Knoxville ’75: A Memorable Steam Summit

Woman sits on man's shoulders to view steam locomotive

Driving south recently on Interstate 75, nearing the Kentucky/Tennessee line, an upcoming offramp caught my eye, causing me to make a quick turn to the right. “Next exit, Jellico.”   Jellico! A town I likely never would have known were it not for a memorable July 30, 1975, steam excursion behind celebrated Southern Railway 2-8-2 […]

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News & Products for the week of October 23rd 2023

News & Products for the week of October 23rd 2023   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 October 23rd […]

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CSX: How this railroad got its name

Yellow CSX letters with web address on side of locomotive

CSX Railroads, in particular, have grappled with that same question over the years — especially those railroads that are the products of mergers or the surviving company after a takeover. There is, on the one hand, Norfolk Southern, a straightforward name for the affiliation of the Norfolk & Western and Southern railways. Along the same […]

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SEPTA engineers, conductors voting on strike authorization (updated)

Four-car electric multiple-unit trainset

PHILADELPHIA — Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority locomotive engineers and conductors are voting on a strike authorization, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and SMART-TD unions announced today. Results of voting, which began today, will be announced on Nov. 20. If a majority of engineers back a strike, the referendum would allow BLET National President […]

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Meet Ted Yarbrough

Man holding walkie-talkie near cab of locomotive

How did you get started in the hobby? I received my first model electric train for my sixth Christmas. It was an American Flyer train. Nothing against Lionel, but I told Santa that I wanted a train with two rails, like the real ones. Like many modelers, I really started building what you might consider […]

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Track planning software roundup

A screen shot of 3rdPlanIt showing a 3D rendering of a model railroad in a frame building

Although pencil and paper still reigns as king of the ways to plan a model railroad layout, computer-aided design (CAD) track planning software is increasingly popular as model railroaders become more comfortable using computers. This is a roundup of current (as of 2023) track planning software designed to give you a good idea of the […]

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Kansas Senator places hold on Amtrak board nominees: Analysis

Short Amtrak special train with grain elevator in background

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen.Jerry Moran, (R-Kan.)  has placed a hold on the Amtrak Board of Directors nominees up for consideration by the full Senate, preventing their confirmation until Moran knows exactly all eight board members President Joe Biden intends to nominate. “The Biden administration has violated the law by failing to nominate a geographically diverse […]

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Connecticut finalizes commuter rail service cuts

Train pases through station with bridge over tracks

NEWINGTON, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Transportation has finalized its plans for commuter rail cuts and fare increases, the New Haven Register reports, with only one significant change from the DOT’s original proposals. The changes will result in a total decrease of 21 trains per week on Metro-North’s New Haven, New Canaan, and Danbury […]

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Most Metro-North, Amtrak service to be restored Monday following mudslide

Earthmovers at work to clear mudslide on railroad tracks

NEW YORK — Metro-North Railroad says it will operate a “near-normal schedule” Monday following a mudslide in Scarborough, N.Y., that disrupted its services and those of Amtrak, while Amtrak has announced its operations between New York City and Albany, N.Y., will be “substantially restored.” Metro-North said service will resume between Tarrytown and Croton-Harmon on the […]

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