Why do railroads use towers?

What are railroad tower operations? Railroad tower operations can have at least two meanings. One is what happens inside a tower, or more specifically, an interlocking tower. The other is a way of running a railroad, by using the operators in interlocking towers to control traffic through specific points of the railroad. So, why do […]

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Ten cars of CN train derail in remote Ontario location

JOGUES, Ontario — Ten cars of a Canadian National train derailed Monday, June 24,  in northeastern Ontario, leading to a precautionary evacuation because of a diesel fuel leak from one of the cars. CTV News reports the incident occurred about 2:45 p.m. in Jogues. The community of 214 is about 5 miles southwest of Hearst, […]

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News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024

News & Products for the week of June 24th 2024 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 June 24th 2024. […]

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Amtrak suggests Adirondack passengers take the bus: Analysis

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — After more than a month with no mention in the “Passenger Advisories” section of Amtrak’s website that the New York-Montreal Adirondack wasn’t running north of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the passenger operator has acknowledged that the summertime hiatus will extend until Sept. 9. The “Modified Adirondack Service” notice appeared a week after […]

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Railfan Road: Chicago’s Cicero Avenue

Roosevelt Road used to be ‘the’ Chicago railfan road. On less than a mile of viaducts just south of downtown, fans could catch passenger trains to and from many of the great Chicago passenger stations and associated coach yards. But intercity trains now only call at Union Station, and while commuters still roll, several iconic […]

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Lawmakers spar over Amtrak profitability and transparency at House Rail Subcommittee hearing

WASHINGTON — Aside from the revelation that Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner was granted $620,000 in bonuses on top of a $500,000 salary last year, very little new ground was covered at today’s House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Rail Subcommittee hearing. The hearing, “Amtrak and Intercity Passenger Rail Oversight: Promoting Performance, Safety and Accountability,” was abruptly […]

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Deteriorating CN track adds time to VIA’s Ocean: Analysis

MONTREAL — Beginning June 19, VIA Rail Canada is adding 90 minutes to the westbound schedule of its Montreal-Halifax, N.S. Ocean and 45 minutes to the eastbound train, “to provide passengers with a schedule which better reflects actual travel times,” according to a statement provided by VIA in response to a set of detailed questions […]

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8 guidelines for handicap accessible toy train layouts

Model railroading — in any scale — can be a challenging hobby for people with disabilities, whether caused by illness, accident, or age. In addition, visitors who use a wheelchair or walker may find it difficult to view distant points on a large layout. The pike shown here was built with such limitations in mind. […]

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Prominent Budd-built passengers trains, excluding Zephyrs

The Budd Co. and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy went hand in hand in building the streamlined Zephyr fleet, though the Midwestern railroad wasn’t the only customer to the car manufacturer. By 1941, the company produced nearly 500 stainless-steel passenger cars to more than a dozen railroads. The 1939 Silver Meteor and 1941 Empire State Express […]

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Are trains in Michigan Central’s future?

DETROIT — The magnificent indoor space at Michigan Central Station that once hosted New York Central passenger trains has been brought back to life in spectacular fashion by the Ford Motor Company. It joins New York’s Grand Central Terminal, union stations in Washington and Chicago, and Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal as well-preserved classics built […]

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