How to find trains

BNSF freight train with plam trees lining the track

Recently, I began teaching a series of classes at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania titled Railroad Photography 101. I cover the basics in this two-hour course, beginning with a short digital slide show encompassing more than 60 years of photography. I also provide a list of 10 basic tips — things like making sure batteries […]

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Rapido HO MOW flat and camp cars

Color photo of HO scale flatcar painted gray with white-and-silver van

Rapido HO MOW flat and camp cars Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single camp car, $69.95; three-pack (diner, kitchen, and office vans), $199.95; and six-pack (sleeper vans), $399.95. Separate sale camp trailers (dining, kitchen, office, and sleeper), $24.95 each. Conrail F30A MOW flatcar with deck rails: Single car, $54.95; six-pack, $329.70. Era: 1980s to present Manufacturer: […]

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U.S. rail volumes remain strong into May

A line of white-painted railroad tank cars with a swath of green grass in the foreground, framed by a tree branch

U.S. weekly rail traffic for the week ending May 3 totaled 498,693 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.6 percent compared with the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).  Carloads totaled 225,641 units, up 5.6 percent compared to prior year, and intermodal volume totaled 273,052 containers and trailers, up 9.4 […]

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NJ Transit and largest union reach agreement

Electric train arriving at a station

Newark, N.J. — According to a joint May 7 press release, NJ Transit and its largest labor union, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), have reached a tentative contract agreement. NJ Transit is the nation’s third largest provider of bus, rail, and light rail transit, linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. The […]

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Amtrak delays East River Tunnel project by two weeks

Interior of railroad tunnel

Amtrak will delay the start of the construction on the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation project by two weeks after learning the Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) East-Bound reroute project is delayed. The three-year project calls for repairing two of the tunnel’s four tubes, which were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with one tube removed […]

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Proposed legislation would ease California environmental regulations

Three red and yellow diesel locomotives exit a tunnel and round a curve in hilly country

On May 5, Congressmen John Moolenaar (R-MI), Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Craig Goldman (R-TX) introduced the Lifting Overburdensome Commerce Obstructions and Motives Act (LOCOMOTIVES Act), which aims to limit California’s ability to place “unsustainable” regulations on trains crossing into the state.  The legislation would revise Section 209 of the Clean Air Act to close a […]

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Railroad Day on the Hill under way

US Capitol building

Today, 327 representatives from Class Is, short lines, and railroad suppliers, contractors and associations will meet with more than 300 congressional offices during the annual Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.   The annual event has continued for more than 25 years. This year, lobbyists will call on Congress to:  Maintain and extend tax policies that incentivize […]

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Trump to axe California high-speed rail funding

Computer rendering of California high speed rail train at dusk

Citing cost overruns, the federal government will no longer provide funding for California’s planned Los Angeles-to-San Francisco high-speed rail project, according to a news report from Reuters.  President Donald Trump made the comment to reporters yesterday during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.  In February, the Federal Railroad Administration announced it was conducting […]

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USDOT approves $3.2 billion for infrastructure projects

A side view of a train passing a rural grade crossing with railroad crossing sign, a lowered gate, and flashing red warning lights

The U.S. Department of Transportation signed off on 180 infrastructure grants totaling more than $3.2 billion today, jumpstarting a series of projects aimed at improving railroads, ports, highways, airports and more. These grants had been previously announced and have now moved to the agreement stage. The Federal Railroad Administration will receive funding for several initiatives, […]

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NTSB Vice Chair removed from post

NTSB logo

The vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been removed from his post, according to a report from The Hill.   Alvin Brown, a former Jacksonville, Fla., mayor, became part of the NTSB in March 2024. Former President Joe Biden appointed him as the board’s vice chair late last year.  While the White […]

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News & Products for the week of May 5th 2025

A red and yellow model caboose

News & Products for the week of May 5th 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 May 5th, […]

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