March 2021

Trains Magazine March 2021 cover

More in this issue NEWS •Railroads and automated trucks •Hydrogen-powered trains •Battery power in Europe BRIAN SOLOMON •Observing enduring technologies: Piecing together history from details in an old photo BILL STEPHENS •Modern marvel: the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific coal Joint Line TRAIN-WATCHING •Hot-spot: Columbia River Gorge ASK TRAINS •EMD vs. GE heritage units •Flat […]

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Study will consider conversion of Milwaukee Road 261 to burn oil

Steam locomotive pulls passenger train

MINNEAPOLIS – The Friends of the 261, the non-profit organization that owns and operates Milwaukee Road S-3 class 4-8-4 No. 261, has launched a study to consider converting the locomotive from coal to oil firing. Friends of the 261 President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Sandberg said the group is conducting a feasibility study and […]

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Welcome to the new home of Trains Magazine!

Man gesturing before a gray-white graphic background.

Welcome to Trains.com, the new home for Trains Magazine online and for all the content we publish on BIG trains. In this video, Trains.com Executive Producer David Popp talks about how to log-in to the new Trains.com website so you can get the most out of a Trains subscription AND what more Trains readers will […]

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Digest: Georgia excursion train set for sold-out debut

Map showing route of Azalea Sprinter excursion train

‘Azelea Sprinter’ excursion train debuts in Georgia A new Georgia excursion train will debut this weekend with sold-out trips. WALB-TV reports the Azelea Sprinter, operating by CaterParrott Railnet on the Georgia & Florida Railroad, sold out its first three trips in less than two days. The train will depart from Nashville, Ga., and offer three […]

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Museum volunteers return Northern Pacific SD45 to operation

Newly restored diesel in Northern Pacific paint

DULUTH, Minn. — Volunteers at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum have returned Northern Pacific SD45 No. 3617 to operating condition. The locomotive was started up and moved under its own power at the museum on Feb. 27, the first time it has operated in more than 14 years. The locomotive was donated to the museum […]

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Rail volume up 11.4 percent in weekly statistics

Table showing rail carload and intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — With continued strength of intermodal traffic and a rare rise in carload traffic as recovery continued from February’s winter weather issues, U.S. railroads showed an 11.4% increase in total volume for the week ending March 6, 2021, compared to the same week last year. The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads […]

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Heritage rail digest: Colebrookdale Railroad to offer ‘sensory friendly’ ride

Colebrookdale Railroad Logo

Colebrookdale Railroad to host ride for those with autism, other sensory sensitivities The Colebrookdale Railroad in Boyerstown, Pa., will host a “Sensory Friendly Saturday” train ride, specifically designed for those with autism or other sensory sensitivities, on March 27. The Sanatoga Post reports the event planned by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust. Features will include […]

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