Amtrak, Brightline fare sales aim to fill seats at cheaper prices: Analysis

Passenger train on bridge

WASHINGTON and MIAMI — Rail passengers who are able to lock down travel plans in advance can benefit from two pre-Black Friday sales now underway at Amtrak and Florida’s Brightline. Amtrak Winter Sale Through this Wednesday, Nov. 15, Amtrak is offering “flash sale” advance purchase fares for travel Dec. 4, 2023, through March 15, 2024, […]

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Engineers, Amtrak reach tentative contract agreement

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Amtrak has reached a tentative contract agreement with its more than 1,400 locomotive engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has announced. If ratified, the agreement would run through 2028. Features include retroactive payments retroactive to 2022, a 30% wage increase (34.12% compounded); 10 weeks of paid parental leave; increased away-from-home […]

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Metrolink adds trains to help address Los Angeles freeway closure

LA_UnionStation_2_Lassen

LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink is expanding service on its San Bernardino Line in response to the closure of a portion of Interstate 10, a major route into downtown Los Angeles traveled by some 300,000 cars per day. Metrolink will add three additional round trips between L.A. Union Station and its Covina station […]

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Amtrak disruption of service between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon to continue

Overhead view of trains at station

NEW YORK — Amtrak service will be disrupted on its New York-Albany route on Tuesday for a third straight day, according to an updated service advisory on Amtrak’s website, although the service suspension is now officially between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon. According to the advisory posted at 5 p.m. EST, service will be much as […]

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News photos: Metro-North’s latest heritage locomotive honors New York Central

Front view of gray locomotive with white stripes

NORTH WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Metro-North Railroad has unveiled the third in its series of wrapped heritage locomotives to mark its 40th anniversary, this one wearing the classic two-tone gray “lightning stripe” scheme of New York Central. The scheme has been applied to P32AC-DM No. 211, which is set to make its operational debut Tuesday […]

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BNSF and J.B. Hunt to shift Mexico cross-border intermodal service to Ferromex via Eagle Pass gateway (updated)

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway and J.B. Hunt are shifting their Mexico intermodal service to Ferromex via the Eagle Pass gateway, a route they say is a day faster than the current BNSF-Canadian Pacific Kansas City routing via Laredo, Texas. The cross-border service will move to Eagle Pass on Jan. 1, BNSF and J.B. […]

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News & Products for the week of November 13th 2023

A model caboose in a yellow paint scheme

News & Products for the week of November 13th 2023   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of November 13th […]

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Camouflage full-size items near your railway

colorful model train on garden railway, with two mesh buildings in the background

Do you need to camouflage full-size items near your railway? Even though the 12 x 43 feet space in my yard is designated for my garden railway, I must share it with a couple of essential items that are full size, namely the composting bin and a storage bin. Every time I run my trains […]

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East Broad Top and historians solve mystery of unclaimed Civil War veteran’s headstone

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — The East Broad Top Railroad has helped deliver a long-lost gravestone that had been sitting unclaimed in the time-capsule railroad’s freight office for more than 118 years. The headstone was placed at the grave of Civil War veteran Andrew Gamble during a Friday ceremony in Burnt Cabins Cemetery, which is near […]

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Soo Line No. 1003 steams through central Wisconsin for 110th year

Steam locomotive sits on display.

HARTFORD, Wis. — A weekend of operations for Soo Line steam locomotive No. 1003 stretched from its home in Hartford to as far as Fairwater, Wis., approximately 50 miles northwest. The Mikado-type 2-8-2 is in its 110th year, having been constructed in March 1913 by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, N.Y. Making the most […]

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Federal regulators to establish passenger rail advisory committee

Canadian Pacific freight train meets Amtrak train

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board is creating an advisory panel that will guide the board on passenger and commuter rail issues. The Passenger Rail Advisory Committee will have 18 voting members that will include representatives from Amtrak, commuter rail agencies, intercity operators other than Amtrak, a state that provides funding for Amtrak service, a […]

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Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails returns to Eiteljorg Museum

model train display with Christmas tree

One of Indianapolis’ favorite Hoosier holiday traditions returns this season when the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art presents the 14th annual Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure. Running from Nov. 18 through Jan. 15, the family favorite Jingle Rails model railroad display will also be open late on eight […]

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