Metra gears up summer construction work

Commuter train passes green maintenance of way machinery

CHICAGO — Improvement projects at 28 stations highlight Metra’s construction plans. The Chicago-area commuter operator began its construction season in April and will continue projects through the fall, weather permitting. Nearly a quarter of Metra’s $119.5 million in capital spending for 2023 is focused on rebuilding or refurbishing station facilities, part of a five-year plan […]

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Locomotives We Love: Lionel No. 2065 steam engine

Lionel No. 2065 steam engine

Roger Carp is Senior Editor of Classic Toy Trains and the author of numerous books about the toy train collecting hobby. What toy train locomotive means the most to you? My favorite toy train locomotive is the Lionel No. 2065 steam engine. This small Hudson isn’t the biggest, heaviest, or most expensive, but everything desirable […]

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Norfolk Southern seeks regulatory approval for purchase of CNO&TP

Southern Railway history: Black locomotives pulling a freight train.

WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern yesterday sought regulatory approval for its acquisition of the Cincinnati Southern Railway, the municipally owned railroad that forms the 338.2-mile Chattanooga-Cincinnati backbone of NS’s key corridor linking Chicago with Atlanta and the Southeast. NS asked the Surface Transportation Board to approve the $1.62 billion acquisition as a minor transaction. Norfolk Southern […]

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What railroad signals mean

A chart showing how different railroad signal aspects appear on different kinds of signals

Admit it: Do you know what railroad signals mean? Do you panic when you shown up for an operating session at a strange layout and see it has working signals? Railroad signal aspects aren’t as simple as traffic lights. In addition to stop, caution, and go, railroad signals can mean stop and then go, keep […]

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Amtrak Miami services through time

Drawing of new two-story Amtrak Miami services with automobile parking lot

Amtrak Miami services have been dominated by trains from New York City. This included, at various times, the Silver Meteor, Silver Palm, and Silver Star. Additionally, at times, the Magic City has been served by its own section of the Floridian from Chicago and an extension of the Sunset Limited.     Amtrak’s current Miami […]

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Penn Central passenger trains remembered

Black-and-white diesel locomotive with train at station

All through May 2023, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the legacy of everyone’s favorite bankrupt railroad: Penn Central.     Please enjoy this photo gallery of Penn Central passenger trains selected from the files in Kalmbach Media‘s David P. Morgan Library.   Only from Trains.com! […]

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General Electric BQ23-7: An Odd Diesel That Didn’t

General Electric BQ23-7 locomotive in yard

The General Electric BQ23-7 turned out to be an odd diesel that didn’t.     At the dawn of railroads eschewing cabooses as unnecessary expenses, locomotive builders were putting forth ideas to accommodate train crews. One option was the BQ23-7, the Q indicating crew Quarters.   General Electric’s design team took its standard 2,250 hp […]

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