Short line track maintenance legislation gathers steam in Congress

WASHINGTON — The bipartisan Railroad Track Maintenance Credit Modernization bill, which supports short line railroad track and bridge projects, passed the 100 co-sponsor mark in the House of Representatives this week. To date, the bill to continue the tax credit that short lines receive for maintaining and improving their physical plants, has 102 sponsors, the […]

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Minneapolis to end Northstar commuter service in January

Blue, yellow, red, and white locomotive leads train of bilevel commuter cars with city skyline in background

MINNEAPOLIS — Metro Transit will pull the plug on its Northstar commuter rail service in January due to a lethal combination of low ridership and rising costs. More frequent bus service will replace the trains beginning Jan. 5, 2026, Metro Transit officials said during a Metropolitan Council meeting yesterday. The last weekday Northstar trip will […]

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Kato HO scale GE P42

Color photo showing front of modern streamlined HO scale passenger diesel painted red, silver, and black with red, blue, black, and yellow graphics on white background

Kato HO scale GE P42 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current models, $210 to $220; with pre-installed ESU LokSound sound decoder, $398 to $420 Era: 1996 to present (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Kato USA Inc., 100 Remington Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173; 847-781-9500; katousa.com Kato HO scale GE P42 features: Both trucks have coreless motor, […]

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California Zephyr’s many plusses impacted by staffing: Amtrak trip report

Passenger train under cloudy skies.

CHICAGO — A text and email alert received overnight by passengers ticketed on Amtrak’s eastbound California Zephyr departing Denver Monday, July 28, warned, “Train 6 will have reduced seating capacity due to unplanned equipment maintenance needs. Passengers may have difficulty finding seats. Passengers are encouraged to rebook travel if possible. We apologize for any inconvenience.” […]

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BNSF sets all-time low terminal dwell record

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF set an all-time monthly record for terminal dwell in July, with cars spending an average of 21 hours in its major yards. Terminals that set new marks for low dwell include Barstow, Calif.; Belen, N.M.; Northtown, Minn.; and Pasco, Wash. BNSF’s intermodal and automotive terminal in Pearland, Texas, which serves […]

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RMT 40′ PS-1 boxcar

red, black, and gray model boxcar

The Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1 boxcar was first introduced in 1947. You can learn more about the full-size cars in this WalthersMainline review from the February 2016 issue of Model Railroader magazine. Ready Made Toys (RMT) sent us a sample of its Pullman-Standard 40-foot PS-1 boxcar with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) graphics. If CPKC isn’t […]

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Athearn HO EMD Model 40

Color photo HO scale diesel locomotive painted olive green and black on white background

Athearn HO EMD Model 40 Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $134.98 Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn HO EMD Model 40 features: All-wheel drive and electrical pickup Bi-directional, constant light-emitting-diode lighting Celcon handrails and stanchions Detailed injection-molded plastic body Direct-current model with Digital Command Control Quick Plug Factory-installed bell, exhaust […]

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