Digest: Legislation would create permanent funding for Amtrak

Amtrak logo.

Senator, Congressman introduce bills to create dedicated funding source for Amtrak U.S. Sen. Richard Blumental (D-Conn.) and U.S. Rep Danny Davis (D-Ill.) have introduced legislation to provide permanent, dedicated funding for Amtrak. The Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act would create a fund providing approximately $5.4 billion annually for repairs, service improvements, fleet modernization and […]

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Digest: U.S., California in settlement talks over high speed rail lawsuit

California High Speed Rail Authority logo

Department of Justice in talks with California to settle suit over funds withheld from high speed rail project The U.S. Department of Justice is in talks with California to settle a lawsuit resulting from the Trump administration’s cancellation of a $929 million grant for the state’s high speed rail project. Reuters reports the Justice Department […]

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Digest: Sonoma-Marin rail transit sued by landowners over bike, pedestrian trail

Landowners sue SMART, saying use of right-of-way for trail is illegal Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit is being sued by a group of landowners over the commuter railroad’s use of its right-of-way to build a trackside bike and pedestrian trail. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports that the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in San […]

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Scotland decides to nationalize passenger rail

Electric multiple unit trainset in trainshed

The Scottish government in Edinburgh has announced it will create a company to take over operation of almost all passenger trains in Scotland from next year. The Scottish rail network, which has been branded Scotrail since the 1980s, is currently run by Abellio, the international division of Dutch Railways, which also operates rail services in […]

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Industrial scenes, a restored steam locomotive, aged diesels, and other model railroad photos

A man on a small industrial shifter moving a tank car on narrow gauge tracks is dwarfed by surrounding industrial buildings

  Trackside Photos is a showcase for the work of Model Railroader readers. Send your photos (digital images 5 megapixels or larger) to: Model Railroader, Trackside Photos, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612; or upload them to http://fileupload.kalmbach.com/contribute. For our photo submission guidelines, contact associate editor Steven Otte at sotte@mrmag.com. […]

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News Photo: New Pikes Peak equipment begins journey from Switzerland to Colorado

New trainsets and a new snow blower for the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado have begun their journey from Switzerland. The Stadler equipment, along with a snow blower built by Zaugg at its Eggiwil, Switzerland, factory, was taken by truck from Stadler’s factory in Erlen, Swtizerland, to Basel, where they will […]

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Railroad Development Corp. wins contract to operate battery regional trains in Germany

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  RDC Deutschland, the German subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Railroad Development Corp., has won a contract to operate brand new Stadler-built battery-electric multiple unit regional trains on five routes in the north German state of Schleswig-Holstein. RDC won the contract over German national rail company Deutsche Bahn, which currently runs the routes. RDC Deutschland’s “RDC Autozug […]

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Innovative Very Light Rail system planned in Britain

Rendering of new transit system

Development work is nearing completion in central England for a prototype Very Light Rail system drawing on design and component expertise from the auto industry. The project aims to build an autonomous rail-based streetcar system in the British city of Coventry by 2024, which along with nearby Birmingham is one of the main centers of […]

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Member video: Garden railroad in Russia

Steam locomotive on a garden railway in Russia

Name: Ilya Krishtal Forum User Name: IlyaRussia Railroad Name: Toy garden railroad Location: Russia, Moscow region Scale: between H0 and G Theme: Garden railroad, made from a children`s toy layout. Description: I built this railroad for our small son, Krishtal Boris. Russia, Zhavoronki village, 30 km from Moscow. […]

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Member video: Garden railroad in Russia

Steam locomotive on a garden railway in Russia

Name: Ilya Krishtal Forum User Name: IlyaRussia Railroad Name: Toy garden railroad Location: Russia, Moscow region Scale: between H0 and G Theme: Garden railroad, made from a children`s toy layout. Description: I built this railroad for our small son, Krishtal Boris. Russia, Zhavoronki village, 30 km from Moscow. […]

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