Metra’s ‘Rails, Trails and Ales’ program returns on Heritage Corridor

Commuter train with two locomotives under gray skies

CHICAGO — Metra’s “Rails, Trails and Ales” excursions on the Heritage Corridor line will return on six fall Saturdays beginning Sept. 9, marking the third straight year for the program offering Saturday rail outings on the normally weekday-only commuter line to Joliet. Three round trips will operate on each Saturday through Oct. 14, departing from […]

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Grand Canyon No. 4960 celebrates centennial

Black steam locomotive pulling passenger train around curve

WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Grand Canyon Railway’s No. 4960 completed three consecutive Saturdays of round-trip excursions from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 5, 12, and 19. The 100-year-old 2-8-2 commemorated its centennial year with an official celebration as part of the Aug. 12 run. The locomotive “ran like a […]

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Western Maryland Scenic adds former California Zephyr dome (corrected)

Stainless steel dome car with red stripe along windows

CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has added dome-lounge Silver Palace, a well-traveled car built by the Budd Co. in 1948 for Western Pacific for use on the California Zephyr. Following completion of maintenance, inspections, and upgrades, the car will enter excursion service, replacing dome-lounge Stampede Pass, which the heritage railroad had previously […]

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Indiana Rail Experience concludes summer schedule out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind.

Steam locomotive sits on bridge during ceremony.

SOUTH MILFORD, Ind. — The summer schedule of the Indiana Rail Experience’s 2023 season concluded on Aug. 19-20 with two excursions operating out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind. The Experience is a multi-year partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. The society’s Nickel Plate Road steam […]

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Brakes on trolley involved in SEPTA derailment had been disabled for repair work

Photo of intersection with trolley tracks

WASHINGTON — A technician who was repositioning a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority trolley at a maintenance facility was unaware its brakes had been disabled to allow for repairs when the vehicle ran away, derailed, and struck an SUV and a historic building in Philadelphia on July 27, according to the preliminary National Transportation Safety Board […]

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CPKC says Union Pacific aims to stifle competition for Gulf Coast grain

red, yellow and other colors on a locomotive

WASHINGTON — Union Pacific’s contention that Kansas City Southern can’t haul grain from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast using trackage rights south of Beaumont, Texas, is “revisionist history,” Canadian Pacific Kansas City has told federal regulators. Earlier this month CPKC asked the Surface Transportation Board to enforce the trackage rights that KCS gained […]

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Atlas O PS 4427 high-side covered hopper

Color photo of O scale three-bay covered hopper in Oxide Red paint with white graphics.

A Pullman-Standard 4427 high-side three-bay covered hopper is making its debut in the Atlas O Premier line. The model, acquired when Atlas O purchased select M.T.H. tooling in March 2021, features plastic and die-cast metal construction and a mix of molded and separate, factory-applied detail parts. Prototype history The PS 4,427-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper […]

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News & Products for the week of August 21st 2023

A blue model locomotive against a white background

News & Products for the week of August 21st 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 August 21st […]

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New ownership for the Choo Choo Barn

three people standing next to a red sign

New ownership for the Choo Choo Barn Gary Russell of Stevens, Pa. purchased the Choo Choo Barn’s model train layout along with the adjoining Strasburg Train Shop in late April. Russell plans to increase the shop’s online presence, and expand the selection of large-scale trains in the shop. He also plans to upgrade the electronics on […]

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