Great Western Railway profile

Great Western Railway logo

Great Western Railway summary The Great Western Railway (GWRS) is a short line railroad that operates in southwest Saskatchewan, Canada. It has been owned by local investors since 2004. With four subdivisions purchased from the Canadian Pacific Railway, along with 70 miles of trackage rights on the Red Coat Road & Rail and the 60-mile […]

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Model railroad snow plow rolling stock

Photo of HO scale snow plow painted Oxide Red and yellow on white background

In model railroad snow plow rolling stock round-up, we thought it would be fun to take a look at models of snow fighting equipment available in N, HO, and O scales. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Rather, it’s a look at some of the ready-to-run models and a few kits that […]

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Passenger rail receives some attention at MARS meeting

Man holding papers gestures while seated next to American flag

LOMBARD, Ill. — The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers Winter Meeting is by no means focused on passenger railroading, but there were some notable comments about Amtrak over the course of the two-day event. Foremost among those, not surprisingly, were the thoughts of Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman, whose agency’s busy agenda touches […]

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BNSF announces 2023 capital plan

Woman standing in front of projector screen

FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway plans to spend $3.96 billion on capital investments in 2023, the railroad announced Thursday — an increase of more than $400 million from its plan in 2022. “Our capital plan reflects our growth mindset and commitment to having the capacity and equipment we need to support our customers,” Katie […]

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Metra hauls in competitive Federal grants

Commuter train on gentle curve

CHICAGO – The Chicago area’s congressional delegation delivered for commuter rail agency Metra in 2022, helping secure $204.1 million in competitive federal grants for Metra projects – the most by far in Metra’s history. The amount includes the largest discretionary grant Metra ever received – $117 million for the next phase of the Union Pacific North […]

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Honolulu rail project may finally see trains this year (corrected)

Aerial view of light rail train

HONOLULU — Honolulu’s long-delayed, multi-billion dollar rail rapid transit project is expected to see its first riders this spring. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will hand over a 10.8-mile route from East Kapolei station to the Halawa/Aloha Stadium station to the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services in March or April, […]

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Bring on the snow-themed photo gallery

steam train in snow

Snow-themed photo gallery Though the weather outside is frightful, these trains sure make it look delightful. This gallery of snow-covered trains and railroads are from all over the United States. Captured within the last decade or so, from winter storms to light dustings, these photos reveal the beauty of cold, winter days. While scrolling through […]

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Empire Builder diner

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Cut-glass partitions with imagery representing the mining and timber industries decorate the interior of a 36-seat dining car built for Great Northern’s Empire Builder in 1950. Great Northern photo […]

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How winter affects locomotives

View of top of two locomotives showing protection for roof fans

Winter affects locomotives Diesel locomotives have many components and systems that can be negatively affected during periods of cold and snow if not maintained properly. From tap water to electrical systems, these features need to be able to handle the often-harsh conditions to which locomotives are assigned. Locomotives have traditionally idled year-round, and in the […]

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Amtrak seeks carbuilder interest in new long-distance fleet: Analysis

Stainless steel passenger car under construction

WASHINGTON — Replacement of Amtrak’s long-distance passenger cars has been included in forward-looking fleet plans for more than a decade, but the company announced Thursday it contacted carbuilders in December as “a first formal step” to re-equip the 14 overnight routes of the long-distance network. The request for expressions of interest “was sent to potential […]

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