READING, Pa. — The agency working to launch Amtrak service between Reading and Philadelphia has approved the hiring of a consultant to work on the study required as part of that process. WFMZ-TV reports that the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority voted on Monday to award a contract to infrastructure consulting firm AECOM to begin […]
Type of Train: Passenger/Transit
Congressman says Stuart, Fla., will receive grant for new FEC-Brightline drawbridge
STUART, Fla. — The city of Stuart, Fla., will receive a $130.5 million federal Mega Grant to help fund replacement of the Florida East Coast Railway/Brightline bridge over the St. Lucie River, a bottleneck for rail operations and a point of friction between the rail operators and the local marine industry. The TC Palm newspaper […]
News & Products for the week of December 18th 2023
News & Products for the week of December 18th 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 December 18th […]
Lionel’s perfect postwar train set
Lionel’s perfect postwar train set The perfect postwar Lionel train set should have a great locomotive, exciting and attractive pieces of rolling stock, and maybe an operating accessory. There would be plenty of track, too. Which engine and cars would you choose if you were able to assemble a perfect outfit from the post-World War […]
Fort Lauderdale officials set to meet on bridge-or-tunnel dispute for rail line
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fort Lauderdale’s fight over whether to build a $500 million bridge or a $3 billion tunnel to handle rail traffic through downtown could heat up further on Tuesday, as city officials meet to vote on their preferred option — after the city’s mayor sent out an email newsletter to voters saying […]
Bill introduced in Parliament to give VIA trains right of preference
OTTAWA, Ontario — A member of Canada’s Parliament from British Columbia has introduced a bill to create a right of preference for passenger trains on the nation’s railroads — the lack of which has long hampered VIA Rail Canada operations. Taylor Bachrach, a House of Commons member of the New Democratic Party from the riding […]
Sound Transit to switch to flat-fee fares for light rail
SEATTLE — Sound Transit’s light rail system will begin charging a flat fare of $3 next fall for rides anywhere on the system under a plan approved Friday by the transit agency’s board. Riders currently pay fares ranging from $2.25 to $3.50 based on distance, with the majority paying $2.75 or less, the Seattle Times […]
SEPTA, police officers reach tentative agreement, ending strike
PHILADELPHIA — Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority police returned to work Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16, after reaching a tentative contract agreement with the transit agency, ending a strike that began on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 109 and SEPTA’s board must still ratify the agreement; no information on the […]
Long delays, late trains mark start of Maya Train service
CANCÚN, Mexico — Long delays and unfinished facilities marked the first day of regular operations of Mexico’s Maya Train Saturday, a day after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the service with a trip on the 298-mile initial segment between Campeche and Cancun. The Associated Press reports departure delays of up to 5 hours for […]
Metrolink, Amtrak prepare for four-day shutdown of tracks at LA Union Station
LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink has offered more details on its upcoming four-day service shutdown to accommodate major track and signal work at Los Angeles Union Station, and has developed a list of transit options for riders during the rail outage set for Dec. 26-29. The work at Union Station will also affect […]
New equipment, new routes, new operators: European overnight trains expand
New train fleets and new long-distance overnight services are highlights of the annual European timetable change which took place Dec. 10. The growth of the night-train network — after decades of relative decline from the 1980s to around a decade ago — is largely due to the growth in demand for sustainable travel, with many […]
Cheyenne passenger commission holds first meeting
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cheyenne’s newly formed Passenger Rail Commission held its first meeting Friday, with Front Range Passenger Rail District General Manager Andy Karsian offering a presentation on the efforts to launch a new passenger route in Colorado that could eventually be extended into Wyoming. Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins announced creation of the 10-member commission […]