Tourist railroads have a workforce issue: Analysis

Man holding child watching crew member work on steam engine

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It is currently not uncommon for small businesses to be short of workers to cover basic functions. This is true in the tourist rail industry, which was drastically affected by the pandemic, where some railroads are struggling to fill jobs as their season approaches. According to the U.S. Travel Association, leisure and […]

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Track defect went unrepaired before CN derailment, investigation finds

Photo of track with notations on derailment details

GATINEAU, Quebec — A “near-urgent” track defect was detected but not repaired several days prior to the June 2021 derailment of a Canadian National train at a remote location on the railroad’s Chetwynd Subdivision in British Columbia, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an investigation report released Monday. Thirty-eight cars of a two-engine, […]

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Union Pacific train derails in Colton, Calif.

Union Pacific logo with Building America slogan

COLTON, Calif. — Three locomotives and 12 cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Monday morning, leading to a brief fire and a spill of diesel fuel from the locomotives. The derailment occurred near the Colton Flyover, where UP’s tracks cross those of BNSF Railway. The San Bernardino Sun reports the derailment occurred shortly after […]

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Rapido Trains to release Turbo 2.0

Color illustrations showing HO Turbo 2.0 paint schemes.

Rapido Trains announced that the United Aircraft TurboTrain is returning to HO scale with the release of the Turbo 2.0. The model is scheduled for release in mid-2023. The Turbo 2.0 will be offered in the following paint schemes: Amtrak (early and late), Canadian National, Penn Central/U.S. DOT, United Aircraft/U.S. DOT, and VIA Rail (with […]

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Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad freight trains remembered

Streamline diesel locomotives with freight train among green grass and trees

Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad all through March 2022. Please enjoy this photo gallery of Lackawanna freight trains selected from the archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library. The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western’s main line extended from Hoboken, N. J., northwest through Scranton, Pa., […]

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An extra freight train runs on a rainy March day

view of garden railroad from a caboose camera

Name: Ray Wheeler Railroad Name: Jericho & Mt Zion Railway Location: Lynnwood, WA Scale: G scale Theme: Tourist railroad with freight operations in the modern era. Description: The J&MtZ No. 20 runs an extra freight train for railfans on a rainy March day. Ride along on J&MtZ Caboose 02 as we tour the railroad. Watch […]

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Product News for the week of March 24, 2022

Photo of HO scale three-bay hopper painted green with yellow, red, white, and black graphics and coal load on white background.

Product News Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product news updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 24, 2022.   HO scale freight cars Assorted freight car […]

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Amtrak sued over fatal onboard shooting

Amtrak logo.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The family of a man shot and killed aboard an Amtrak train is suing the passenger railroad and the suspect in the killing for at least $100 million, the Kansas City Star reports. Richie Terell Aaron Jr., 30, was shot aboard the Missouri River Runner on Jan. 14, 2022. His family […]

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Nine hurt in vehicle-light rail accident in East St. Louis, Ill.

Logo of St. Louis Metro and MetroLink

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Nine people were injured, two critically, in a collision between a St. Louis MetroLink train and a vehicle near the Washington Park station on Sunday afternoon. The driver of the vehicle and one person on the train were in critical condition, the Belleville News-Democrat reported. The car caught fire after […]

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