First hearing on future of Chicago transit set for Tuesday

Commuter train passes under signal bridge

CHICAGO — A series of hearings to consider the future of public transit in the Chicago area — including a proposal to merge the four boards overseeing three transit systems and the umbrella agency overseeing them — is set to begin Tuesday in Chicago. The six hearings of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee have been […]

Read More…

Mail catch on the fly

20180717

Great Northern mail clerk Ben Russell grabs the pouch from the catcher after making the catch at Bethel, Minn., while working the Duluth & St. Paul Railway Post Office in fall 1968. This was one of the few RPOs to survive the big cutbacks of 1967. Don Hofsommer photo […]

Read More…

Designing two HO scale modules on a hollow core door

A pencil sketch of two HO scale modules on a hollow core door

When people think about building a model train layout on a hollow core door, they most often envision an N scale layout, like our Red Oak project (which was published starting in MR’s January 2015 issue). Admittedly, hollow core doors are a convenient size for small N scale layouts, since nested 9.5” and 11” radius […]

Read More…

Video: The Empress in Iowa

Steam engine and train round curve with river in background

Trains contributor Steve Smedley put together this video of Canadian Pacific Hudson No. 2816 in Iowa on the return leg of the Final Spike Steam tour to accompany his earlier photo gallery of the July 1 move from Davenport to Dubuque, Iowa [see “‘The Empress’ and its train make the trip back to Canada,” Trains.com, […]

Read More…

CAF lands contract for new Omaha streetcar line

Multicolored light rail vehicle on city street

OMAHA, Neb. — CAF will build the equipment for the new Omaha streetcar network, the Spanish firm has announced. The initial order for the Omaha Streetcar Authority, a partnership between the City of Omaha and Omaha Metro, will include six vehicles, along with parts and tools, along with an option to build up to 29 […]

Read More…

Regional Rail acquires Cincinnati Eastern Railroad

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. — Regional Rail LLC has added to its holdings in the Midwest with acquisition of the Cincinnati Eastern Railroad, a 70-mile Ohio short line, the company has announced. The company now has seven railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. “The Regional Rail team and I are delighted to partner with the team […]

Read More…

High-wheeled North Western 4-6-4

20180712

Chicago & North Western 4-6-4 No. 4004, having brought the San Francisco-bound Gold Coast in from Chicago, backs out of Omaha Union Station for servicing in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on June 6, 1953. Alco built nine of these 84-inch-drivered Hudsons for C&NW in 1938. R. R. Malinoski photo […]

Read More…

BNSF has yet to set timeline to replace North Sioux City bridge

BNSF Railway logo

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. — BNSF Railway says it has not determined a timeline for replacing the bridge between North Sioux City and Sioux City, Iowa, that collapsed June 23 as a result of flooding, and continues to re-route traffic through Creston, Iowa. KTIV-TV reports that railroad spokeswoman Kendall Sloan said the railroad is coordinating […]

Read More…

Elephantine 2-10-4s

20180725

Making like two great pachyderms joined tail to nose, Pennsylvania Railroad J1 2-10-4s 6486 and 6488 doublehead a coal train out of Columbus, Ohio, with a coal train for the Lake Erie docks at Sandusky in September 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]

Read More…

Five train layouts you can visit this summer

Large model train layout with full-scale red caboose in the background

Planning your travel for this summer? Be sure to include some model trains in those plans! These five train layouts throughout the country (and world) are all worth a visit this summer. Colorado Model Railroad Museum Featuring more than 500 HO scale locomotives, 80 scale miles of track, and tens of thousands of handmade trees, […]

Read More…