Amtrak California II (Surfliner) passenger cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: With dual-mode NCE decoder with lighting functions, $149.99; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami SoundCar, $199.99 Era: mid-2000s+ Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822, 800-338-4639, athearn.com Amtrak California II (Surfliner) passenger car features: All-wheel electrical pickup Business class cars feature upper and lower service areas Cafe cars have […]
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The planned Pacific Northwest tour of Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 is off for 2022, the railroad announced in a Thursday afternoon email to members of its Steam Club. But the locomotive will make an outing to Denver later this month to pull an excursion benefitting the Union Pacific Museum. The […]
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Amtrak and BNSF Railway have filed suit against the company that owns the dump truck involved in Monday’s fatal collision and derailment of the Southwest Chief — and the widow of the truck driver has sued a BNSF employee and the county where the accident occurred. KCTV reports Amtrak and BNSF […]
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CHICAGO — The Southwest Chief that departed Los Angeles Tuesday evening and its westbound counterpart leaving Chicago today (Thursday, June 30) are the first Chiefs to operate over the train’s full route, passing the scene of the fatal derailment in Mendon, Mo., since that accident on Monday. Monday’s westbound Southwest Chief was cancelled, and the […]
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Nippon Sharyo Metra commuter cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Type 8500 cab car, $139.95; Type 6000 trailer, $119.95; and three-pack (cab car and two trailers), $379.85 Era: Present day Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Nippon Sharyo Metra commuter car features: 21-pin plug for optional Digital Command Control operation Illuminated, directional […]
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AML large scale three-bay hopper Scale: Large (1:29) Price: $160 Manufacturer: Accucraft AML, livesteamstation.com Large scale three-bay hopper features: Die-cast trucks with metal wheels Road Names: CSX (cream); Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; BNSF; Burlington Northern (Cascade Green); Canadian National (red); Conrail; and Union Pacific. Four road numbers per scheme. Other exclusive schemes available through […]
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Motive Power Industries MP36PH-3C diesel locomotive Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with speaker and ditch lights, $229.95; with dual-mode ESU LokSound sound decoder, $339.95. Add $10 for MBTA models. Era: Present day Manufacturer: Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, 908-687-0880, shop.atlasrr.com Motive Power Industries MP36PH-3C diesel locomotive features: Die-cast metal underframe Ditch lights […]
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WAYCROSS, Ga. — A locomotive and 19 cars of a CSX Transportation train derailed early this morning (Thursday, June 30), just north of Waycross, WCWJ-TV reports. The derailment occurred about 2:30 a.m. No injuries were reported and no hazardous material situation has been reported, although photos show at least one tank car with a placard […]
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WASHINGTON — The leader of a federation of rail and other unions has written a group of U.S. senators asking that Congress give the Surface Transportation Board more power to enforce railroads’ common-carrier obligations as a way to address ongoing service issues. Tuesday’s letter from Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Division, AFL-CIO — […]
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WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains Magazine, other Kalmbach Media publications, and the Kalmbach Media offices will be closed Friday and Monday as we observe a long weekend for the Fourth of July holiday. Readers should expect less News Wire content than usual during this period. We’ll be back to our normal hours as of Tuesday, July […]
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CHICAGO — As part of a celebration of its 75th anniversary, the Chicago Transit Authority is wrapping a number of its railcars with designs recalling paint schemes dating to the 1950s through 1980s, and is planning to operate vintage equipment later this year. A Red Line trainset now displays a green, cream, and orange scheme […]
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Commuter rail operator Virginia Railway Express will contribute almost $195 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s purchase of rail right-of-way from CSX Transportation as part the effort for long-term expansion of passenger service. VRE announced Wednesday it would contribute $119.2 million from the proceeds of a bond sale that closed on June […]
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