Amtrak storm cancellations expand to include eastern trains

Train stopped at station in snow

NEW YORK — Amtrak has added additional trains to its list of those canceled because of the major winter storm moving across the central and eastern U.S., with extensive additions for Saturday, Jan. 24, and Sunday, Jan. 25 Canceled today (Friday, Jan. 23), in addition to those previously announced, have been the Crescent between Atlanta […]

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Four plead guilty to charges in Amtrak health-care fraud scheme

U.S. Department of Justice seal

NEWARK, N.J. — Four Amtrak employees have pleaded guilty to charges relating to a health-care fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey has announced — the latest development in a long-running and widespread investigation. Timothy Bogen, 60, of Hamden, Conn., on Jan. 21 pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline […]

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Pennsylvania DOT awards almost $53 million for freight rail projects

Red, white, and blue end-cab switcher

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation will provide nearly $53 million for 30 rail freight infrastructure projects under a pair of grant programs, PennDOT announced on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Funding will come from the state’s Rail Transportation Assistance Program and Rail Freight Investment Program, which have invested more than $150 million in the state […]

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Three groups shortlisted for Penn Station redevelopment

Exterior view of Penn Station entrance with Madison Square Garden in the background

NEW YORK — Amtrak has released a shortlist of three consortia to be considered for the renovation of New York’s Penn Station. A post on Amtrak’s procurement portal as of Tuesday, Jan. 20, provides a list of three groups and their lead developers: Grand Penn Partners [Macquarie] Penn Forward Now [Fengate] Penn Transformation Partners [Halmar] […]

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Colebrookdale Railroad introduces sensory car

Green heavyweight combine car.

BOYERTOWN, Pa. — The Valhalla, a 1924 Canadian National coach, has become another first for the Colebrookdale Railroad. The car is now a one-of-a-kind, barrier-free, sensory-friendly classroom on rails. “For 15 years, our nonprofit has established a record of doing things differently in service to our community and economic development mission,” says Nathaniel Guest, executive […]

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The Naugatuck Valley RR: Operating a ’50s-era layout, step-by-step

An orange model locomotive leads a train over a bridge on a model railroad layout with an autumnal setting

Most modelers can pinpoint the photos, people, events, books, or stories that inspired them to build their model railroads. For me, I can honestly say that my N scale Naugatuck Valley RR started with a lone boxcar – a Micro Trains 40-foot single-door boxcar decorated in New Haven black and orange. I got the car […]

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