OWOSSO, Mich. — Pere Marquette steam locomotive No. 1225 made its public debut over the weekend by operating the North Pole Express excursions – organized by the 2-8-4’s owners, the Steam Railroading Institute (SRI) of Owosso. The Berkshire-type locomotive is fresh from an extensive rebuild of the driving wheels and running gear with test runs […]
Two Wabash F7s passes State Line Tower in Hammond, Ind., bound for the railroad’s so-called “Punkin’ Vine” route across northern Indiana to Montpelier, Ohio, in 1953. The railroad had 118 F7A and 9 F7B units. Robert R. Malinoski photo […]
In this episode, Host James McNab details the process of scenery reconstruction for the Hills Line HO scale module. Beginning with the application of a base layer using static grass and ground foam, James shares techniques for adding rock, gravel, and dirt textures, along with planting grass scenery products, including trees and shrubs. Finally, he […]
CHICAGO — One person was killed when a train struck a truck in a Norfolk Southern intermodal facility in Chicago’s Fuller Park neighborhood today (Monday, Nov. 20), the Chicago Tribune reports. The Chicago Fire Department reported the truck was stopped on tracks within the NS facility at 350 West Garfield Boulevard when it was struck […]
NEW BUFFALO, Mich. — A technical issue at a 911 dispatching center and misidentification of the grade crossing played a part in the collision and derailment involving an Amtrak train in New Buffalo on Thursday, Nov. 16, according to the head of the dispatching center in Berrien County, Mich. The incident occurred at about 10 p.m. […]
MINNEAPOLIS — Three people suffered minor injuries Saturday night when a Metro Transit light rail train derailed in downtown Minneapolis, WCCO-TV reports. A concrete object on the tracks caused the derailment between the Nicollet Mall and Warehouse District/Hennepin stations about 8:30 p.m., according to Metro Transit. None of those injured required hospitalization. Replacement buses substituted […]
CHICAGO — Metra has launched use of specially decorated trains for the holidays in regular commuter service, while the Chicago Transit Authority’s Holiday Train is set to begin operation on Nov. 24. The debut of the Metra trains — decorated for already sold-out holiday rides with Santa Claus in December — came on Friday, Nov. […]
CHICAGO — A design problem with the braking for the CTA equipment played a role in Thursday’s collision between a Yellow Line train and a piece of train maintenance machinery, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said today (Saturday, Nov. 18). Homendy was speaking at a press briefing on the investigation into the accident […]
CHICAGO — Most Amtrak Wolverine and Blue Water trains will again be cancelled on Saturday, Nov. 18, but plans are to restore all service on the two routes as of Sunday, Nov. 19, Amtrak has announced. All six Wolverine trains and both directions of the Blue Water were cancelled today (Friday, Nov. 17) after a […]
CHICAGO — It could be up to five days before service resumes on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Yellow Line following Thursday’s collision between a CTA train and a piece of maintenance equipment. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a news briefing today (Friday, Nov. 17) that it could take that long for […]
Facts & features Name: Soo Line Central Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 8 x 20 feet Prototype: Soo Line, Wisconsin Central, and Canadian National Locale: Chicago Era: 1980 to present Style: island Mainline run: 98 feet (double tracked) Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: Atlas No. 8 Maximum grade: flat Benchwork: open grid Height: 38″ Roadbed: cork […]
CHICAGO — Service on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Yellow Line remains suspended today (Friday, Nov. 17) after the Thursday collision between a two-car Yellow Line train and a piece of maintenance equipment that injured 38 people, 23 of whom were sent to hospitals for treatment. The train reportedly rear-ended a snow plow, according to a […]
