California storms disrupt Amtrak, Sacramento light rail service

Amtrak logo.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Winter storms in Southern and Central California have impacted rail service in a number of areas today (Monday, Feb. 5). Today’s Coast Starlight trains will run abbreviated routes. The train scheduled to depart Los Angeles this morning will instead originate in Emeryville, Calif., while the train departing Seattle will terminate in Emeryville. […]

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Meet Chris Esposito

diesel locomotive on layout with snow

Meet Chris Esposito My first train set (or locomotive) was…? I started playing with my dad’s Lionel No. 2533W set (1959) when I was 2. My first official set was bought for my 10th birthday in 1988. My dad and I went to Madison Hardware in NYC (where we lived at the time) to purchase […]

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Model Railroader Hall of Fame March nominees

A man sits in front of a control board with switches and lights on it

The Model Railroader Hall of Fame, which we introduced in our 90th anniversary issue, is intended to honor those who have made a substantial and lasting impact on our hobby. We introduced three more nominees in February’s issue. The Model Railroader Hall of Fame March nominees include three model railroaders who will be well known […]

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Filibuster kills Nebraska bill to require two-person train crews

Diesel-powered coal train in rolling hills. FRA railroad brakes safety.

LINCOLN, Neb. — A filibuster has halted the Nebraska Legislature’s consideration of a proposal requiring two-person train crews within the state, the news site Nebraska Examiner reports. The filibuster, carried out over parts of three days, stalled the bill when a Friday vote was unable to obtain the 33 votes needed to invoke cloture, the […]

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2024 West Coast Regional Meet dates set

logo for garden railway society

The San Diego Garden Railway Society will be hosting a 2024 West Coast Regional Meet from August 10-15, 2024. The event will feature open houses of garden railways, operating sessions, clinics, and a farewell luncheon. According to a press release sent to Garden Railways, the clinic sessions will include: • Succulents and Plants for Garden […]

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Thoughts on the Lionel 2024 Big Book catalog

model Berkshire engine with blue paint scheme

The Lionel 2024 Big Book catalog is here! At 228 pages, there’s a lot of products to sort through. I’ve given it a good luck and have thoughts and observations. Maybe you do too. If so, leave a comment or send an email to editor@classictoytrains.com Roger Carp explained the history of when Lionel releases catalogs […]

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