BERLIN — Germany’s famed Harz Mountain Railway — a 140-kilometer (87.5-mile) meter-gauge network run by the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) — has announced plans to make long-term changes to its operation including the future “decarbonization of the popular steam locomotives.” The announcement came as part of a funding deal for this year (providing around $20 million) […]
Join Trains.com staff member Sean Kirby as he rides onboard a Renfe Alvia high-speed train for the first leg of his return trip from Spain. Under the first light of the day, you’ll venture with Sean to the modern Segovia Guiomar station, 40 miles north of Madrid. After scanning your ticket, you’ll descend to the […]
MONTREUX, Switzerland — The Montreux Overland Bernois Railway (MOB) has ordered six new locomotives from Stadler for the meter-gauge rail line, four of which will be used on the gauge-changing GoldenPass Express passenger train. The other two locomotives are intended for rail services and infrastructure maintenance. The dual-cab, B-B locomotives will be hybrid electrics, able […]
Model railroad manufacturer ScaleTrains and railroad live streaming website Virtual Railfan have announced their support for Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Their offices, located at 4901 Old Tasso Rd., Cleveland, Tenn., are serving as a drop-off location for food, hygiene, and supply contributions. ScaleTrains and Virtual Railfan have also pledged financial support for hurricane relief efforts. […]
BERLIN —The InnoTrans trade fair in late September brought together almost all major manufacturers, large and small, serving the global rail industry. Every InnoTrans edition has one or more overall themes in terms of new technology, and in 2024 the buzz words were AI (Artificial Intelligence) and alternative power sources for trains. In both cases, […]
BERLIN — The global InnoTrans trade fair closed Friday evening, and the organizers have reported record numbers of visitors: at least 170,000 from 133 countries, according to provisional figures, visiting the 2940 exhibitors from 59 countries. Organizers report that about 600 new exhibitors took part – some representing countries never previously never represented, such as […]
BERLIN — InnoTrans provides the opportunity for the world’s railway operators to meet the leading train manufacturers in one place, and this works for the media, as well. Trains News Wire has spoken to the two leading European train builders who also are very active in North America at the show in the last two […]
MORGAN, Minn. — If you’ve attended a railroad hobby show or flea market in the Midwest in the past few decades, you couldn’t help but see the signs and tables for Perry’s Hobbies. Based in tiny Morgan, Minn., southwest of the Twin Cities, owner Perry Becker established the business in 1966. Becker, 90, died of […]
BERLIN — A number of European manufacturers have unveiled new locomotive designs, several shown in public for the first time, at the InnoTrans trade fair. Stadler presented the first of its new six-axle freight locomotives for the British market, the dual-mode Class 99, which will be used by the UK’s largest rail freight company, GB […]
ABOARD SWISS FLIGHT 8 — I left my heart in Graubünden. It’s unlikely anyone will ever pen an entry in the Great American Songbook with that title — probably not even in the Great Swiss Songbook, if such a thing exists — but it’s true. While my 16-day trip to Switzerland will eventually yield three […]
BERLIN — InnoTrans – the largest rail trade fair in the world, held every two years in the German capital city opened its doors for its 2024 edition on Sept. 24. Exhibitors number 2,940 representing 59 countries are occupying the entire exhibition grounds at the Berlin trade fair exhibition centre which is also equipped with […]
Editor’s note: This article was submitted to Garden Railways in 2015. In contacting the author recently to inquire about publication, we learned that he passed away in 2023. We offer our condolences to the family and are honored to present this article in his memory. See the author’s original railway story in the August 2001 […]
