Beaver dam caused 2023 CPKC derailment in Maine

View of damaged track and derailed train

AUGUSTA, Maine — The April 2023 derailment of a CPKC train in rural Maine, which led to injuries to three crew members and a fire, was caused by a washout resulting from a beaver dam, a state agency has been told. The April 15, 2023, incident occurred when the train was traveling at about 35 […]

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0-4-0T in New Hampshire

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Franconia Paper Co. 0-4-0T No. 3, built by Porter in 1917 for the Watertown (Mass.) Arsenal, putters about the paper company’s plant at Lincoln, N.H., in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

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A foray into N scale mini-layouts

A pair of locomotives on a model railroad layout

I constructed my first N scale layout in a coffee table in 1976 based on the East Glasstop project railroad series that appeared in Model Railroader from December of 1970 to April of 1971. However, it was not until I retired in 2016 that I completed my second layout, a 5 x 5 foot square […]

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Pioneer Valley Railroad’s Lane named ASLRRA Safety Person of the Year

Head shot of man in coat and tie

WASHINGTON — Matthew Lane, general manager of Pinsly’s Pioneer Valley Railroad in Massachusetts, has been named Safety Person of the Year by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Lane joins Herman Crosson, Anacostia Rail Holdings’ chief safety and compliance officer, in earning the ASLRRA’s top individual safety awards. Crosson was previously announced as […]

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Amtrak employee pleads guilty in health-care fraud case

U.S. Department of Justice seal

NEWARK, N.J. — An Amtrak employee in New Jersey has become the latest to plead guilty to participation in a health-care fraud scheme that led more than $11 million in fraudulent claims against the passenger carrier’s insurance. Anthony Saloka, 44, of Elizabeth, N.J., pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Feb. 11, to conspiracy to commit health care […]

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Intermodal train derails in Massachusetts

Map of Pan Am Southern, operated by Berkshire & Eastern

WENDELL, Mass. — Eight cars of an intermodal train operated by the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad derailed today (Feb. 11), the Greenfield Recorder reports. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved; a Genesee & Wyoming spokesman told WWLP-TV that the train was carrying a mix of commodities. Wendell Police Sgt. Steven Gould […]

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Amtrak adds to list of weather cancellations

Passenger train at station at night.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has expanded its list of train cancellations because of approaching winter storms, adding one train to the list for today (Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025) and planned cancellations and increasing the list for Wednesday, Feb. 12, from seven to 14. The original group of cancellations was announced Monday at 4:20 p.m. ET [see […]

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Amtrak announces winter-storm cancellations on Tuesday, Wednesday

Passenger train in snow

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has begun another round of weather-related train cancellations, announcing three cancellations for Tuesday, Feb. 11, and seven for Wednesday, Feb. 12, because of a pair of winter storm forecasts. According to an advisory posted today (Feb. 10, 2025) at 4:20 p.m., cancelled on Tuesday are: — The eastbound Empire Builder scheduled to […]

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