Amtrak public board meeting addresses equipment timelines

Man speaking into microphone as another man listens, with video of both in the background

SEATTLE — The big takeaway from this year’s annual Amtrak Board of Directors public meeting is that the company has momentum to keep growing patronage despite any headwinds that might begin blowing when the Trump Administration and an all-Republican Congress take over in January. The session today (Wednesday, Dec. 4) was held at a ballroom […]

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Railway Association of Canada honors four operators with safety awards

Logo of Railway Association of Canada

OTTAWA, Ontario — Canadian National, Genesee & Wyoming Canada, Metrolinx, and VIA Rail Canada are recipients of the Railway Association of Canada’s 2024 Safety Awards, which honor innovations and proactive measures by the nation’s railways to maintain and improve safety. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do,” Marc Brazeau, president and CEO of […]

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Mexico budgets $7.8 billion for passenger rail projects in 2025

Map showing planned passenger rail projects in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week that the country will spend 157 billion pesos ($7.7 billion) in 2025 as part of its previously announced plan to develop new passenger rail lines, as well as to develop the Yucatán Peninsula’s Maya Train for freight operations. In a Nov. 28 announcement, Sheinbaum said […]

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Agreement reached for new South Shore route to South Bend airport

South Shore commuter train on S curve

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District has reached an agreement that would allow it to build a new, shorter route into South Bend International Airport, a move that could cut up to 15 minutes off travel times for South Shore Line commuter trains serving the facility. Inside Indiana Business reports that […]

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Santa Fe All the Way display in HO scale

Santa Fe All the Way display in HO scale | Trains.com Contributor Gerry Leone visits with layout owner/building Andrew Bobis and his expansive modular display inspired by the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway. As configured for operation at Trainfest 2024 event in Milwaukee, Wis., you’ll see detailed modeled sights including the depot in Topeka, […]

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Japanese railway considers bullet-train freight service

White high speed train in Japan

TOKYO — Japanese rail operator JR East is considering adding add freight cars to its Shinkansen trains, and may develop entire freight bullet trains, the Japan News reports. A host of issues remain before the launch of freight-only trains, however, among them facilities to handle the cargo and track space on some lines. But the […]

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Classic Toy Trains new products for December 2024

red and white model boxcar

Locomotives & rolling stock MTH, 739 Washington Blvd., Ste. 101, Elkridge, MD 21075, has FM Erie-built Diesel Locomotives as part of the Premier line. Engines will operate on O-42 curves, feature Proto-Sound 3.0, and will be available in six paint schemes (20-21852 shown). The engines will be sold as unpowered A units or as an […]

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Baltimore & Ohio toy train display

Toy steam and streamlined passenger trains on multiple levels of Baltimore & Ohio toy train display

  Years ago, it was not unknown for railroads to promote themselves via railroad models. This actually began in the toy train sphere of model railroading. Scale model railroading as a hobby emerged from toy trains, which began to come to prominence in the early 20th century. As evidence, I’ll cite the fact that Al […]

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Canadian government to help fund new Toronto subway cars

Logo of the Toronto Transit Commission

TORONTO — The Toronto Transit Commission will receive almost Ca$1.2 billion in federal funding, with more than half ticketed for 55 new subway cars, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland announced on Friday, Nov. 29. Some $758 million of the federal funds, to be provided over the next decade from the […]

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Wisconsin begins study of second Borealis round trip

Passenger train with road-switcher style locomotive in lead

MADISON, Wis. — The state of Wisconsin has begun studying the possibility of adding a second daily round trip to the Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities Borealis service, WisBusiness.com reports. The train’s ridership has been exceeding projections by 10% to 15% each month since its May 21 launch, Lisa Stern, chief of railroads and harbors for the Wisconsin […]

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