WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration has announced the availability of approximately $686 million in grant funding to modernize rail transit stations. Today’s announcement includes funding from the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years allocated under the Infrastructure and Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. That bill set aside $350 million each fiscal year between 2022 […]
AHOSKIE, N.C. — Genesee & Wyoming’s North Carolina & Virginia Railroad will service a new specialty steel manufacturing facility in Cofield, N.C., the company announced today. Once operational, the $785 million plant for US Forged Rings will manufacture forged rings, tubular components, and large-scale steel fabrications for use in construction, power generation, oil and gas, […]
News & Products for the week of March 2nd 2026 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 updates. The following are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of March 2nd […]
Last week, CTT posted an announcement that Round 2 intends to purchase Lionel LLC. Lionel is 126 years old and as an icon in the hobby, hobbyists have questions and concerns about its future. I’ve put together some commentary on what might happen, given what I know about both brands. I’d love your input; please […]
BOSTON — The third of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s three heritage locomotives, this one honoring the New York Central, has entered service today (Monday, March 2). The three locomotives, honoring predecessors to today’s MBTA commuter rail service, are the last three F40PH-3C units in a group of 37 to be overhauled. The heritage units […]
Ever since the return of MTH’s Premier Norfolk & Western J-class 4-8-4s in 2025, it was obvious that the 70’ streamlined passenger cars wouldn’t be far behind. The product announcement was made in November 2024, with the cars arriving in late 2025. They were offered in four-, two-, and single-car sets. This review focuses on […]
NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called for reviving a plan to build housing over Sunnyside Yard in Queens, the mostly Amtrak-owned facility that handles equipment for the national passenger carrier, NJ Transit, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Mamdani met last week with President Donald Trump and said Trump indicated support for the idea. […]
CLEVELAND — American Steam Railroad Preservation Association has completed a two-day steam test on American Freedom Train No. 250, with a Federal Railroad Administration inspector noting no issues during the test Feb. 26-27. The satisfactory test will allow ASR to complete the $2 million restoration to operation for the locomotive built by Reading Co. as […]
OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway needs to close the operating-ratio gap with the other Class I railroads, new Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel said on Saturday in his first annual letter to shareholders. BNSF continues to perform well from a safety standpoint and has improved its efficiency and service, Abel wrote. “In 2025, shipments spent […]
Track maintenance projects requiring Amtrak cancellations or rescheduling are currently taking place or are forthcoming in the Southeast and West. Meanwhile, several long-distance trains continue to encounter a variety of problems as weather challenges subside. Southern California Most intercity and commuter trains traveling between San Diego and San Luis Obispo, Calif., will not operate next […]
Locomotives & rolling stock MTH Electric Trains, 7393 Washington Blvd. Ste. 101, Elkridge, MD 21075, is offering O Scale SD40T-2 Diesel Locomotive as part of the Premier line. The engines will be available in seven roadnames, feature prototypical cab numbers, and have O-42 operation (20-22123 shown). Expected delivery in May 2026. Price: Website: mthtrains.com Mr. […]
OTTAWA, Ontario — VIA Rail Canada needs to improve service and to address some managerial practices, the Auditor General of Canada says in a report issued Friday (Feb. 27). But an audit generally found the company to be well run. The audit report’s assessment of VIA operations notes that the company owns just 3% of […]
