Dispute between NJ Transit, engineers goes to second Presidential Emergency Board

Commuter train approaching station

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has formed a second Presidential Emergency Board to address the dispute between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. The three members of the board were announced by the White House on Nov. 21. The board now has 60 days to produce a report selecting the offer […]

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MBTA removes last slow orders on Red Line

Subway station with crews working on track and platform

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s recent maintenance shutdown of a portion of the Red Line has cleared the route of slow orders for the first time in at least 20 years, the MBTA says. The work between the Harvard and Broadway stations Nov. 17-23, and between Harvard and JFK/UMass on Nov. 24, allowed […]

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MBTA says new Orange, Red Line cars are now exceeding requirements

Rapid transit train operates on open-air track with city skyline in distance

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s issues with new rapid-transit equipment built by China’s CRRC have eased, CEO Phillip Eng said last week, with the equipment now arriving on the revised schedule developed earlier this year and performing reliably. “Just last month was the first month they were required to deliver three married pairs, […]

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MBTA orders more bilevel commuter cars

Silver bilevel coaches with purple coaches at station

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board has voted to purchase 39 more bilevel commuter railcars from Hyundai Rotem, bringing to 163 the total number in service or on order. State House News Service reports the board voted Thursday, Nov. 21, to exercise a $165 million option for the additional cars. The MBTA originally […]

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Pennsylvania governor’s move averts SEPTA fare increase, service cuts

SEPTA train near sunset with Philadelphia skyline in background

  PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced he would transfer $153 million in federal highway funds to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, a move he said would avert “critically damaging service cuts and fare increases ahead of our next state budget.” In a Friday, Nov. 22, announcement, Shapiro noted recent highway-repair efforts before saying, […]

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New York congestion pricing plan gets federal approval

Map of Lower Manhattan

NEW YORK — New York’s congestion tolling plan has received federal approval, meaning the toll of $9 for most drivers entering lower Manhattan will take effect Jan. 5, 2025. The program, with goals of reducing traffic below 60th Street and funding Metropolitan Transportation Authority capital programs, was approved by the Federal Highway Administration on Friday, […]

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Amtrak restores most Empire Service through March 2

Train at large station with covered walkways

NEW YORK — Amtrak has agreed to restore most of the Empire Service between New York City and upstate New York through March 2 following requests from Gov. Kathy Hochul and part of the state’s congressional delegation, the passenger operator has announced. Beginning Dec. 2, the Adirondack and Maple Leaf will again operate as separate […]

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Alstom, Norfolk Southern awarded CRISI grant for battery-diesel locomotive project

Alstom logo

KANONA, N.Y. — Alstom and Norfolk Southern are collaborating on a project that converts two locomotives from traditional diesel engines into battery-powered hybrid locomotives that rely on a smaller Tier 4 diesel engine for battery charging. The project is made possible by a $15.9 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and […]

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MBTA introduces new mobile app for riders

Screenshot of transit app in Apple Store

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has released a new mobile app, MBTA Go, to provide real-time information on all fixed-route train and bus services and improve communications with riders, the agency announced. The initial release is only available for Apple iPhones; release of a version for Android devices is anticipated in February 2025. […]

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Built by Others: Dustin Whitten’s Norfolk & Western South Branch

A model railroad layout with lush green sceneery and an industrial line in the center of the image running from top left to bottom right

Built by Others is an article series showcasing layouts constructed by modelers using plans and projects from the pages of Model Railroader and its associated products. The Virginian project layout first appeared in the pages of Model Railroader in January of 2012. Dustin Whitten’s Norfolk & Western South Branch layout took inspiration from this project […]

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LCCA sets dates for 2025 convention

round logo with locomotive in the middle

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) will be celebrating their 55th anniversary at their annual convention set for July 21-26th in the historic railroad town of Scranton, Penn. The tours will include the famous Steamtown and the Electric City Trolley Museum just to mention two.  Convention activities will include multiple running train layouts, seminars, […]

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