OWOSSO, Mich. — The 2025 season for Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 was nothing short of eventful. The Berkshire-type locomotive, owned by the Steam Railroading Institute (SRI), was sidelined in late 2024, missing all of its North Pole Express excursions due to serious superheater concerns. [See “Pere Marquette No. 1225 sidelined…,” News Wire, Nov. 30, […]
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A new documentary about the Iowa Interstate Railroad marking the railroad’s 40th anniversary is now available at the company’s YouTube page. “Revival and Redemption: Iowa Interstate at 40” is a 34-minute feature looking at the railroad’s growth from startup in 1984 to its current regional role linking Iowa and Illinois with […]
GALESBURG, Ill. — The National Railroad Hall of Fame has selected the contractor to build its visitor center and expects to break ground on the project soon, with the goal of opening in 2027. Hein Construction of Peoria, Ill., was the unanimous choice of the hall’s board of directors, the Hall of Fame said in […]
GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. — The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has granted the Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission $1.3 million for restoration work on its narrow-gauge 2-8-2 No. 464, according to an M Live report. The locomotive, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Denver & Rio Grande in 1903, is one of two surviving […]
Follow David Popp, as he works to add essential scenery to the HO scale (1:87) East Troy Industrial Park project! Learn how to protect detailed strip wood with masking tape before pouring a custom passenger platform. And then explore helpful tips and tricks for applying Woodland Scenics Smooth-It, tinted with slate gray pigment to mimic asphalt. […]
Our host Gerry Leone continues working on his HO scale Bona Vista layout, transforming the upper deck with a brand-new water feature. See how he uses Shaper Sheets to protect against resin leaks, harvests real limestone for perfectly matched river rocks, and even overcomes a bit of a misstep using clear coat spray. Plus, you […]
Railroad engineers — or train drivers, as they are known to most of the world — are the focus of two of the articles in the latest installment of Trains.com’s occasional Recommended Reading feature. First up, we have this article from UK newspaper The Telegraph on a driver for the Caledonian Sleeper, the London-to-Scotland passenger […]
Three U.S. labor unions are requesting federal mediation in pay and benefits disputes with Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the labor organizations announced today (Feb. 12). Making the request are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen. They say CPKC workers on the […]
CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. — Metra SouthWest Service trains are back in operation today (Thursday, Feb. 12) following a Wednesday freight derailment that shut down the 15-round-trip-a-day operation between Chicago Union Station and Orland Park/Manhattan, Ill. In a social media post shortly after 5 a.m., the commuter operator said it had been informed its tracks would […]
GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Locomotive manufacturing newcomer Integral dx has completed its third unit for the U.S. military, a rear-cab switcher for the U.S. Air Force. The SWR18, a 130-ton, four-axle, 1,800-hp switcher, has been delivered to the Air Force at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., joining center-cab switchers delivered to the Navy in March 2025 […]
CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. — Metra has canceled all operations on its SouthWest Service today (Feb. 11, 2026) following a freight derailment this morning near its Chicago Ridge station. No injuries have been reported, and Chicago Ridge police say there is no danger to the public from the derailment. A Metra spokeswoman told the Chicago Sun-Times […]
Rivers and industries take center stage on the HO scale East Troy Industrial Park layout! This episode, David Popp dives into scenery by pouring a murky resin river for an authentic, deep-water appearance. You’ll also learn the math (I was told there would be no math) behind calculating resin volume for irregular shapes. Finally, we […]
