More than 20 rail-related projects included in RAISE grant awards

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — More than 20 rail-related applicants — ranging from grade-crossing separation studies to a small piece of the Gateway Tunnel to funding for high-speed rail stations in California — are among the 162 projects to receive Department of Transportation grant funding announced today (Wednesday, June 28) under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability […]

Read More…

Meridian & Bigbee Railroad history

The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad “possessed all the credentials required for admittance to the Typical Southern Short Line Club,” wrote J. Parker Lamb in Trains’ July 1959 issue. Those included secondhand steam locomotives, a leisurely schedule, and insufficient revenue tonnage. Yet, the road was able to overcome those deficiencies to become a sought-after bridge route […]

Read More…

Amtrak’s Midwest day-trip services

In the Midwest, Chicago stands tall as the railroading capital. In the heart of the city is Union Station, serving as a major passenger terminus for the Amtrak system. While eight long-distance trains stretch out to all parts of the country, the remaining services out of the Windy City operate as short-distance regionals. Most are […]

Read More…

Soo Line history remembered

Soo Line history involves numerous subsidiary railroads. Seemingly hidden away in the north-central U.S., the Soo Line and its affiliated Wisconsin Central Railway did not receive the attention lavished on bigger neighbors Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road. Soo did not host a streamliner, went freight-only in 1968, and was bought by Canadian Pacific, […]

Read More…

Railroad memories on vinyl records

Today, it’s easier than ever to railfan without leaving the comfort of your home. Kalmbach Media is one of several companies that offers DVDs on various prototype subjects. If you prefer seeing trains in real time, you can watch any number of railfan webcams, such as the one Trains magazine has at Rochelle, Ill. This […]

Read More…

Sorting out locomotive headlights and class lights

Locomotive headlights and class lights Aside from required ditch lights on most locomotives today, extra lights are essentially gone from freight locomotives, but if you look hard enough you can still find traces of the past when additional lights were ordered by railroads. Before the era of locomotive standardization, many railroads chose to equip their […]

Read More…

News & Products for the week of March 20th 2023

News & Products for the week of March 20th 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 March 20th 2023. […]

Read More…

Amtrak Heartland Flyer day trip to Fort Worth, Texas

For Oklahomans and visitors to the Sooner State an Amtrak Heartland Flyer day trip to Fort Worth, Texas is easy thanks to intercity train’s apt schedule. Each day, the Heartland Flyer departs from Oklahoma City’s original Art Deco Santa Fe depot for a relatively short jaunt down to Fort Worth, Texas. The depot is located […]

Read More…

Burlington Zephyr 9900 and its shiny legacy

Burlington Zephyr 9900 left a shiny legacy on North American railroading that’s still evident today.   Zephyr! It’s a name in the world of American passenger trains that dates from 1934 and is still in use by Amtrak. Its pronunciation even has a fast sound to it.   Let’s do what Classic Trains does best: […]

Read More…