Amtrak insider travel tips from Marc Magliari

Trains.com Director David Popp sits down with Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari for a casual conversation about traveling aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder, one of America’s premiere, long-distance passenger trains. On the Empire Builder route between Chicago, Ill., and Seattle, Wash./Portland, Ore., passengers get to experience bustling urban centers and the natural beauty of two mountain ranges. […]

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Amtrak insider travel tips from Marc Magliari

Trains.com Director David Popp sits down with Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari for a casual conversation about traveling aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder, one of America’s premiere, long-distance passenger trains. On the Empire Builder route between Chicago, Ill., and Seattle, Wash./Portland, Ore., passengers get to experience bustling urban centers and the natural beauty of two mountain ranges. […]

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Amtrak Hiawatha adventure in 2022

Discover just how easy and affordable it is to travel about the United States by passenger train! In this video you’ll see why the Chicago, Ill., to Milwaukee, Wis., route, serviced by Amtrak’s multiple daily Hiawatha trains, is one of the most popular in the nation! The Hiawatha service provides easy access for those living […]

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Amtrak Hiawatha adventure in 2022

Discover just how easy and affordable it is to travel about the United States by passenger train! In this video you’ll see why the Chicago, Ill., to Milwaukee, Wis., route, serviced by Amtrak’s multiple daily Hiawatha trains, is one of the most popular in the nation! The Hiawatha service provides easy access for those living […]

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Fourteen states and five steaks on Amtrak

Fourteen states on Amtrak I’ve been riding on trains since I was 2 years old. Although those trips were short and on scenic railroads, my love for trains increased as I got older. From watching high-speed Acela and Northeast Regional trainsets fly by while visiting the Northeast Corridor to watching videos of the stunning views […]

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Working mountain Alco locomotives from the WNY&P

Working mountain Alco locomotives: Nestled in the wide rolling hills on the western edge of New York’s Southern Tier lies the formerly two-railroad town of Olean, N.Y. A quaint, unsuspecting town of 13,000 residents located along the placid Allegheny River was once a railfanning destination, that is — until the formation of Conrail. Dozens of […]

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Railfan and train-watching safety

Railfan and train-watching safety is key to any successful train-watching trip, whether it be a block away from home or a continent away. One must have situational awareness. Taking the time to know your surroundings, what looks right, what doesn’t look right is essential to ensure you have a great trackside experience. Historically speaking, rail […]

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Congress critical of rail service failures, asks STB to move faster to solve problems

WASHINGTON — Members of a key congressional committee on Wednesday expressed frustration with widespread railroad service problems and the Surface Transportation Board’s response. “The facts are undeniable. Freight service in the United States of America … is abysmal,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. DeFazio said […]

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Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1

Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1! No force of nature or pandemic fears could keep Trains.com Producer Kent Johnson from pressing ahead with his Amtrak victory lap across America in the summer of 2021. There’s no better way to reveal the highlights and highjinks of present-day rail travel, than to document the ride along routes of notable […]

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Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1

Celebrating Amtrak’s 50th +1! No force of nature or pandemic fears could keep Trains.com Executive Producer Kent Johnson from pressing ahead with his Amtrak victory lap across America in the summer of 2021. There’s no better way to reveal the highlights and highjinks of present-day rail travel, than to document the ride along routes of […]

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Options exist to ease Amtrak capacity issues: Special Report

Second of two parts. Part 1 is available here. CHICAGO — Amtrak’s ability to meet increasing customer demand has been hampered by a shortage of equipment on both short-haul and long-haul trains. State-supported trains in California and the Midwest are still awaiting the Siemens Venture cars, even though the first cars were delivered in 2020. […]

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Patchout equipment you can model for your layout

The colorful world of patchout equipment you can model   Patchout equipment you can model: I remember when I placed Milwaukee, Racine & Troy MP15AC no. 1505 on our HO scale staff layout for the first time. Andy Sperandeo looked at the model, shook his head, and said, “Cody, there was a time when the […]

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