Menards O rail maintenance office Scale: O (1:48) Price: $49.99 Manufacturer: Menards, 5106 Menard Dr., Eau Claire, WI 54703; menards.com/trains Menards O rail maintenance office features: Factory-assembled scene Factory-installed figures, barrels, cans, crates, ladder, and railroad ties Includes small Cripple Creek & Western Rail Maintenance sign on left side of boxcar and large logo on right […]
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NextGen Acelas’ first week a mixed bag
WASHINGTON — Delays principally caused by faulty door activation and slower running over what are normally the fastest portions of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor have tempered the generally warm reception the “Next Generation” Acela trainsets received when they debuted last week. But the trainsets are now offering passengers a welcome — and long overdue — alternative […]
U.S. weekly rail traffic edges back above 2024 levels
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic improved slightly over 2024 levels for the week ending Aug. 30, 2025, according to the Association of American Railroads. Weekly rail traffic was 521,502 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.9% increase over the same week a year ago. That ended a two-week interlude in which traffic was slightly below previous-year […]
Nickel Plate Road GP9 diesel and express boxcar acquired by Cincinnati Scenic
CINCINNATI — Nickel Plate Road GP9 diesel No. 532 is set for a return to the Midwest and eventual revival. Ownership of the EMD unit, built in 1958, was recently transferred from the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society to the Cincinnati Scenic Railway. The Cincinnati Scenic also recently acquired ex-NKP express boxcar […]
TSB to investigate CPKC derailment in British Columbia
ELKO, British Columbia — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is dispatching investigators to the site of a CPKC derailment on Tuesday night, Sept. 2, 2025, the agency announced. The TSB’s brief announcement said a team of investigators “will gather information and assess the occurrence.” The CBC reports the derailment occurred about 8 p.m. Tuesday […]
STB grants Metra request for trackage rights on Union Pacific
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Metra’s request for terminal trackage rights on three Union Pacific lines in the Chicago area, addressing the commuter operator’s concerns that UP could otherwise choose to halt commuter service in the absence of an operating agreement. The ruling today [Sept. 3, 2025] ensures Metra service will continue […]
FRA to train track inspectors to examine bridges
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will train more than 160 current federal and state track inspectors to handle bridge inspections, as well, the FRA has announced, increasing the number of inspectors who monitor bridges from the current figure of less than 10. The federal track inspectors, as well as those employed by states who […]
NTSB calls for collision-avoidance technology on maintenance-of-way machinery
WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board has called for on-track rail maintenance equipment to be equipped with collision avoidance technology that can detect people or objects prior to a crash. The recommendation came as part of the final investigation report released today (Sept. 3, 2025) on an Aug. 4, 2023, accident in Great Barrington, […]
NJ Transit to take over operation of light rail River Line
NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit will take over operation and maintenance of the light rail River Line from current contract operator Alstom, a process beginning today, the agency and company have announced. The decision came “after several years of working closely together to assess the conditions of the River Line,” NJ Transit and Alstom said […]
Sound Transit approves overhaul of Sounder car fleet
SEATTLE — The Sound Transit board of directors has authorized a $92.7 million overhaul of the railcar fleet used in Sounder commuter rail service. At its meeting last week, the board approved a contract with a Systra-Brookville Joint Venture to perform the overhaul work, as well as a motion increasing available funding for the overhaul […]
Classic Toy Trains Photo of the Day: Wayne Colabaugh’s O gauge layout
One glance at the picture Joe Phillips has shared of his good friend Wayne Colabaugh’s O gauge layout, and you know they both like plenty of activity. Why, they couldn’t even wait for the MTH Premier line No. 22-20636-2 Norfolk Southern AC4400CW to slow down before snapping this terrific shot. Nearby on Wayne’s railroad in […]
Lionel’s No. 2159W GG1 Freight Set for 1950
Lionel’s No. 2159W GG1 Freight Set for 1950 often has received criticism from collectors for being less than outstanding. In fact, this O gauge outfit generally has been assessed as a disappointment because it came with some common items. Admittedly, the locomotive included with the five pieces of rolling stock outshines these freight cars and […]
