WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained up, although slightly, compared to 2024 levels in the week ending Feb. 15, 2025. According to figures from the Association of American Railroads, total traffic for the week was 480,740 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.5% from the same week a year ago. The total included […]
NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit will resume regular commuter rail service on its Raritan Valley Line on Thursday, Feb. 20, the agency said today (Feb. 19). NJ Transit operations on the line were disrupted on Tuesday when a Norfolk Southern intermodal train derailed in Union, N.J., on Conrail Shared Assets Operations trackage also used by […]
WASHINGTON — An improperly lined switch, and a conductor’s failure to verify the switch’s position, led to the head-on collision of two CSX trains near Folkston, Ga., in April 2024, according to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation report. The final report into the April 15, 2024, incident was issued today (Feb. 19, 2025). The […]
NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has quickly filed a lawsuit today in an effort to block federal government revocation of its permission for Manhattan’s congestion tolling program. The move, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, makes good on a campaign promise of President Donald Trump, who last year said he would end congestion […]
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Class I railroad chief executives told an investor conference today that their crystal ball is as cloudy as anyone’s regarding the potential impact of the tariffs that President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on Mexico and Canada. The 25% tariffs initially were due to begin this month, but Trump subsequently […]
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has now canceled 19 trains today (Feb. 19, 2025) in its Windsor-Quebec City corridor, and continues to cite a Tuesday CN derailment near Montreal as contributing to ongoing delays. Much of the corridor area is still digging out from storms that brought almost 30 inches of snow in a four-day […]
PHILADELPHIA — A new company has announced plans to develop a private sleeper-train service connecting major destinations, and says it aims to have a demonstration unit in the second half of 2026. Lunatrain, which describes itself as “a private, early-stage company,” says it will develop a network of express, non-stop night trains in the Midwest […]
MONTREAL — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced plans to build a high speed rail line linking Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City, calling it “the largest infrastructure project in Canadian history.” The 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) system, to be known as Alto, will have a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph), with intermediate […]
CHICAGO — Add westbound Empire Builder for today (Feb. 19, 2025) to Amtrak’s cancellation list, making for a fifth straight day that the Chicago-Seattle/Portland train will have been cancelled in both directions. The company has also canceled several Northeast Corridor trains today and tomorrow (Feb. 20), as well as Wolverine and Hiawatha trains in the […]
When building a model railroad, one feature you should consider is adjustable levelers at the foot of your benchwork’s legs. As the name suggests, these help level your layout when it’s standing on an uneven floor. Here’s how to install adjustable glides on benchwork legs. There are a couple of purchasing options for levelers. One […]
VICKSBURG, Mich. — Vicksburg’s Union Depot, a brick and stone structure dating to 1904 and built to serve predecessors to the Pennsylvania and Grand Trunk railroads, is among 11 state locations added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. The station in Kalamazoo County, which last […]
Q: I have two oval tracks, one inside the other, on a piece of 4 x 8 plywood. Just running a train around each track is boring. My funds are very limited. Do you have any suggestions as to how to make this more fun? — Elaine King A: Since space is at a premium […]
