Bachmann Trains announced that it will be releasing a limited-edition HO scale ALC-42 Charger locomotive decorated as Amtrak no. 301, wearing the passenger carrier’s 50th anniversary “Day 1” paint scheme. The model, item no. 68303, will be available only by pre-order through Bachmann retailers. The ALC-42 will feature a dual-mode TCS WOWSound sound decoder with […]
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Donald E. (Don) Fiehmann of San Jose, Calif., passed away from complications due to heart failure in December. He was 86 years old. Don wrote more than 60 articles for Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines. In addition, he was the author of three Kalmbach books: Basic Electricity for Model Railroading (1988), The DCC […]
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Broadway Limited Imports announced its new Paragon4 sound and control system with Rolling Thunder. The first two models with the new technology will be an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2-8-2 steam locomotive and Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP20. Features of the dual-mode Paragon4 system include a built-in GoPack capacitor that’s automatically disabled on the programming […]
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ScaleTrains.com recently donated $30,000 to five of CSX Transportation’s “Pride in Service” signature charity partners. The money is from the proceeds of the sale of the company’s HO scale Rivet Counter line CSX General Electric ES44AH diesel locomotives decorated in the Spirit of our Law Enforcement, Spirit of our First Responders, and Spirit of our […]
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Senator, Congressman introduce bills to create dedicated funding source for Amtrak U.S. Sen. Richard Blumental (D-Conn.) and U.S. Rep Danny Davis (D-Ill.) have introduced legislation to provide permanent, dedicated funding for Amtrak. The Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act would create a fund providing approximately $5.4 billion annually for repairs, service improvements, fleet modernization and […]
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A violent storm Thursday damaged the shop facility where the Nashville Steam Preservation Society is restoring Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis locomotive No. 576, as well as the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. Nashville Steam reports there were no injuries, but high winds and debris destroyed a portion of the structure housing No. […]
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A year behind schedule because of three COVID-related delays, the board of California’s High-Speed Rail Authority voted 6-3 Thursday to send a business plan to the state legislature calling for an initial operating segment between Central Valley cities of Merced and Bakersfield, with the possibility of opening that segment as a single-track […]
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STRASBURG, Pa. — After a year of being closed due to the Covid pandemic, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa., will reopen on Friday, April 30. The new normal days and times of operation for the museum will be Fridays through Sundays, with hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, […]
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MBTA Orange Line work after derailment extended to April 11 The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has extended its shutdown of a portion of the Orange Line by one week, through April 11. NBC-10 Boston reports the use of shuttle buses between the Oak Grove and Sullivan Square stations will continue as the agency continues infrastructure […]
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WASHINGTON — A major shipper group plans to challenge the waiver that would permit Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern to be reviewed under the Surface Transportation Board’s old, less restrictive merger rules. The National Industrial Transportation League said today that the CP-KCS deal would ultimately harm rail competition. “Based on the significant loss […]
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WASHINGTON — CSX Transportation’s proposed acquisition of New England regional Pan Am Railways will get a more thorough review. The Surface Transportation Board has decided that the merger application will be treated as a significant transaction, not the minor deal that CSX and Pan Am had sought. The move, announced in a draft notice in the […]
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If you need a spot for your passengers to get on and off your trains, Menards has a new building for you. Its O gauge Amtrak Station occupies a footprint of approximately 12 x 8 inches. That size makes it perfect for almost any size railroad and particularly well suited for smaller ones. The single-story […]
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