Northeast rail service restored after Sunday cancellations

Logo of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

NEW YORK — Service has rapidly been restored in the Northeast after a series of rail transit and Amtrak cancellations Sunday because of the arrival of Tropical Storm Henri. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is operating full service today on both its commuter rail lines after suspending operations on parts of both railroads. The Long […]

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MBTA returns first CRRC trainset to service after March derailment

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority logo

MEDFORD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has returned one of its new rapid-transit trainsets to service after sidelining the equipment as a result of a derailment in March. WCVB-TV reports the Orange Line train built by an affiliate China’s CRRC at a Springfield, Mass., facility was returned to service on Friday after the […]

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Germany hit by second national rail strike in two weeks

German_Trains_Lassen

BERLIN — German passenger rail service is in the midst of a second two-day strike this month, part of a larger action by the GDL union, which represents the nation’s train drivers in a dispute with national rail operator Deutsche Bahn. Freight-train drivers went on strike at 5 p.m. local time Friday, with passenger drivers […]

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Soldier Summit

Streamlined passenger train rolls into valley alongside yard tracks filled with hoppers

Soldier Summit The eastbound California Zephyr catches the morning sun at Soldier Summit, Utah, in August 1959. Ahead: a full day of breathtaking scenery on the Denver & Rio Grande Western, which the train used for 570 miles of its 2,518-mile, three-railroad route. Fred Matthews photo […]

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HO scale Santa Fe Shortline

Overview of a track plan

The layout at a glance Name: Santa Fe Shortline (SFS) Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 7′-0″ x 8′-0″ Prototype: Freelanced Santa Fe shortline Era: April 1961 Style: Island Mainline run: 18 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: none Benchwork: Plywood base on bookcases Height: 37″ Roadbed: None Track: Atlas Snap-Track Scenery: Sculptamold […]

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Thrift stores have cheap stuff for your train layout

Three ceramic Christmas buildings

Thrift stores can hold a wealth of treasures for hobbyists, if you know where to look. I have suggestions of which departments to look for items for your layout. I suggest going into a store with an open mind. For just a few dollars and a maybe a bit of paint, you might find something […]

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Big Boy in Texas and Mid-South photo gallery, August 2021

Big Boy locomotive moving over a rural grade crossing.

  Trains contributors Steve Smedley and Sol Tucker present some of their choice images from chasing Union Pacific Big Boy in Texas and the Mid-South. Big Boy’s 2021 trip from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to New Orleans and back is the locomotive’s first excursion since 2019. For more information, see the Union Pacific steam schedule online. Also, […]

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STB names staffer to head passenger on-time performance unit

Surface Transportation Board logo

WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board on Thursday announced that it has selected a senior staff member, Neil Moyer, to coordinate the board’s efforts in preparing to meet new intercity passenger rail on-time performance responsibilities. Moyer will work closely with board members and staff to develop a plan for on-time performance investigations. Among the tasks: Forming […]

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