MIAMI — Brightline has completed work to improve 48 grade crossings in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, a $5.4 million project supported by a $2.3 million federal grant as well as local funding. Federal Railroad Administration funding came in the form of a $2.3 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement, or CRISI, grant […]
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ASLRRA names four to Short Line Hall of Fame
WASHINGTON — Pete Claussen, Bruce Flohr, Edward Lewis, and Richard Robey have been selected by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association for induction into the Short Line Railroad Industry Hall of Fame. Induction is set for April 3 at the 2023 ASLRRA Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans. Lewis, who died in […]
FRA launches 60-day assessment of Norfolk Southern safety
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration announced this evening (Tuesday, March 7) that it would conduct a 60-day supplemental safety assessment of Norfolk Southern Railway, joining the National Transportation Safety Board, which has announced its own investigation of NS safety practices. “After a series of derailments and the death of one of its workers, we […]
Ideas on streamlining steam locomotives
We are exploring ideas on streamlining steam locomotives. During the deepest darkest days of the Great Depression — the economic shock that impacted most of the world from 1929 to 1939 — industrial and political leaders sought out new products, services, and events. They were looking for a means to create jobs, increase sales, and […]
NTSB launches special investigation of Norfolk Southern safety practices (updated)
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a special investigation into Norfolk Southern’s safety practices in light of a spate of recent accidents. “Given the number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents, the NTSB also urges the company to take immediate action today to review and assess its safety practices, with the […]
Siemens to build $220 million railcar factory in North Carolina
LEXINGTON, N.C. — Siemens Mobility officials announced Tuesday on a media call with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose that they intend to construct a $220 million passenger railcar manufacturing facility designed to complement the company’s existing Sacramento, Calif., plant. Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of parent company Siemens AG, […]
Autumn Colors Express profile
The Autumn Colors Express of the Railway Excursion Management Company (Railexco) takes you on a day-long journey through the New River Gorge, at the peak of the fall foliage season. The round trip from Huntington, W.Va., to Hinton, W.Va., lets you experience this beautiful area of West Virginia in a way few do. Privately owned […]
O. Winston Link Museum profile
Only two photographers in the United States have their own museums. One belongs to noted landscape photographer Ansel Adams. The other is O. Winston Link. A commercial photographer, Link was fascinated with steam locomotives and made a pilgrimage to record the last of these on the Norfolk & Western in the late 1950s. These photographs […]
West Chester Railroad profile
The West Chester Railroad operates 90-minute round-trip excursions over a historic route through the Chester Creek Valley on a former Pennsylvania Railroad branch line. The nostalgic train rides travel from West Chester to Glen Mills. Along the way, you’ll see several historic railroad stations. Choices Ride through the scenic woods in comfortable and heated remodeled […]
Adventures in code 55 track
Adventures in code 55 track: I’m now building my fourth layout featuring the Tehachapi Loop, so I call it Tehachapi IV. I’d used Peco code 55 track on Tehachapi III, and liked it very much, so I was planning to use it again. Then I saw Atlas’s new code 55 flextrack and was smitten. The […]
Helixology for N scalers
Helixology for N scalers: Never say never. I thought I’d never build a layout with a helix because of a number of well-known disadvantages: Helixes take up a lot of space, so unless you’ve got a large area in which to build, you aren’t gaining much layout. If you have enough space available for a […]
Lake Shore Railway Historical Society and Museum profile
On the grounds of a former New York Central passenger depot, you’ll find a museum that maintains a collection focused on General Electric, Heisler, and Pullman equipment as well as local railroads. Choices At the Lake Shore Railway Historical Society and Museum, the restored New York Central passenger station houses numerous artifacts, and 30 pieces […]