NEW YORK CITY — The best ticket to cure cabin fever could be a train ride from a nearby station or it may be the rated PG-13 movie “The Commuter.” The Commuter stars Liam Neeson as — a rail commuter — ostensibly on NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Hudson Line, with a few outside scenes to […]
Section: News & Reviews
Tracks used by Catskill Mountain Railroad to be removed NEWSWIRE
Tourist railroad lines threatened by conversion to rail-trails, as of July 2016. TRAINS Illustration: Rick Johnson KINGSTON, N.Y. — A contractor has begun removing track along the Ashokan Reservoir, effectively ending a years-long effort by a tourist railroad to access the scenic area. A recreational trail will replace the track. In November, the Ulster County […]
UP: Capital spending to be flat in 2018 NEWSWIRE
Kevin Hicks, Union Pacific’s associate vice president, engineering-design, reviews 2017 and announces UP’s capital spending plans for 2018 at the NRC conference in Los Angeles. TRAINS: David Lassen LOS ANGELES — A Union Pacific leader says the railroad will likely keep its capital spending right around $3 billion this year — the same as for […]
New model trains for the week of January 11, 2018
Schuylkill Iron Works HO scale Pacific Car & Foundry flatcars HO scale freight cars Pacific Car & Foundry flatcars. Shielded-deck flatcar, rail deck flatcar, and I-beam deck flatcar. Cast-resin kits with trucks but no wheels. $29 each plus shipping (mix and match any three, $85). Pennsylvania residents add 6 percent sales tax. Schuylkill Iron Works, […]
Pension changes not a big deal, eh? NEWSWIRE
Canadian National and Canadian Pacific are likely to see their operating ratios rise this year — but for a reason that has nothing to do with the railways’ industry-leading efficiency. An accounting rules change that went into effect on Jan. 1 will disproportionately affect CN and CP. As a result, CN’s operating ratio is expected […]
Red River Valley & Western welcomes new executives NEWSWIRE
Wahpeton, N.D. Google Maps WAHPETON, N.D. — Red River Valley & Western Railroad is pleased to announce that effective Jan. 1, 2018, it will be led by the new executive leadership team of Victor Meyers as president and Mark Wegner as CEO. Meyers most recently served as vice president of operations of the Twin Cities […]
Metra seeks new locomotives NEWSWIRE
Metra F40PH Nos. 102 and 107 appear at Elmwood Park, Ill. Metra officials look to replace or re-manufacture much of the railroad’s aging motive power fleet. TRAINS: David Lassen CHICAGO — Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail agency, plans to order 12 new or 15 re-manufactured locomotives in 2018, and may order dozens more if additional funding […]
Boston streetcar collision puts historic PCC route in a pinch NEWSWIRE
A late December crash removed two of Boston’s remaining PCC cars from service. Justin Franz BOSTON — A collision between two Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority streetcars last week means the agency is down to just five operating PCCs on the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line. The two PCCs that were damaged in the collision near the […]
New model trains for the week of January 4, 2018
HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP40P-2 diesel locomotive. Southern Pacific (no. 3197 in American Revolution Bicentennial and scarlet and gray schemes; nos. 7600 through 7602 in factory weathered scarlet and gray) and Union Pacific (two road numbers). Light-emitting-diode headlights, vinyl m.u. hoses, and wire grab irons. Direct-current model, $189.98; with dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, […]
Menards O gauge illuminated vehicles
Menards O gauge illuminated vehiclesO Price: Autos 24.99, trucks, $29.99, No. 279-4062 4.5-volt three-outlet adapter $9.99, No. 79-4035 Plug and Play adapter kit $9.99 Features: Die-cast metal and plastic construction, front and rear lights, each vehicle has a male barrel plug connector pre-wired to the frame. I believe the first illuminated vehicles I saw were […]
MTH O gauge Union Pacific 4-6-2
MTH O gauge Union Pacific 4-6-2 Price: $499.95 (no. 20648-1) Min Curve: O-31 Cmd Low: 6.1 smph Cnv Low: 7.7 smph High: 64.1 smph Drawbar pull: 2.1 lb. Features: Two can-style motors, ProtoSound 3.0 command and sound system, smoke unit, coil coupler on tender Current-production road names: Baltimore & Ohio, Lehigh Valley, Norfolk & Western, […]
Big Steam look ahead to 2018 NEWSWIRE
Nickel Plate Road No. 765 inches closer to the platforms at Metra’s LaSalle Street Station in Chicago on June 17. TRAINS: Steve Sweeney This year, 2017, brought many chances to see big steam locomotives making excursions onto main lines. While it is too early in the operating season for most organizations to announce their operating […]
