SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and the North County Transit District Coaster commuter rail service both have further reduced service beyond the plans announced previously as a result of Tropical Storm Hilary, now moving through Southern California. The latest Surfliner update has two southbound and five northbound trains cancelled in their entirety; three […]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The government of British Columbia has announced new restrictions on non-essential travel because of wildfires in the province, leading to the cancellation of at least two scheduled trips of the Rocky Mountaineer luxury tour train. The government order announced Saturday restricts people from staying in hotels for non-essential purposes in several […]
Train travel I’ve made thousands of train rides, but I’ve never lost the exhilaration that one gives me. Every time I board a train, I relive my youthful wanderlust of finding my seat, gliding along on steel rails, and watching the unfolding rolling panorama pass by my window. The thrill of a train ride is […]
ELKTON, S.D. — Two people were killed Friday when their vehicle crashed through a crossing-gate arm and struck a moving train, setting the vehicle on fire and derailing the train into a grain elevator, the Mitchell Republic reports. The incident occurred about 7 p.m. at a grade crossing on the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern […]
LOS ANGELES — A rare tropical storm warning for Southern California is leading to a series of cancellations on Amtrak routes to and from Los Angeles beginning today (Saturday, Aug. 19). Commuter service on the San Diego-Oceanside Coaster will also be affected and LA-area Metrolink service is also likely to see changes. All three-long distance […]
LENOX, Mass. — The three remaining cars of the Roger Williams, the all-RDC passenger train built for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in 1957, are among five Budd Rail Diesel Cars the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum is leasing from the Budd RDC Foundation. Also included in the agreement announced Friday is an […]
MOORE, Okla. — Twenty-two cars of a BNSF Railway train derailed today (Friday, Aug. 18) in suburban Oklahoma City, blocking a grade crossing that could remain closed for several days. The derailment kept Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer from reaching its Oklahoma City terminus. The Oklahoman newspaper reports the derailment involving carloads of plastic pellets occurred about […]
WASHINGTON — A federal court has struck down the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the Uinta Basin Railway project, calling the decision allowing its construction “arbitrary and caprious.” The court also vacated the Environmental Impact Statement and a related document underlying that decision and sent the matter back to the STB. In granting the exemption […]
The importance of a quality guest experience when visiting public rail preservation sites – such as a railroad museum – can sometimes be overlooked by those in the industry, but certainly not for Andrew Nawn, who serves as the founder and leader of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum’s Beautification Committee. With a dedicated team of fellow […]
Southwest tourist railroads you must visit include a museum dedicated to the history of Harvey Houses, an excursion that takes you to one of the worldwide scenic wonders, and everything in between. From Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook, here’s our list of tourist railroads, museums, and displays to experience in the region. Southwest Tourist Railroads […]
SAN MATEO, Calif. — Caltrain will purchase a battery-electric version of the Stadler electric multiple-unit passenger equipment it has purchased for its upcoming electrification, allowing operation beyond the limits of system electrification. The California Transportation Commission has approved the funding for the purchase of a single battery-electric trainset and related maintenance and charging facilities, Caltrain […]
Kitbash a saddle tank engine: I uncovered an old Lionel large scale 0-6-0 with outside drive gears that I had kitbashed several years ago. It had a neat cab and unusual stack, which was a little bent due to a smoke unit overheating. The drive system was so poor that I had to undo one of the driver […]
