Amtrak seeks applicants for scholarship program

WASHINGTON — Amtrak is seeking applications for 11 scholarships it will award for full-time undergraduate and graduate students with rail interests under a series of programs, the company has announced. Applications are due by the end of Jan. 31 for scholarships including: — Women in STEM: For those pursuing an undergraduate or master’s degree majoring […]

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Routes for Del Mar rail tunnel multiply

DEL MAR, Calif. — Proposed routes for a tunnel to replace the rail line along the Del Mar bluffs, which at one time had been narrowed to two options, are now back to a total of 11 options in the wake of objections by Del Mar residents, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The multi-billion dollar project […]

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Metrolink, Surfliner expand codeshare agreement

LOS ANGELES — Commuter operator Metrolink and the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, have expanded their codeshare program, allowing ticketholders to ride either train service between Los Angeles and Ventura. The new program, which began Monday, Nov. 6, is a pilot program currently scheduled to run through June 30, 2024. It […]

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Cincinnati voters to decide on railway sale Tuesday

CINCINNATI — Voters in Cincinnati go to the polls this Tuesday, Nov. 7, to determine whether the city should sell its railway to Norfolk Southern, after a campaign that has seen a host of conflicting claims and endorsements. The matter, on the ballot as Issue 22, asks voters to approve the sale of the Cincinnati […]

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Louisiana, Amtrak advance Baton Rouge-New Orleans rail project

BATON ROUGE, La. — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner joined outgoing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday to ink a service development agreement that is the first step in launching service between Baton Rouge, the state capital, and New Orleans. After a ceremony at New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, Gardner and Edwards, along with Amtrak […]

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Amtrak Twin Cities services through the years

Amtrak Twin Cities services started on May 1, 1971, at the Burlington Northern (former Great Northern) station in Minneapolis. Service levels ebbed and flowed through the years as trains were added or subtracted.     Amtrak opened a new Twin Cities station on March 1, 1978, using a standard plan that was also built in […]

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Model a pike-size passenger train

When you think of Burlington Northern, passenger service may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But from March 2, 1970 (Burlington Northern’s first day) to April 30, 1971 (the day before Amtrak started operations), the railroad offered passenger service. Among the name trains were the Empire Builder, Mainstreeter, North Coast Limited, and […]

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Must-See Big Steam for Fall 2023

Labor Day has concluded and so has – unofficially – the 2023 summer. The busy season for museums and tourist railroads may be wrapping up, but as cooler weather begins to roll in you can still add some steam to the mix! These are the big locomotives scheduled to operate when the foliage changes colors […]

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Derail the Sale opposed to selling Cincinnati’s railroad

CINCINNATI — While most people who follow trains and railroads realize that Cincinnati owns a railroad line, there is a good chance most local residents aren’t aware of what their city holds title to. The Cincinnati Southern Railroad, a 336-mile route connecting Cincinnati and Chattanooga, Tenn., was built by the city in the late 1870s. […]

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Preview September and October 2023 Trains content

Preview Trains  September/October 2023 content below. We’re always adding new content to our website! Here’s a sneak peek at a few items coming up these next few months. Five mind-blowing facts — Cabooses The caboose was not just the last car on the train. This railroad icon played many roles including passenger car, auto carrier, […]

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Frisco caboose ride remembered

A Frisco caboose ride provided a much needed railfan break during my military assignment near Kansas City.   My spirits fell when I received orders for my first U.S. Air Force permanent-duty assignment, at the Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base just south of Kansas City, Mo. I had hardly been west of the Appalachian Mountains, and […]

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