SunTrain’s battery storage technology heads for the rails

Electric charger connected to container flatcar

PUEBLO, Colo. — SunTrain, a San Francisco company, is designing a method to transport power by rail, moving containerized batteries between solar and wind farms in Colorado to existing rail-served power plants in the Denver area. The concept is that batteries, inside standard 20-foot containers and loaded onto 89-foot railcars, are charged at originating solar […]

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European group corrects rail operator rankings over pricing errors

Passenger trains with red electric locomotives meet

BRUSSELS — The organization that issued a report in December ranking Europe’s major rail operators has revised its findings, to the significant detriment of Switzerland’s federal rail company, SBB. Corrections on SBB’s ticket prices led to the company dropping to 11th in the rankings of 27 companies by clean-transportation advocacy group Transport and Environment, from […]

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MTH DCS Wi-Fi Track Interface Unit (WTIU)

black unit with three ports on the side

With the recent arrival of MTH’s long-awaited WTIU, the era of “absentee operating” systems in 3-rail model railroading has officially come to an end. The Base3 system from Lionel arrived a few months ago for Lionel operators, and now the Digital Command System offers Proto-Sound 2.0 and 3.0 operators access to full functionality of their […]

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DC-area commuter lines halted by storm

Commuter train with two engines and bilevel coaches

WASHINGTON — Both commuter rail operators serving the Washington, D.C., area have suspended operations today (Monday, Jan. 6, 2025) as a winter storm hits the area. Virginia Railway Express announced its decision not to operate about 7:45 p.m. on Sunday night, citing both the weather and the decision to close federal offices in Washington today. […]

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Model Railroader’s favorite products of 2024

A red locomotive model with blue sky background

2024 saw some great model railroad product releases. As we begin a new year, Eric White, Cody Grivno, Mitch Horner, and I take a look back at some Model Railroader’s favorite products of 2024.   ScaleTrains HO scale Milwaukee, Racine & Troy steel cupola caboose As you may have heard, Model Railroader’s HO scale staff […]

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North American rail traffic has yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels

Intermodal train navigating switches

The Big Four U.S. Class I railroads all showed year-over-year traffic growth in 2024, while Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City experienced volume declines. Looking longer term, however, CSX is the only railroad whose 2024 volume rebounded to pre-pandemic levels of 2019. CSX’s traffic was up 0.6% last year compared to 2019, due largely […]

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No injuries reported as bridge collapses under train in Oregon

Logo of Portland & Western railroad

CORVALLIS, Ore. — A bridge collapsed under a Portland & Western train crossing Mary’s River in Corvallis today (Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025), sending at least one car into the river. KPTV-TV reports the incident occurred around noon PT near Avery Park in Corvallis. A Portland & Western representative told the station a 19-car train was […]

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Amtrak announces extensive storm-related cancellations (updated)

Passenger train leaves rooster tail of snow as it runs on three-track main line

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has announced an extensive list of train cancellations as of today (Saturday, Jan. 4), extending into Tuesday, Jan. 7. Operations from coast to coast are affected as a result of the winter storm currently moving through the center of the country. The cancellations began with Friday’s scheduled departure of the eastbound Southwest […]

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Judge turns down New Jersey bid to block congestion pricing

Map of Lower Manhattan

NEW YORK — New York’s congestion pricing plan will begin Sunday, Jan. 5, after a judge turned down New Jersey’s last-ditch effort to block the program. Gothamist reports U.S. Judge Leo Gordon said New Jersey’s request to delay the program was “in a nutshell, denied,” in a Friday evening ruling clarifying a 72-page decision earlier […]

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