Owney the Railroad Post Office Dog

Drawing of Owney the Post Office dog on a pile of mail bags

In 1895, a globetrotting mixed-breed mutt named Owney the Railroad Post Office Dog paid a brief call on Milwaukee. As was his custom, the dog arrived aboard a mail car on one train and departed a few hours later by another. His home was anywhere U.S. mail traveled by railroad – and in the 1890s […]

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Brightline, SunRail ‘Sunshine Corridor’ project could cost $6 billion, take 10 years to complete

Railroad tracks lead into glass and concrete building

ORLANDO — A new Florida Department of Transportation document details how a passenger and commuter rail extension west from Brightline’s Orlando International Airport station could be funded and built with the help of federal infrastructure money — and that the project could cost $6 billion. The “Sunshine Corridor” concept, announced in May, calls for public […]

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Union Pacific derailment spills asphalt into creek

Union Pacific logo with Building America slogan

HAMPTON, Iowa — A Union Pacific derailment early Monday morning spilled asphalt into a creek, WOI-TV reports. No injuries were reported from the 44-car derailment, which occurred about 3:30 a.m. on a bridge over Otter Creek, north of Hampton, and sent some cars into the creek. Hazardous materials teams remained on the scene as of […]

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Hudson tunnel timeline pushed back three years

Man speaking with microphone on a train.

NEW YORK — New Northeast Corridor tunnels connecting New Jersey to New York’s Penn Station will not be completed before 2035 — three years later than previously planned — and will cost at least $2 billion more than previously projected, the commission overseeing the project said last week. The New York Times reports that the […]

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Twin Cities light rail project faces $500 million shortfall

Map of light rail project connecting Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, Minn.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The problem-plagued Southwest extension of the Twin Cities’ light rail Green Line is short $500 million in funding, according to a review of the project from the state’s nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor, and it is unclear where that money will come from. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the money […]

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Applications now being accepted for FRA’s CRISI program

Logo for Federal Railroad Administration

WASHINGTON — Applications are now being accepted for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant program, which will offer more than $1.4 billion for passenger and freight infrastructure projects — more than tripling the previous level of funding. “Freight rail is a critical part of our supply chains, and when shipping […]

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Working the float bridge, the log camp, and more

Model Railroader’s October 2022 Trackside Photos Send us your photos Trackside Photos is a showcase for the work of Model Railroader readers. Send your photos (digital images 5 megapixels or larger) to: Model Railroader, Trackside Photos, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612; or upload them to fileupload.kalmbach.com/contribute. For our photo submission guidelines, contact senior associate […]

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AAPRCO cars make another Chicago-area trip

Train with orange and maroon observation car at end backs toward camera

CHICAGO — Private cars visiting Chicago as part of the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners’ annual convention made another journey on local transit lines on Sunday, Sept. 4, traveling a route including Metra and South Shore lines. As was the case on Saturday —when the private cars visited Metra’s Milwaukee West, Milwaukee North, […]

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Maintain your large-scale equipment

Model locomotive upside down on towel

It makes good sense to maintain your large-scale equipment. Basic maintenance is the key to reliable operation. There are several simple things you can do to keep your trains running through the garden. Basic locomotive maintenance Many manufacturers include exploded drawings or written instructions on how to properly lubricate the gears. All moving parts should […]

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