MBTA letter blasts CRRC for manufacturing issues

Subway train at station

BOSTON — Days before the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority removed some of its newest rapid transit cars from service for the latest in a series of mechanical issues, the agency claimed in a letter that the manufacturer of those cars “has completely abandoned its core responsibilities and commitment to lead, monitor, and support quality management,” […]

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Top 10 stories of 2022, No. 4: Amtrak cutbacks and service issues

Passenger train is blurred by time-lapse photo at station

Although transportation demand surged during 2022, Amtrak was unable to accommodate much of it outside the Northeast Corridor. Long-distance frequencies cut Attributing cancellations to a surge in the COVID-19 Omicron variant in early January, management began cutbacks that constricted the ability of travelers to include Amtrak in their plans. Most significant was suspension of the […]

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Top 7 1/2 products of 2022

Black, red, and white diesel locomotive on a scenery base

As we enter the holidays and highball into 2023, the MR staff wanted to take a look back at our top model railroad products of 2022. Any of these would make great gifts for any modeler on your Christmas list or even for yourself. Athearn added the General Electric Dash 9-44CW to its Genesis 2.0 […]

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Garden railroading in Hawaii

Garden railroading in Hawaii: model sugar cane train

Garden railroading in Hawaii: In late 2013, my wife set in motion a scheme that eventually became the Oberammergau, Ogden & Olomana Railroad – the Triple O. A few books, a GR subscription, and a year of study later, and we broke ground on what has become a family project to bring a stylized piece […]

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MARTA unveils new cars, part of $646 million order

Rapid-transit carbody in wrapper sits on trailer while MARTA train sits in background

ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority unveiled its newest railcars on Friday, representing a $646 million investment to replace its aging fleet of 340 cars. The new CQ400 railcars will replace MARTA’s existing fleet of CQ310, CQ311 and CQ312 cars. In November 2019, MARTA’s board of directors approved the $646 million deal with […]

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Conowingo Models caboose No. three

Caboose no. three: A blue caboose against a blue sky and green grass

Conowingo Models caboose No. three Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $33.00 Manufacturer:  Conowingo Models; conowingomodels.com Conowingo Models Bobber boxcar features: LaBelle trucks Plastic wheels Laser-cut wood construction Board-on-board deck 3D-printed smoke jack Tichy Train Group windows and stirrups Conowingo Railroad decals included Kadee couplers and coupler boxes Release date: Available now News & Products is a regular feature […]

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MARTA shuts down streetcar line over wheel issues

Light rail vehicle rounding curve with brick church in background

ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has shut down its 3-mile-long downtown streetcar line after inspections found wheel degradation that could pose a safety risk, WSB-TV reports. Reporter Newspapers, citing a paywalled Atlanta Journal-Constitution report, says repairs are expected to cost $7.4 million and are expected to be completed by the end of […]

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Railinc adds cushioning device information to Component Tracking program

Logo of Railinc Corp.

CARY, N.C. — Rail data provider Railinc is adding enhanced information on the location and status of railcar cushioning devices to its Component Tracking program, the company has announced. “Since its inception in 2013, the industry has implemented component tracking for hundreds of millions of critical railcar components including wheelsets, side frames, bolsters, and couplers,” […]

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