WASHINGTON — Amtrak and funding for rail-related grant programs fared far better with Senate appropriators on Thursday than they did last week with those in the House of Representatives. Transportation spending for fiscal 2024 in a bill approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations includes some $2.45 billion for Amtrak operations and state-of-good repair funding, […]
WASHINGTON — The California Zephyr, Empire Builder, and Heartland Flyer all had on-time performance under 40% in the second quarter of 2023 according to statistics released today (July 18) by the Federal Railroad Administration. The Zephyr had a customer on-time performance of just 31% for the quarter, while the Builder and Flyer were both at […]
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — With the Saratoga horse racing season having begun last Thursday, Amtrak has announced it will extend Adirondack operations 37 miles beyond Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., to Saratoga Springs starting Monday, July 24. The New York City-Montreal train was the last state-supported corridor to be restored following nationwide discontinuances in March 2020 as a […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has published Requests for Qualifications for maintenance facilities in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Seattle, part of a program build or upgrade more than 20 sites nationally for new trainsets. Two requests are currently active. One is for Seattle, where Amtrak is hoping to gain permission to close a street, […]
LAKELAND, Fla. — Amtrak’s Silver Star was involved in a derailment this evening (July 14) after a grade-crossing collision with a truck carrying automobiles, according to a WFTS-TV report. An Amtrak spokeswoman said the train’s lead locomotive derailed, and that the company was working with local emergency responders to move approximately 166 passengers and 10 […]
The Bachmann Trains N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel locomotive recently visited our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno discuss the features on the modern engine and take it for lap on our 4 x 12-foot layout. Paint schemes on the Bachmann N […]
The Bachmann Trains N scale Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel locomotive recently visited our Milwaukee, Racine & Troy State Line Route layout. Model Railroader editor Eric White and senior editor Cody Grivno discuss the features on the modern engine and take it for lap on our 4 x 12-foot layout. The Bachmann N scale Siemens SC-44 […]
ORANGE, Calif. — With regular Pacific Surfliner service set to resume on Monday, July 17, the agency overseeing the Surfliners has announced plans to add three extra trains the weekend of July 21-23 to help serve three major events — Comic-Con International San Diego, the X Games in Ventura, and the opening of the summer […]
CHICAGO — Metra commuters suffered evening rush-hour delays, while Amtrak also halted operations for a time, because of tornado warnings and other severe weather warnings in the Chicago area. WMAQ-TV reports one tornado touched down at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, damaging some warehouses, and that the National Weather Service confirmed this morning (July 13) that […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans have released a proposed budget for fiscal 2024 that would effectively force Amtrak “to radically reduce or suspend service on various routes across the nation,” according to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. The legislation marked up Wednesday also calls for substantial reductions in infrastructure programs benefitting passenger rail. Its release begins […]
The latest Premier locomotive from Atlas has hit the shelves! The P42 Genesis locomotive was developed from a previous MTH tooling that Atlas O acquired during the MTH tooling sale three or so years ago. This O gauge Premier line model sports some great Amtrak paint schemes The P42 was expected to be announced in […]
WASHINGTON — Virginia Railway Express service remains limited for the morning commute as a result of Tuesday’s Amtrak derailment at Washington Union Station, VRE reported in a service alert. “Traffic is still suspended going into and out of Union Station,” the alert reads, “and we are still unable to retrieve our equipment from the coachyard […]
