Fifty years ago, in the May 1975 Trains Magazine, prolific author William D. Middleton visited New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. His 14 page article opened on a down note, with Middleton writing: Grand Central’s great long-distance trains are gone now. deposed by the airplane and the automobile: and no longer do the rich, the […]
ABERDEEN TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The strike by NJ Transit engineers appears destined to last at least through the weekend, as talks between the agency and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are not scheduled to resume until Sunday, May 18. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said at a press conference today that the two sides […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern has announced its 2025 Fall Foliage excursion schedule, including three trips to be powered by T-1 class 4-8-4 No. 2102. Tickets for the trips will go on sale Tuesday, May 27. Five weekends of excursions are planned, beginning Saturday, Oct. 4, and concluding Sunday, Nov. 2. Trips […]
NEWARK, N.J. — Almost two years after voting to do so, NJ Transit locomotive engineers launched a strike today (Friday, May 16) at 12:01 a.m., leaving some 350,000 daily riders without their normal way to and from work. The strike shut down the agency’s 12 commuter rail lines, serving some 166 stations. Buses and light […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and its contract operator, Keolis Commuter Services, have begun a pilot program using renewable diesel fuel for some locomotives on the MBTA commuter rail network. The program, announced earlier this week, involves locomotives that layover at Newburyport, Mass., facility at the end of Newburyport branch on the MBTA’s […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration is seeking input from tunneling firm Boring Co., founded and controlled by Elon Musk, regarding construction of a new Northeast Corridor rail tunnel in Baltimore for which Amtrak has already begun construction activities. The news comes shortly after Amtrak’s decision to eliminate or not fill 450 managerial positions. Earlier […]
WESTERNPORT, Md. — The Georges Creek Division Railroad took a devastating hit by Tuesday’s severe flooding to the western Maryland area. The short line, which ceased operations in 2019, was recently leased to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for passenger and potential freight opportunities [See “Western Maryland Scenic to expand through lease…,” Trains News Wire, […]
BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum on Wednesday marked the start of work to prepare its campus for the 200th anniversary of American railroading, with a groundbreaking for construction including transformation of the South Car Works Building, the 1869 structure that remained in operation until 1990. That building will be turned into the new museum […]
NEWARK, N.J. — With a potential strike or lockout now less than 24 hours away, NJ Transit is urging customers to reach travel destinations by midnight tonight in order to avoid being stranded at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 16. In a customer advisory posted today (Thursday, May 15), the agency — the nation’s third-largest […]
In the May 2013 issue of Classic Toy Trains, we share the portions of Neal Schorr’s O gauge tribute to the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania RR that are set in pre-World War II decades. Learn more about Neal Schorr. Read the newest article from Neal in the Summer 2025 issue! […]
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A 34-year-old Buffalo man has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for setting a fire on Norfolk Southern tracks, destroying trackside equipment. Michael B. Benitez was convicted of an attempt to wreck, derail, set fire to, or disable railroad on-track equipment for the incident in June 14, 2023. A press release […]
WASHINGTON — With a strike looming as soon as Friday, officials of NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers met with the National Mediation Board on Monday in Washington. No agreement was reached. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri thanked the board for convening the meeting in a statement, adding, “We found the discussion to […]
