For a New York Central fan, the Oyster Bar is sacred

Interior of restaurant with no windows and white tablecloths under arched ceiling

I don’t keep bucket lists, but one thing I’d been hoping to visit one day was the famed Oyster Bar, the historic restaurant that’s been operating in the catacombs of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal nearly continuously for 110 years. I finally got my chance a couple of weeks ago during a short research […]

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Metra SD70MACHs begin revenue service

blue and black diesel at night

Metra’s new six-axle power CHICAGO — Metra has used one of its SD70MACH locomotives to lead a revenue service train for the first time, with locomotive No. 507 powering train No. 2135 on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 29, from Chicago Union Station to Fox Lake on the Milwaukee District North line. Metra F59PHI No. […]

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Amtrak cites major ridership increase in fiscal year-end report

High speed trains meet on S curve

WASHINGTON — More than 28 million passengers rode Amtrak in its 2023 fiscal year, the company today in announcing results for the year that ended Sept. 30. “Amtrak ridership continues to set post-pandemic records thanks to our customers who were anxious to travel again and attracted to the many benefits of train travel,” CEO Stephen […]

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NTSB to investigate death of NYC Transit track worker

National Transportation Safety Board logo

NEW YORK — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate a Wednesday accident in the New York Subway system that killed a track worker, the agency said in a social media post. Hiliarian Joseph, 57, was serving as the flagger at a track project near the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station when he was struck […]

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Texas mayor vocal about need for passenger rail at House hearing: Analysis

Passenger train in background with station in foreground

WASHINGTON — Austin, Texas, Mayor Kirk Watson expressed strong support for expanded rail service in the San Antonio-Dallas-Houston “Texas Triangle” at a hearing of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s rail subcommittee in Washington today (Wednesday, Nov. 29). The session, however, primarily provided a platform for critics of the California High-Speed Rail Authority to […]

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Miami’s Tri-Rail says it will begin downtown service by end of 2023

Light blue locomotive with images of clouds and palm trees on its side at grade crossing

MIAMI — South Florida commuter rail service Tri-Rail still expects to begin long-delayed service to Brightline’s downtown MiamiCentral downtown station by the end of the year, Miami Today reports. A spokesman for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Tri-Rail’s parent agency, told Miami Today that a draft schedule has been submitted to partners including Brightline […]

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Routes for Del Mar rail tunnel multiply

Map of potential rall tunnel routes in Del Mar, Calif.

DEL MAR, Calif. — Proposed routes for a tunnel to replace the rail line along the Del Mar bluffs, which at one time had been narrowed to two options, are now back to a total of 11 options in the wake of objections by Del Mar residents, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The multi-billion dollar project […]

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MBTA begins maintenance shutdowns on Green Line

Maintenance workers on rail bridge

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on Monday began the first work in its massive program to eliminate slow orders on its rail transit network, initiating maintenance shutdowns on the Green Line that will run through Dec. 10. Full closures are set through Dec. 5 downtown between North Station and Kenmore; on the Green […]

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News & Products for the week of November 27th 2023

News & Products for the week of November 27th 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 November 27th […]

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CTA’s Yellow Line remains shut down after collision

Stainless steel railcar with smashed-in front end

CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority’s Yellow Line remains shut down today (Monday, Nov. 27) as the Thanksgiving holiday period ends, some 11 days after the Nov. 16 collision between a Yellow Line train and a snowplow that injured 38 people. WLS-TV reports that the CTA has not offered any estimate when the line will […]

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