Five tips for creating a summery scene: Summer is a time for gathering outside with family and friends. There are a lot of nostalgic activities that can be modeled to remind us of a hot, summer day — perhaps even of a specific childhood memory. Most of my fondest memories happen during summer months, so […]
MENDON, Mo. — The location where Amtrak’s Southwest Chief hit a dump truck in a collision and derailment that killed three and injured dozens was on a list of grade crossings recommended for safety upgrades, the Kansas City Star reports. The Monday afternoon accident involving eastbound train No. 4 led to the deaths of two […]
ALTOONA, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society has met and exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 toward the construction of a new firebox for PRR Class K4s 4-6-2 steam locomotive No. 1361. Owned by the Railroaders Memorial Museum, the engine is in the midst of a $2.6 million overhaul to restore it […]
CALGARY — The company leading the effort to develop rail passenger service between Calgary and Banff National Park says it needs support from Parks Canada to ensure the project can succeed without annual payments from the province of Alberta. The CBC reports that Liricon Capital Inc., which owns a Banff ski resort and has a […]
HERSHEY, Neb. — Commissioners in Nebraska’s Lincoln County have voted to create an inland port authority to manage a planned rail-served industrial park, and to buy an adjacent factory site with a rail spur crucial to the industrial park plan. The North Platte Telegraph reports the commissioners voted 5-0 on Monday to create the port […]
MENDON, Mo. — Three people are dead after Amtrak’s Southwest Chief hit a dump truck and derailed Monday afternoon, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. NBC News reports two people from the train and one person in the truck were killed, according to Highway Patrol Corporal Justin Dunn. A significant number of others were […]
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The state of Pennsylvania says it has reached a deal with Norfolk Southern on a previously announced plan to upgrade infrastructure between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, which would allow a second daily Amtrak train between those cities. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the $200 million deal will be finalized by the end of the […]
Sidewalks and curbs for a garden railway: My downtown area had realistic paved streets. Now it was time to add some sidewalks and curbs. I went to the local Home Depot and found inexpensive small square shower floor tiles in a natural stone color. I also found some beige plastic tile edging, which I’d use […]
20-foot Cat Rental Store containers Scale: N (1:160) Price: Two-pack, $29.65 Era: Present day Manufacturer: Jacksonville Terminal Co., jtcmodeltrains.com 20-foot Cat Rental Store containers features: Injection-molded plastic Prototype-specific door styles Inter-box connecting pins Magnetic connection system (one magnet on bottom and metal plate on top) Corrugated side Paint schemes: Cat Rental Store series (first five […]
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has officially launched its TOP|SPG operating plan, which is primarily focused on improving the railroad’s intermodal network. “TOP|SPG works by making our daily operations simpler, more consistent, and executable,” Paul Duncan, vice president of network planning and operations, said in a statement on Monday. Implementing the new plan is an important […]
Fox Valley Models Trinity RD-4 coal hopper Scale: N (1:160) Price: $22.99, single car; 6-11 cars, $21.99 each; 12+ cars, $19.99 each Era: mid-1990s to present Manufacturer: ScaleTrains, scaletrains.com Fox Valley Models Trinity RD-4 coal hopper features: New road numbers Die-cast weight with interior detail Separate, factory-applied interior braces Removable coal load Detailed, free-rolling trucks […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak’s Maple Leaf has resumed service to and from Toronto, marking the first cross-border rail service to be resumed since pandemic-related cuts in 2020. Amtrak announced this morning that the northbound Maple Leaf, operated in conjunction with VIA Rail Canada, would operate to Toronto today (Monday, June 27) with the first southbound […]
