WASHINGTON — In the latest step for better service for Northeast Corridor passengers, Amtrak officials said in late July that they’ll spend $370 million on new maintenance-of-way equipment over an estimated three-year period. This capital expenditure will accelerate maintenance work, doubling Amtrak engineering work on the Boston to Washington line upon full implementation of the […]
An overview of the Ravenna car shops and rail yard facilities that will become the future site of the Kentucky rail heritage center and home to Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716. The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. seeks approval from the Surface Transportation Board to operate its own railroad for switching purposes. Kentucky Steam Heritage […]
A successful short line operator in the East is now setting his sights on the Heartland. On Jan. 1, 2019, the Wolf Creek Railroad, at Milan, Tenn., and the Iowa & Middletown Railway near Burlington, Iowa, will join the Raritan Central Railway in Edison, N.J., and Pennsylvania & Southern in Chambersburg, Pa., in the newly […]
Boothbay Railway Village S.D. Warren 0-4-0T No. 2 as it was test-fired on July 30. Submitted photo A view of the firebox of Boothbay Railway Village 0-4-0T No. 2. Submitted photo BOOTHBAY, Maine — A steam locomotive from one of Maine’s most obscure two-foot gauge railroads will return to the rails under its own power […]
N&W No. 611 will run at Spencer, N.C., in September before returning to Roanoke, Va. Trains: Jim Wrinn SPENCER, N.C. — Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 No. 611 isn’t pulling mainline steam trips this year, but it’s got a busy late summer lined up. The streamlined 1950 passenger engine will operate on site at […]
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Progressive Rail, the Lakeview, Minn., short line operator, is poised to assume control of the 31-mile Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay Railroad from its former operator, Iowa Pacific Holdings, according to a petition filed Aug. 1 with the Surface Transportation Board. The petition notes that Iowa Pacific ceased operations in June. […]
Crews unload long rail segments from the Pacific Spike at Stockton, Calif., in this undated photo. David Lustig The Pacific Spike rail ship. This is the ship that was delayed for week in San Francisco Bay. It is unclear why the ship was delayed. David Lustig SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Union Pacific is facing increased costs […]
In late July Affa Technology Ltd., a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of model trains, radio-controlled toys, scale cars, and other items, announced it had closed. Some of the model railroad manufacturers impacted by this news include American Z Line, Atlas Model Railroad Co., Bowser, ExactRail, Fox Valley Models, InterMountain Railway Co., Trainworx, and Wheels of Time. […]
Accurail HO scale assorted freight cars HO scale freight cars Assorted freight cars. Northern Pacific Pullman-Standard 4,750-cubic-foot-capacity three-bay covered hopper, $19.98. Clinchfield 36-foot double-sheathed boxcar with wood ends and fish-belly frame, $17.98. Grand Trunk 36-foot Fowler boxcar, $17.98. New York Central subsidiary (Cincinnati Northern; Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny; and Toledo & Ohio Central) United States […]
Bachmann HO Sound Value Baldwin 2-8-0 Removing the plastic tender shell reveals the Sound Value decoder and speaker. A wiring harness connects the decoder to the locomotive’s electronics. The Bachmann locomotive includes working front and rear knuckle couplers. Details include well-defined rivet seams, a coal load, and a separately applied tender ladder. A steam-era freight […]
PIKO America SmartControl WiFi DCC system Touchscreen train control via a Smartphone app over a WiFi connection has been around for several years now. What I miss when using my smartphone as a throttle, though, is that my smartphone isn’t a throttle. PIKO America has taken the app-control concept to the next level with its […]
Walthers N scale EMD SW1200 diesel Electro-Motive Division’s SW1200 was its last switcher powered by the 567-series diesel engine, and Walthers has re-released the model in N scale in seven paint schemes. The direct-current (DC) models are equipped with Micro-Trains couplers and are upgraded to accept Digitrax or Train Control Systems Digital Command Control (DCC) […]
