Amtrak, NJ Transit update maintenance efforts on Northeast Corridor

Passenger train led by cab car passes stopped commuter train with locomotive in push mode.

NEWARK, N.J. — Amtrak and NJ Transit on Tuesday presented a new progress report on their work to improve reliability on the Northeast Corridor, an outgrowth of the significant operating issues experienced by both entities in summer 2024. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy hosted representatives of both operators in a “working summit” on Tuesday, April […]

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NJ Transit engineers reject contract

An NJ Transit Bergen County Line train

NEWARK, N.J. — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have rejected a tentative agreement with NJ Transit by a resounding margin, setting the stage for a possible strike or lockout as soon as May 15. The union said today that 372 of the 427 BLET members casting ballots, or 87%, voted against […]

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FRA rescinds grant for Texas high speed project (updated)

Birds eye view of a rail line passing over a complex highway interchange.

WASHINGTON — Saying the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak agree the project “is a waste of taxpayer funds,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced today (April 14, 2025) that the government is rescinding a $63.9 million grant for the proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. “The Texas Central Railway project was proposed as […]

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News & Products for the week of April 14th 2025

A yellow model caboose

News & Products for the week of April 14th 2025   Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of April 14th, […]

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Lionel LionChief O gauge Hogwarts Express set

Lionel Hogwarts Express locomotive

Nearly 20 years after the initial review in Classic Toy Trains’ Feb. 2008 issue, the O-gauge Hogwarts Express remains a steady set for Lionel, along with the accompanying Harry Potter-branded products. But with a reboot of the franchise planned as a future streaming series on HBO Max, it’s time to return to Kings Cross’ Platform […]

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Siemens executive, family killed in New York helicopter crash

Head shot of smiling man

NEW YORK — The CEO of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility and his family were among those killed in last week’s crash of a sightseeing helicopter, according to  media reports. Agustin Escobar, his wife, their three children, and the helicopter’s pilot were killed in the April 10 crash of the helicopter into the Hudson River […]

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East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 8 | Installing fascia

In this episode of the HO scale East Troy Industrial Park (ETIP) project layout series, David and Bryson work to install trim panels at the front of the model railroad. These removable fascia panels are both decorative and protective hardboard components that help give the layout a finished look. The guys show you how to […]

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NJ Transit looks to address growing overtime figure

Electric locomotive with bilevel commuter cars

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit spent more than $237 million on overtime in 2024, a figure CEO Kris Kolluri wants to cut to help meet savings called for by the agency’s fiscal 2026 budget. NJ.com reports that the $237.4 million in overtime last year was a 9% increase from the $216.3 million the year before. […]

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Nancy Hanks II

20200424

The Central of Georgia’s Atlanta to Savanna Nancy Hanks II approaches the station at Macon, Ga., on its exhibition run behind brand-new E7 No. 808 on July 9, 1947. Named for a race horse, the original Nancy Hanks train ran in the 1890s. The railroad, in bankruptcy from 1932 to 1948, became a Southern Railway subsidiary in 1963. Walter […]

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Amtrak’s Floridians cancelled by plane crash

People examining debris on railroad track

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Many events can affect Amtrak service, but a Florida tragedy illustrates that some are far from the passenger operator’s control. A fatal private plane crash Friday, April 11, on tracks used by Tri-Rail and Amtrak trains caused cancellation of the day’s northbound Floridian and its counterpart east from Chicago today (Sunday, […]

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