Year in review: Top international stories

Train at crowded station at night

Trains News Wire’s review of the top stories of 2022 continues. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Monday, Dec. 26. Today, we asked our European correspondent, Keith Fender, to look at what he considers the year’s top international rail stories. At […]

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VIA Rail Canada cancels Christmas Day corridor trains

VIA Rail Canada logo

MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has cancelled all 25 trains scheduled to operate on Christmas Day on its Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal routes following a derailment earlier today (Dec. 24), the passenger operator has announced on its website. The derailment reportedly involved a Canadian National train, blocking all tracks in Kingston, Ontario, according to the Toronto […]

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U.S. DOT announces loan for South Shore’s Double Track project

Shot of construction work on rail line, including wall between railroad track and street

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday announced a $27.5 million loan to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District for the South Shore Line’s Double Track Project, adding a second main line to the commuter route between Gary and Michigan City, Ind. “We are pleased to help finance the Double Track Project, which […]

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Scenic Limited observation car

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Passengers fill the rear platform of the observation car on Rio Grande’s Scenic Limited at Denver Union Station in about 1928. Those folks have the best seats in the house for the climb up the Front Range. George Beam photo […]

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Operation Sergeant Santa

The Military Railroad Society, a 501 C3 not for profit organization, returns to provide military families, both current and retired, with an affordable train option for the holidays. The Fort Eustis (Virgnia) Railroad hosted the 2022 operation aboard its train set consisting of holiday-themed cars lead by United States Army (rebuilt) GP9u no. 4624. […]

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Hop aboard the Lionel Trippy and Polar Express trolleys

Lionel Traippy and Polar Express trolleys in boxes

The Lionel Trippy and Polar Express trolleys are recent releases of a well-known (and loved) product. The bump-and-go mechanism of these staple products makes these great operating elements on layouts that have enough room for a single track but no more space for a full loop. In the 2021 Volume I offerings from Lionel, deep […]

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Amtrak cancels more trains as winter storm advances

Passenger train with BNSF locomotive leading four other diesels under signal bridge

CHICAGO — As predictions of high winds and subzero temperatures move east, Amtrak has cancelled all service on some regional and long-distance routes while maintaining reduced service on others. Amtrak had originally planned to maintain full service on Friday, Dec. 23, after projecting cancellations for Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday [see “Amtrak cancels Empire Builder, thins […]

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Year in review: New Amtrak routes, VIA challenges

Passenger train at station next to body of water

Trains News Wire continues our review of the top stories of 2022. We’ll count down the Top 10 stories of the year, as voted on by Trains editors, columnists, and correspondents, beginning Dec. 26. As a prelude, we’ll be looking at major stories that didn’t make that list. Today: Passenger rail. Service expansion, VIA Rail […]

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MTA prepares to award contract for rebuilding Park Avenue Viaduct

A train yard

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced plans to award a $382 million design-build contract to begin reconstruction of the Park Avenue Viaduct in East Harlem, a project with huge implications for Metro-North commuter train operations. All Metro-North trains to Grand Central Terminal — which represent 98% of all the commuter railroad’s trains […]

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