BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has approved an $811 million contract for new light rail vehicles to be built by CAF USA, the American affiliate of Spanish rail equipment manufacturer CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). A CAF news release says the order will be for 102 vehicles, two driving simulators, parts, tools, […]
CHICAGO — Percy E. Fields III has been named as president and general manager of the Belt Railway of Chicago, succeeding Mike Grace. Fields, 42, has spent more than 22 years in railroading, beginning his career as a conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad. He has most recently been Belt Railway of Chicago’s general manager. […]
Tank cars Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $124.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Tank cars feature: Injection-molded plastic tank on flatcar Factory-applied handrails, turnbuckles, ladders, platforms, brake wheel, brake cylinder, and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint […]
Common name: Begonia Latin name: Begonia sp. Plant type: Annual USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11; grown as an annual in lower zones Cultural needs: moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; part shade Plant size: 18″ x 18″ Most begonias are true perennials, living on for years as houseplants or in tropical gardens. Usually we […]
Athearn Trains announced that it will be releasing a National Steel Car 6,400-cubic-foot capacity gondola in its Genesis series. The newly tooled model, which will be offered in N and HO scales, will have a detailed underbody, removable debris covers on later variants, and Barber S2E 100-ton trucks with rotating roller-bearing caps. Road names and […]
Two-bay hopper with exterior posts Scale: Large scale (1:24) Price: $76.99 Manufacturer: PIKO America LLC, 4610 Alvarado Canyon Rd., Ste. 5, San Diego, CA 92120; piko-america.com Hopper features: Simulated coal load Molded handrails and stirrup steps Plastic wheelsets Hook-and-loop couplers Minimum recommended radius, 23.6” Release date: October 2022 Paint scheme: CSX (black and yellow). One road […]
Ukraine’s railways have been vital to the country’s war effort since the Russian invasion in February, moving refugees west, away from the fighting, and taking troops and equipment east to the battlefront. In addition, national rail company Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) has been trying to help keep the country’s economy running by enabling exports by rail. In […]
AUBURN, Maine — An Aug. 25 hearing before a Maine Department of Transportation advisory council heard conflicting proposals to use 25 miles of idle state-owned tracks for a Portland-Auburn commuter rail system, or to remove those tracks to create a trail. Meanwhile, a Canadian-based organization, the Night Trains Foundation, has suggested yet another use: as […]
CHENA HOT SPRINGS, Alaska — A small number of the thousands of people who travel to Alaska each winter hoping to see the Aurora Borealis will have a new and very different viewing point starting in 2023. How about soaking in a large tub of natural hot spring water in a warm private room aboard […]
Lionel’s 1926 Cardinals Train Set was kind of hidden in the pages of the 2021 Lionel Volume I “Big Book” behind the re-release of the 2-10-10-2; the Mohawks and Camelbacks; the Acela sets; and the Asa Packer, New Hope & Ivyland consists. It’s a high-end Legacy outfit that features a newly cataloged 4-6-2 Pacific steam […]
40-foot ballast hopper Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Single car, $42.99; four-pack, $149.99 Era: 1960s to present (varies depending on scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com 40-foot ballast hopper features: Removable load Separate, factory-applied wire grab irons and brake wheel Injection-molded plastic body Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers Solid nickel silver wheels with RP-25 […]
STRASBURG, Pa. — Famed Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4 No. 611 will return to steam this fall in a series of limited-time-only events announced by the Virginia Museum of Transportation, owners of the locomotive, and the Strasburg Rail Road, which together are completing the most recent federally required inspection of the 72-year-old locomotive. Among […]
