UNION, Ill. — The first U.S. production AC-traction locomotive, BNSF Railway SD70MAC No. 9400, has been donated to the Illinois Railway Museum, IRM has announced. The 4,000-hp EMD locomotive was the first unit in an order for 350 locomotives built between November 1993 and mid-1996, following several years of testing of diesels with AC traction […]
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ANGOLA, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is asking commissioners in Steuben County, Ind., to close a grade crossing to accommodate its operations and upgrades as part of the Indiana Rail Experience. The Angola Herald Republican, in an article republished by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, reports the society is seeking closure of […]
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STRASBURG, Pa. — The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has held the groundbreaking for a new roundhouse meant to provide protection for a half-dozen locomotives, most of which are currently displayed outdoors. The ceremony held Tuesday (July 29, 2025) marked the start of work on a 16,000-square-foot structure projected for completion in late 2026 or early […]
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Rocky Mountaineer, the luxury cruise train operation that will rebrand itself as Canyon Spirit next year, has offered a preview of its new Salt Lake City-Moab-Denver service set to launch in April 2026. To test all the operational logistics of the once-weekly, round-trip expansion of the current Denver-Moab service, the operation owned by Canadian company […]
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BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Streetcar Museum has received $165,000 in city funding for its project to develop a new campus at a former Maryland & Pennsylvania roundhouse near its current location. The museum said in a Facebook post that the money, in fiscal 2026 and 2027 from the City of Baltimore Cultural Spaces Capital Support […]
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CHICAGO — The owner of the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway has donated a 1928 Pullman car to the Historic Pullman Foundation for preservation and display at the Pullman National Historical Park and State Historic Site. The Glen Ayr, an all-steel Pullman heavyweight sleeper, has donated by Robert Menzies from the railway’s collection of historic […]
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ARVADA, Colo. — Amtrak’s first Airo trainset — a diesel-powered version destined for use in Amtrak Cascades Service — arrived in Colorado on Wednesday, July 23, en route to an extended stay for testing in Pueblo, Colo. P42 No. 22 was in charge special train No. 964, ferrying the new equipment from Siemens Mobility’s Sacramento plant. […]
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SHILTON, England — Officials in the United Kingdom have announced a new feature for the 200th anniversary of the first modern steam railway in September: A newly restored replica of the Stockton & Darlington Railways original locomotive, Locomotion No. 1, will operate on sections of the original railway on Sept. 26-28, part of a weeklong […]
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ROANOKE, Va. — Norfolk Southern Corp. has awarded a $40,000 grant to the Virginia Museum of Transportation as part of its Thriving Communities Grant Program, according to a July 23 post on the Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 social media pages. This funding will support the museum’s Rail Heritage Initiatives: Education, Engagement, and […]
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Many of us have had that moment in our lives when we dream of becoming a locomotive engineer. It’s a fascinating career, but what does it take to get there in today’s high-demand world of modern railroading? The First Step: Getting Your Foot in the Door “We get a lot of inquiries from people wanting […]
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SACKETS HARBOR N.Y. — As he approached his final days in recent weeks, Ross E. Rowland could look back secure in the knowledge that U.S. steam — indeed even the entire rail preservation scene— owes him a substantial debt. From his Golden Spike exhibition train of 1969 to the American Freedom Train of 1975-76 to […]
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JIM THORPE, Pa. — The impact of Reading & Northern’s passenger operations, which recently celebrated their 40th anniversary, may best be illustrated by this: A bank in Jim Thorpe — the home of R&N’s Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad tourist operation and primary destination for its weekend excursions — is closing a branch to address tourist-traffic […]
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