbox makes a perfect shell for a tunnel—just remove the flag, door, and end, and install it. The size […]

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Beyond the byline with Robert Scott

guy with green shirt

What was your first byline in Trains? Robert Scott: My first byline in Trains was in the May 2005 issue. I reported on the port expansion in Tacoma, Wash., which helped additional traffic for Tacoma Rail. Since that was more of a news story, it was a few more years before I had the opportunity […]

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Delaware & Hudson locomotives remembered

Silver-and-blue diesel Delaware & Hudson locomotives in yard

Delaware & Locomotive locomotives demonstrated some of the greatest variety for a railroad its size.     Steam locomotives on the D&H were distinctive. Its roster was dominated by 2-8-0 and 4-6-0 types, but it also had notable fleets of 4-6-2s, 4-8-4s, and 4-6-6-4s. After World War I, the road stuck with the 2-8-0 long […]

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Diesel locomotives by generation

Color photo of HO scale passenger engine in green and yellow paint.

If you’ve read stories about diesel locomotives on Trains.com or in Kalmbach Media’s railroad magazines and books, you’ve most likely seen references to diesel locomotives by generation. But what does generation mean? Unlike automobiles, locomotive manufacturers don’t bring out new models each year. The same basic locomotive model can stay in production for years – […]

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AAR sues over Virginia law on broadband access

Seal with woman standing on top of man

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Association of American Railroads has filed suit against a group of Virginia officials, seeking to overturn a law that makes it easier for broadband companies to install lines across railroad property. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the suit was filed in U.S. District Court against the heads of the Virginia Department of […]

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