Minneapolis to end Northstar commuter service in January

Blue, yellow, red, and white locomotive leads train of bilevel commuter cars with city skyline in background

MINNEAPOLIS — Metro Transit will pull the plug on its Northstar commuter rail service in January due to a lethal combination of low ridership and rising costs. More frequent bus service will replace the trains beginning Jan. 5, 2026, Metro Transit officials said during a Metropolitan Council meeting yesterday. The last weekday Northstar trip will […]

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August 2025

The August 2025 cover of Trains Magazine

In every issue News, p. 4 Class I railroads take a fresh look at mergers, and Amtrak cuts management jobs Bill Stephens, p. 10 How do railroads get into our blood? Preservation, p. 46 Mt. Rainier Scenic copes after a devastating fire, and the T1 Trust project has a new home Brian Solomon, p. 48 […]

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Spaces to Places VII | Scenery behind the roundhouse

In this Spaces to Places episode, host Gerry Leone tackles the final touches around the lower deck roundhouse area of his HO scale (1:87.1) Bona Vista model railroad. Gerry first focuses on adapting background buildings, before transforming an empty space behind the roundhouse into an authentic place, including static grass and gravel roads. Want to […]

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Midday Modeler – July 31st, 2025

Midday Modeler – July 31st, 2025 | In this replayed Midday Modeler livestream event, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look how our all-new model railroad project is coming together. Plus, the crew also fields a number of burning questions you and other modelers want to know about the ongoing effort. Watch here, and then tune into […]

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Trains.com Insider Exclusive | Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee

Join the Trains.com staff visiting the Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The club, established in 1934, boasts the country’s longest-running model railroad in the same location. Housed in a former train station built around 1917, the club’s O scale (1:48) layout, largely unchanged since 1950, operates as a “living museum”. Members once included a […]

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Chicago Union Station 100th Anniversary Celebration

On July 22, 2025, Chicago Union Station in Downtown, Chicago, Ill., hosted a centennial celebration of the site’s official dedication in 1925. As referenced in the companion Trains.com article, notable city, regional, state, and federal officials staged near the Great Hall to recognize the station’s quintessential role, longevity, and impactful renovations aimed to keep it […]

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Trains.com Insider | 2025 NMRA National Convention, Layout Visits

2025 NMRA National Convention, Layout Visits | Tour with Model Railroader Editor Eric White, as he discovers a diverse collection of model railroads from the 2025 National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) National Convention recently held in Novi, Michigan! Explore Steve Smith’s HO scale freelanced Sierra Valley & Harbor Junction; Dan Lewis’s nostalgic N scale Milwaukee […]

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East Troy Electric Railroad celebrates Milwaukee Day

Come along with Trains.com staff writer Lucas Iverson, as he visits The East Troy Electric Railroad in the summer of 2025. Located in East Troy, Wis., the railroad (completed in 1907) was originally part of The Milwaukee Electric Railroad and Light Company (TMER&L). When the company planned to abandon the line in 1939, East Troy […]

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