News & Products for the week of July 31st 2023 Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of July 31st 2023. […]
The Milwaukee Road Hiawatha fleet stands out among mid-century passenger operators. Of all the major U.S. railroads that fielded impressive fleets of passenger trains between the end of World War I in 1918 and the arrival of Amtrak in 1971, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific — more commonly known as the […]
In an industry that focuses on looking back on the past, being forward-thinking helps ensure the future of the rail preservation movement. At the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine, Shop Foreman Brian Tenaglia is no stranger to that concept, utilizing new skills to help manage the traction collection. The incorporation of computer-aided design (CAD) […]
NEWTON, Kan. — Extending the Heartland Flyer 198 miles to connect with the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief at Newton, Kan., has been a goal of passenger rail advocates ever since the state-funded train between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City debuted in June 1999. In the meantime, passengers wishing to travel between these north-south and […]
MONTREAL — Montreal residents turned out in huge numbers to sample the first segment of the city’s new light rail system on Saturday, with officials forced to turn away some riders. An estimated 60,000 people rode the Réseau express métropolitain on Saturday, the first of two days of free rides before regular, paying operations begin […]
SKAGWAY, Alaska — Union operating crews at the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway have ratified a new agreement, ending the prospect of a strike that could have disrupted the end of the tourist railroad’s 2023 operating season. KTOO reports the railroad and members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation […]
LONDON — British government proposals to potentially close ticket counters at all railway stations in England have led to widespread opposition, with a nationwide consultation exercise extended to Sept. 1 following protests and threats of legal action. The opposition has come from most politicians, trades unions, and — unusually — almost the entire news media, […]
MONTREAL — With Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier François Legault taking part in the inaugural run, Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail network made its debut with ceremonies on Friday. The first trips Friday on the 16.6-kilometer (10.3-mile) segment between Central Station and Brossard were a prelude to open-house events and free […]
OTTAWA, Ontario — Return of Ottawa’s light-rail Confederation Line has been pushed back at least 10 days to allow for additional track work, city officials were informed on Friday. Aug. 10 is now the earliest the system could resume operation. CTV News reports Renée Amicar, the city’s general manager of transit services, told the city […]
CHICAGO — A U.S. appeals court has ruled Union Pacific does not have a common-carrier obligation to continue operating commuter trains for Metra, likely hastening the transition of operations on three commuter lines from UP to Metra operation. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled on Wednesday that “Union Pacific is not […]
PHILADELPHIA — An out-of-service Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority trolley derailed, struck a vehicle, and crashed into a historic building dating to 1766 on Thursday night. Three people were injured, although Delia King, the woman who lives in the former Blue Bell Inn at the corner of Island and Woodland avenues was unhurt. “A SEPTA trolley just […]
SAN JOSE — Caltrain will hold the first public tour of its new Stadler electric trainsets this Saturday, July 29, at the San Jose Diridon Station. The event is slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Caltrain reports on its website that as of Thursday, it had received approximately 3,600 RSVPs from those planning to […]
