The Black Hills Central Railroad 1880 Train offers scenic rides in the heart of South Dakota’s Black Hills. The steam-powered trip between Hill City and Keystone, S.D., features steep grades and sharp curves, as well as beautiful vistas of Black Elk Peak, the highest point in North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Choices The […]
Subscription: Metered
The end is near for short line’s center-cab diesels
General Electric locomotives at Arcade & Attica Tucked away in far western New York State a little southeast of Buffalo is the tiny Arcade & Attica Railroad. Known by the public as a tourist operation and by railfans as a hauler of freight with small center-cab General Electric locomotives rolling through beautiful countryside. Beginning later […]
CSX debuts Chessie System heritage locomotive
CSX Transportation CEO Joe Hinrichs showed off the railroad’s second heritage locomotive today on LinkedIn: ES44AH No. 1973, a salute to the Chessie System. “The Chessie Cat is back! Here is the CSX Chessie System locomotive #1973,” Hinrichs wrote. “Enjoy! Great job again by our Waycross team.” The locomotive was painted at CSX’s Waycross, Ga., […]
Slide disruptions lead to cuts in Surfliner service
ORANGE, Calif. — Pacific Surfliner service will see some service reductions effective Monday, June 12, during the latest of a series of landslide-related interruptions in service through the San Clemente, Calif., area. “Considering the recent closure and state intercity rail budget constraints, we must implement cost-cutting measures to preserve as much service as possible while […]
Hearing on Madison Square Garden sees sharp disagreement, no decision
NEW YORK — A representative for Madison Square Garden argued at a Wednesday hearing that a recent report by Penn Station’s rail operators saying the arena and station are “not compatible” is a negotiating ploy by the rail agencies as the arena seeks a permit to continue operations. The six-hour hearing before New York City’s […]
Coast Guard to impose twice-hourly bridge openings on Brightline route
STUART, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard has issued an order changing rules for opening Florida East Coast Railway’s single-track drawbridge over the Okeechobee Waterway of the St. Lucie River that could seriously disrupt Brightline’s plan to begin hourly service between Miami and Orlando this summer. The change could also result in miles-long FEC freight […]
ScaleTrains acquires ExactRail
ScaleTrains, a manufacturer of N, HO, and S scale model trains based in Cleveland, Tenn., announced has acquired ExactRail, a producer of freight cars and bridges in N and HO scales. The announcement came in a press release titled “ScaleTrains acquires ExactRail” on June 9, 2023. “We’re excited about the future of our favorite hobby,” […]
Michigan announces $19 million in grants for freight rail projects
LANSING, Mich. — Ten railroads will receive a total of $19 million for a dozen projects as the first round of recipients for the Michigan Rail Enhancement Grant Program announced today (Friday, June 9). The 2023 projects funded by the state Department of Transportation, selected in a competitive process, will improve rail safety, operational efficiency, […]
In latest safety advisory, FRA makes additional hot bearing detector recommendation
WASHINGTON — In the wake of a May 10 Norfolk Southern derailment in Pennsylvania, the Federal Railroad Administration today issued a safety advisory recommending that railroads implement safeguards to ensure that hot bearing detectors properly report defects. The supplemental advisory adds a fifth recommendation to the four spelled out in a March 3 safety advisory […]
Pittsburgh’s ‘Terrible Trolley’ comes home
WASHINGTON, Pa. — An icon of Pittsburgh transit and sports history, the “Terrible Trolley,” has returned to Western Pennsylvania after 25 years in Ohio, with plans for its restoration to operating condition. The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has acquired former Pittsburgh Railways Co. Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) car No. 1713, a 1949 product of the St. […]
Is extruded-foam insulation board benchwork tricky?
Q: What are the drawbacks of extruded-foam insulation board benchwork? Much has changed with model railroading since my childhood. As a retiree, I’m re-entering the hobby with a modest HO scale layout in a 10 x 15-foot room in my garage. I’ve consulted several articles, books, and videos on benchwork, but I’m still uneasy about […]
CPKC intermodal train derails in Alberta
CLUNY, Alberta — “Multiple cars” of a CPKC intermodal train derailed Thursday afternoon in Alberta, a CPKC representative told CTV News. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a statement today to CTV that 14 cars had derailed. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved. The TSB is investigating and assessing […]