Class I railroads have yet to join Close Call Reporting System

Logo for Federal Railroad Administration

WASHINGTON — In the wake of the East Palestine derailment, U.S. Class I railroads pledged to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System, which allows employees to report near accidents and other safety violations. But the New York Times reports that five months later, the railroads have not yet done so and […]

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Court turns down class-action suit against railroads over British Columbia fire

View of railroad track from locomotive

COURTENAY, British Columbia — An effort to launch a class-action lawsuit against CPKC, Canadian National Railway, and other parties over the wildfire that destroyed the Village of Lytton, B.C., in 2021 was turned down Wednesday by the British Columbia Supreme Court. But the Vancouver Sun reports Chief Justice Christopher E. Hickson left room for the […]

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MBTA plans 58-day disruption of commuter rail Haverhill Line

Portion of commuter rail system map showing MBTA Lowell and Haverhill lines

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will halt service most of on its Haverhill commuter rail line for 58 days beginning Saturday, Sept. 9, to accommodate signal system upgrades related to Automatic Train Control upgrades to positive train control. Trains will be diverted from the Haverhill Line to the Lowell Line south of Ballardvale […]

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society acquires depot

Weathered wooden railroad station being passed by steam locomotive

PLEASANT LAKE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired the 141-year-old railroad station in Pleasant Lake to serve as headquarters for the Indiana Rail Experience, the tourist rail partnership of the society and the short line Indiana Northeastern Railroad. The acquisition was made possible through a grant to develop a station and […]

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CSX’s fifth heritage unit, Chesapeake & Ohio No. 1869, makes its debut (updated)

Diesel with CSX paint on cab and C&O passenger paint scheme on long hood inside shop building

WAYCROSS, Ga. — CSX Transportation took the wraps off its fifth heritage locomotive today, No. 1869 that wears the classic Chesapeake & Ohio passenger scheme, complete with script lettering and the “C&O For Progress” logo. The locomotive joins units that celebrate the history of the Baltimore & Ohio, Seaboard System, Chessie System, and Conrail. CSX […]

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Derailment closes Switzerland’s Gotthard Base Tunnel (updated)

Passenger train exits tunnel and rounds curve

Rail operations in Switzerland have been disrupted by a derailment in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest rail tunnel. The English-language Swiss news site TheLocal.ch reports the derailment involving a freight occurred about noon Thursday at the Faido multifunction station, one of two locations within the 35.5-mile-long tunnel including emergency-stop facilities and ventilation equipment. […]

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Genesee & Wyoming short lines seek permission for autonomous container car tests

Genesee & Wyoming plans for first test of autonomous container equipment. Container moving independently on railroad track

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Two Genesee & Wyoming short lines in Georgia today asked the Federal Railroad Administration to allow them to conduct a pilot program that would test Parallel Systems’ zero-emission autonomous container cars. The 211-mile Georgia Central Railway and 233-mile Heart of Georgia Railroad would like to test the battery-electric cars – which can […]

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Walt Urban Jr.’s HK&WU RR layout in O gauge

Name: Walt Urban Jr.’s HK&WU RR Gauge: ODimensions: 12½ x 16 feet Track and switches: Lionel (diameters range from 31 to 72 inches)Motive power: Lionel (postwar, modern)Rolling stock: Lionel (postwar, modern)Controls: Lionel type-ZW transformers (2)Accessories: Lionel (postwar, modern)Structures: MTH, PlasticvilleVehicles: Lionel     Download the track plan for this layout! Buy the Classic Toy Trains […]

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Russ Boersma’s O gauge layout

Name: Russ Boersma’s O gauge layout Dimensions: 22 x 34 feet Track and switches: GarGraves (diameters from 72 to 120 inches) Motive power: Lionel (postwar, modern), MTH Rolling stock: Atlas O, Lionel (postwar, modern), MTH, Williams Accessories: Lionel (postwar, modern), MTH Controls: Lionel type-ZW, MTH No. Z-4000 transformers with Lionel Legacy and MTH Digital Command […]

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The Flushing & Brooklyn RR in HO scale

The Flushing & Brooklyn RR trackplan: A model railroad trackplan

Facts & features   Name: The Flushing & Brooklyn RRScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 3 x 6 feetPrototype: freelanceLocale: Flushing Village, N.Y.Era: 1838Style: portable tabletopMainline run: 12 feetMinimum radius: 15″Minimum turnout: No. 5Maximum grade: noneBenchwork: open gridHeight: 34″Roadbed: noneTrack: Atlas sectional, Peco turnoutsScenery: Woodland Scenics ground foamBackdrop: painted plywoodControl: direct current     Download a PDF of […]

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The HO scale Cascade & Twin Mountain RR

Facts & features   Name: Cascade & Twin Mountain RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 16′-6″ x 21′-0″ Prototype: freelanced Locale: Colorado Era: early 1960s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 247 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: No. 6 Maximum grade: 2.75% Benchwork: open grid Height: 54″ Roadbed: cork, Homasote in yard Track: code 100 flextrack Scenery: […]

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CP No. 2816 continues break-in runs

View from cab of steam locomotive

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific No. 2816 has now been run for about 700 miles since returning to operation, CPKC’s Jonathan J. Morris, manager, operating practices-steam, says in a post on the locomotive’s Facebook page, and is “running like the wind.” The locomotive was returned to steam June 18 and made its first short run June […]

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