Scotland’s ‘Harry Potter’ train to restart operations

Steam-powered passenger train in UK on curved trestle

The “Jacobite” or “Harry Potter” steam train, running from Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, will resume operations as of Monday, April 15, operator West Coast Railway announced today. Initially, the train will operate just once a day, instead of the two daily trips planned previously. The train has been subject of a long-running debate […]

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Tulsa Port of Inola railroad debuts

Map of Tulsa Port of Inola

INOLA, Okla. — The Port of Inola debuted its new rail line, the 4.4-mile Verdigris Southern Railroad, this week, delivering a shipment of paper products to the port facility of tissue paper manufacturer Sofidel. KJRH-TV reports the $20 million project involved rebuilding existing infrastructure at the port, a 2,500-acre industrial park formerly belonging to the […]

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Worker killed during UP track repairs in Arkansas (updated)

McNEIL, Ark. — A member of a Union Pacific work crew was killed Thursday while repairing a washout on the railroad, KSLA-TV reports. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office reports Danny Brent Wilkins, 43, of Rison, Ark., was struck and killed by machinery during repairs after two days of heavy rains. He was declared dead at […]

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Four-mode trains enter service in Europe

Blue, green, and white multiple-unit passenger trainset on display at trade show.

Italian national rail company Trenitalia launched its latest hybrid passenger trains earlier this month on the scenic route from Taranto to Reggio Calabria on the nation’s southern coast. The trains, built by Hitachi in Italy, are claimed to be the world’s first four-mode hybrid trains — and while they are the first to enter service, […]

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Free named Long Island Rail Road president

Man speaking at podium

NEW YORK — Rob Free, who has served as acting president of the Long Island Rail Road since last October, was named to the position permanently by Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber on Thursday. Free, who began his career with the LIRR as a station cleaner 31 years ago, climbed the ranks to become […]

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Railroads file suits to block two-person crew law

BNSF crew change

Four railroads have filed lawsuits in federal court to block the Federal Railroad Administration’s requirement for two-person crews for most freight trains, the Associated Press reports. Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, the Indiana Rail Road, and Florida East Coast Railway filed individual suits this week in different appellate courts, all saying the rule is arbitrary, capricious, […]

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T-TRAK Project Part 6: Roads, rails, and housepaint

Small black and gold artist paintbrush painting white plaster model train scenery tan.

Modelers David Popp, Brian Schmidt, and Bryson Sleppy continue the scenery process on their T-TRAK modules in an attempt to make them look more like the prairies of Colorado. T-TRAK is a modular N scale railroading system that uses foot-wide boxes plugged together to build tabletop layouts. In this sixth installment, the three modelers explain […]

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In Memoriam: Kirk Reddie

Color photo of man with moustache standing in front of model railroad layout.

Kirk Reddie, Editor and Publisher of N Scale Railroading magazine, passed away on April 8, 2024. Kirk grew up and resided in Shoreline, Wash. When he was 4 years old, he received an American Flyer train set. His modeling focus shifted to HO scale when he was in eighth grade. In 1975 Kirk switched to […]

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Lionel Catalog Volume 1 for 2024

Lionel Catalog Volume 1 2024 Cover

Lionel Catalog Volume 1 for 2024 is filled with plenty of treasures. What’s there? How about fantastic locomotives loaded with tons of special effects and realistic details as well as lots of superb pieces of scale rolling stock and entertaining operating cars of all sorts? And plenty of spectacular and enjoyable train sets for modelers […]

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