Digest: MTA survey finds near-total mask compliance

MTA Logo

More Thursday morning rail news: MTA survey finds 97% compliance with mask rule on subways New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority says 97% of subway passengers were complying with the agency’s mask order during a survey conducted Jan. 11-22, while 99% of those on buses were complying during a survey Jan. 4-8. The figures were released […]

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Digest: San Diego transit agency to increase trespassing enforcement

Green and blue commuter train

More Thursday morning rail news: Preparing for new, quieter locomotives, North County Transit District to step up trespassing enforcement The San Diego-area North County Transit District will significantly trespassing education and enforcement along its rail line between San Diego and Oceanside beginning Feb. 1 as a prelude to placing five new Siemens Charger locomotives into […]

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New large-scale products for the week of February 4, 2021

Worx 20V Power Share portable inflator

Tools Six-sided scraping tool. For removing plastic from hard-to-reach areas. Features six different sizes of working area: 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 7mm. $26.99. Produced by Alec, available from Kalmbach Hobby Store, KalmbachHobbyStore.com Super cutting compass. For circle and radius cuts. Features titanium blade. 1/16” minimum diameter. 1/16” to 2” radius cuts. $19.99. Produced […]

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New toy-train products for the week of February 4, 2021

Atlas O American Car & Foundry Allied Chemical 11,000-gallon tank car no. 10092

O scale freight cars American Car & Foundry 11,000-gallon tank car. New paint schemes: Allied Chemical (gray and black), Atlantic Refining (gray, red, and white), Dow Canada (green and black), Polysar (black, blue, and white), Smith Douglass (gray, black, and red), and Tidewater Associated (black and orange). New road numbers: Warren (gray, black, and green). […]

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Digest: CP derailment knocks out power to Field, B.C.

Canadian Pacific beaver logo

More Wednesday morning rail news: CP derailment knocks out power in Field, B.C. The community of Field, B.C., was at risk of running out of electricity Tuesday night after a Canadian Pacific grain train derailed earlier in the day, knocking out power. The CBC reports the train derailed about 1:40 a.m., taking out a power line. CP […]

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Analysis: Amtrak CEO Flynn sets company priorities for legislation

Electric Amtrak train in station

WASHINGTON —Amtrak CEO William Flynn has outlined his company’s “top five priorities that we ask Congress to address” in a letter sent to legislators last week. The letter, released by Amtrak, says those priorities are: — Emergency funding: $1.541 billion of COVID relief this year “to sustain and restore operations and recall employees” through September 30 […]

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NMRA cancels 2021 National Convention

Rails by the Bay logo

The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) announced in late January that the 2021 “Rails By the Bay” National Convention and National Train Show have been cancelled. The events were scheduled to be held in early July in Santa Clara, Calif. “We did not reach this decision lightly but felt it was the best for anyone […]

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Caboose closes suburban Denver store

Model Railroader placeholder image

Caboose, a hobby shop in the Denver suburb of Lakewood, Colo., announced on Facebook that it has closed its store. In the post, dated December 31, it said, “It is with great regrets that the employee-owners of Caboose have decided to permanently close the retail storefront location at 10800 West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood. “The […]

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