News photo: PA heads east

Blue and white vintage diesel locomotive

Restored Alco PA No. 190, after a week-long pause at Chicago’s Clearing Yard on its cross-country move from Portland, Ore., has resumed its trip to its new home with Genesee Valley Transportation. Photographer Bruce Stahl caught No. 190 eastbound Friday on a Norfolk Southern train west of South Bend, Ind., trailing four NS and BSNF […]

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News photo: Another Metra SD70MACH delivered

Blue six-axle locomotive with red-and-white striped nose

CHICAGO — Metra has taken delivery of another SD70MACH, part of an order of 15 of the remanufactured freight locomotives currently in progress for the commuter agency. No. 505, the fourth in the series to arrive in Chicago, was delivered on Thursday, May 11. This unit is slated to have positive train control equipment added […]

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Chicago suburbs sue over CPKC merger

People walk across railroad tracks as trains meet in background

CHICAGO — A group of western Chicago suburbs opposed to the union of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern is asking that regulators reconsider the CPKC merger. In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday with the U.S. Seventh Circuit, the eight communities and one county that make up the Coalition to Stop CPKC called the Surface […]

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Jackson, Mich., station to receive historical markers

Brick two-story passenger station

JACKSON, Mich. — Jackson’s Amtrak station, said to be the oldest continuously operating rail passenger station in the United States, is about to receive additional historical recognition. The news site Mlive.com reports ceremonies this Saturday, May 13, will place two sets Michigan historical markers at the building to note its role in the Underground Railroad, […]

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Largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy

Member of Largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet parked in grass covered rail yard

Unsurprisingly, the largest 2-6-2 Prairie fleet operated on the U.S. prairies with the railroad that originated the type.     As the railroad industry approached the late 19th century, it became obvious that what had been considered the preferred locomotive — the 4-4-0 American — could no longer provide the horsepower nor the speed necessary […]

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Grand Trunk Western F3s on freight

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Two Grand Trunk Western F3s, dressed in the memorable but short-lived livery of parent Canadian National, wheel fast freight 492 (68 cars, all loads, including 63 reefers) near GTW’s crossing with the Pennsy and Nickel Plate west of Valparaiso, Ind., in May 1953. R. R. Malinoski photo […]

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Penn Central locomotives remembered

Streamlined diesel Penn Central locomotives under building

Penn Central locomotives were varied from Alco and Baldwin to EMD and General Electric. There were electrics, too, on the Northeast Corridor and branches between New Haven, Conn., and Alexandria, Va.     PC inherited its diesel and electric locomotives from components New York Central; and New York, New Haven & Hartford; and Pennsylvania Railroad. […]

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Early short Amtrak consists

A model passenger train on a bridge

On May 1st, 1971, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or Amtrak, was formed. On this 52nd anniversary, I thought we should take a look at small Amtrak trains from the start. If you want to learn about how to model modern short Amtrak consists, check out my previous article. Instead of focusing on two individual […]

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Minnesota museum repainting equipment

Orange and green passenger car in building with windows masked off for repainting

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Transportation Museum is moving ahead with plans to repaint several pieces of passenger equipment at its Jackson Street Roundhouse Museum in St. Paul. If plans come to fruition, MTM will achieve a long-time goal of assembling a Great Northern streamliner in Omaha orange and Pullman green. MTM operates the […]

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