WASHINGTON — Amtrak is celebrating a second consecutive year of record ridership and revenue in its review of fiscal 2025 released today (Nov. 18, 2025), after a year including 34.5 million passenger trips, a 5.1% increase over the previous year. “Amtrak’s operational success is not just about moving more people — it’s about moving them […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Derek Kissick has rejoined Guardian Rail as chief commercial officer, the company has announced. Kissick has 20 years in the rail industry, including senior leadership roles at Caltrax, Cad Railway, Appalachian Railcar Services, and Marmon Rail. He was Guardian’s chief operating officer from 2021 to 2024; during that time, he played a […]
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Norfolk Southern has donated $450,000 to Children’s of Alabama, helping the hospital more than double the size of its pediatric intensive care unit and add two simulation training manikins. NS CEO Mark George presented the donation to the Birmingham hospital at a Nov. 14 press conference. The news site Bham Now reports […]
WASHINGTON — Trump administration proposals to eliminate two sources of federal funding for mass transit have drawn sharp criticism from two transit advocacy groups. The proposals were reported by Politico Pro on Nov. 14 in a paywalled article, citing internal Department of Transportation memos obtained by the news site. One calls for ending an account […]
CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority has announced the schedule for its 2025 CTA Holiday Fleet, a specially decorated L train and bus that roam the system beginning in late November. The Holiday Bus begins operation on Tuesday, Nov. 25; train operations begin Friday, Nov. 28. Both are sponsored by Allstate. This is the 34th […]
WASHINGTON — A Union Pacific locomotive’s horn and warning devices at a grade crossing provided little advance notice before a fatal collision at a grade crossing in Elgin, Ill., according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on the Oct. 23, 2025, incident. The accident occurred about 6:30 a.m., when a locomotive running light […]
Atlas HO Trinity 5660 covered hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $64.95 Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205; 908-687-0880; shop.atlasrr.com Atlas HO Trinity 5660 covered hopper features: 36” metal wheelsets Body-mounted magnetic metal knuckle couplers Etched-metal running boards Factory-applied plastic pipes and valves Freestanding air hoses painted black with silver glad […]
CHICAGO — Confidence was not in short supply when Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena held a rolling news conference last week to tout UP’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern. “I’m 99.999% sure that this merger is going to go through,” Vena said on Wednesday from the back of the Fox River theater car as UP’s […]
News & Products for the week of November 17th 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 November 17th, […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway and CSX have expanded their intermodal partnership with the launch today (Nov. 17, 2025) of faster interline service linking Los Angeles with the Ohio Valley and points in the Northeast. The new service from BNSF’s Hobart terminal to CSX destinations improves transit time by anywhere from 22 to 52 […]
OMAHA, Neb. — The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen and Union Pacific have reached an agreement that provides job security for hundreds of union employees if UP’s $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern wins regulatory approval. The BRC is the third union to reach an agreement with Union Pacific that ensures union members employed at both […]
MONTREAL — The second portion of Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail network has opened, with regular service on the Deux-Montagnes line beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET today (Nov. 17, 2025). That follows a Friday ceremony that included Prime Minister Mark Carney and a weekend of free “open house” operations on the new 33-kilometer (20.5-mile), […]
