Locomotive loan allows Maine Narrow Gauge to keep operating

Small green diesel locomotive with open air passenger car and caboose

PORTLAND, Maine — When Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad’s GE diesel No. 1 came up lame last week, the railroad’s close relationship with the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum proved its value. Without another locomotive, Maine Narrow Gauge annulled its trains on Tuesday. Learning of the problem, the WW&F offered its Plymouth diesel No. 52 […]

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FTA has no plans to take over MBTA, administrator says

Rapid-transit train at station. Governor reacts following more close calls on MBTA.

BOSTON — The Federal Transit Administration has no plans to take over operations of the troubled Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said during a Friday hearing that also saw sharp criticism of MBTA management by Massachusetts’ two U.S. senators. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both Democrats, took part in the […]

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Iowa town passes resolution against CP-KCS merger

Red locomotive with gondola cars

PRINCETON, Iowa — The town of Princeton has become the latest in Iowa to formally oppose the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, citing concerns over blocked grade crossings, noise, and risks from derailments, among other concerns. The Quad Cities Times reports Mayor Kevin Kernan wrote in an emailed statement that “City officials understand that the […]

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An easy Halloween project for your O gauge railroad

Halloween scene on toy train layout

An easy Halloween project for your O gauge railroad is sprucing up a store-bought holiday item to add to your layout. With a few supplies, you can complete this project. It’s appropriate for all skill levels, too, so the kids can help! While browsing the Halloween section at Menards, my husband found some fun décor […]

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How railroads standardized time in the US

three men comparing time

Standardized time in the US Long before radios and extensive signaling systems, railroads safely operated multiple trains on the same line. Supplied with timetables showing the schedules of all regular trains and precisely worded written orders from the dispatcher, crews ran with a complete understanding of where and when they would meet other trains and […]

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Five modeling ideas from a General Electric Dash 9-44CW

Photo of six-axle road locomotive on sunny day

Five modeling ideas from a General Electric Dash 9-44CW: In late June 2022, my wife, kids, and I visited my brother- and mother-in-law in Milbank, S.D. The parsonage they live in conveniently overlooks the BNSF Railway Appleton Subdivision, which runs between its namesake in Minnesota and Aberdeen, S.D. When I woke up on the morning […]

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What color to paint roads on my layout?

A street in front of a commercial block on the HO scale MR&T shows fading, wear, and patches

Q:  In the ’70s I built an HO scale layout for my sons. Not knowing any better, I used flat black paint for my roads and streets. Now my sons are grown up, and I want to get back in the hobby with a new layout. Can you tell me what color to paint roads […]

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Two workers killed when hit by PATCO train on bridge

View from side of bridge with rapid-transit train below and Philadelphia in distance

CAMDEN, N.J. — Two construction workers were killed Friday night when stuck by a PATCO train on the Ben Franklin Bridge linking Philadelphia and Camden, the Camden Courier-Post reported. The workers were struck by a westbound train on the PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corp.) Speedline, which operates between Philadelphia and Lindenwold, N.J. A Delaware River […]

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