CPKC announces schedule, performers for 2024 Holiday Train

Locomotive and railroad cars decorated with holiday lights

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has released the schedule and list of performers for the annual CPKC Holiday Train, which begins its tours through the U.S. and Canada on Nov. 20. The railroad’s holiday train will also continue to include the Holiday Express, originated by Kansas City Southern, which will make a 13-stop […]

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New equipment debuts on Staten Island Railway

Staten Island Railway train with "Inaugural ride" sign on nose

NEW YORK — The first new railcars for the Staten Island Railway in more than 50 years entered service on Tuesday, Oct. 8, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority organizing a “first run” event to note the occasion. The cars entering service Tuesday are among 75 R211S cars specifically for Staten Island, part of a larger […]

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EBT reopens more track; chairman confirms full-restoration goal

Steam engine with train on curve next to park

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa.— As East Broad Top trains last weekend christened 1.3  miles of restored mainline track that had lain dormant since 1956, EBT Foundation Chairman Henry Posner reiterated the nonprofit group’s resolve to rebuild the tourist line another 18 miles up to the coal-mining region that gave the narrow gauge line its reason for […]

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Recalling a Vermont railfan event

green and yellow locomotive in front of covered bridge

Vermont railfan event About 80 “train catchers” boarded coaches behind Rutland No. 405 that Saturday. Some carried cameras, some notebooks, some with a buddy, some came alone. What did all of us have in common? Trains. I call us “train catchers” because like dream catchers, we anticipate a safe journey provided by our engine. We […]

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How Amtrak’s long-distance capacity affects pricing: Analysis

Train kicking up dust near sunset

WASHINGTON — It’s more expensive than ever to get into a bedroom or roomette on Amtrak’s overnight long-distance trains — if the accommodations are available at all on the preferred travel date. Coach passengers also endure high prices and sellouts when their destination is served by a once-daily, limited-capacity train that has an especially busy […]

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News photo: A first at East Broad Top

Steam engine and train in evening light

ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — A Friends of East Broad Top special on Saturday, Oct. 5, became the first train to operate on a section of newly restored main line trackage to the south of the railroad’s Rockhill Furnace headquarters. About 200 people were on board the six-car train that ran Saturday evening after the end […]

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News photo: NJ Transit’s newest heritage unit

Blue diesel locomotive with white lettering

KEARNY, N.J. — NJ Transit has unveiled the newest member of its heritage locomotive fleet. On Saturday, Oct. 5, the agency posted a photo of GP40PH-2B No. 4208 on social media, freshly painted in Conrail blue. In posts on X.com, NJ Transit explained that Conrail was the immediate corporate predecessor to NJ Transit Rail Operations, […]

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Amtrak breaks ground on new Philadelphia maintenance facility

Aerial view of rail yard showing planned new construction

PHILADELPHIA — Amtrak broke ground Friday to mark construction of its new heavy maintenance facility at Philadelphia’s Penn Coach Yard, a $462 million project slated for completion in 2027. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose, and Samantha Silverberg, White House deputy assistant to the President for infrastructure, were among those on […]

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Port strike ends on third day (updated)

The strike by dockworkers that shut down East Coast ports came to an end today (Thursday, Oct. 3) when the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance announced they had come to a tentative agreement on wages and an extension of the master contract. The agreement ended the strike on its third day. […]

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The HO scale Pennsylvania RR Apple Gap layout

A model railroad tracplan with a man standing at the layout at its bottom left corner

Facts and features Name: Pennsylvania RR Scale: HO (1:87)Size: 6′-8″ x 12′-6″Prototype: freelanced, inspired by PRRLocale: northeastern PennsylvaniaEra: changeable between 1870-1915, 1916-1942, and 1943-1959Style: island Mainline run: 31 feetMinimum radius: 36.5″Minimum turnout: No. 6Maximum grade: none (flat)Benchwork: tabletopHeight: 511⁄2“Roadbed: corkTrack: Micro Engineering flexible code 83Scenery: foam board and Kingspan underlayment on 3 ⁄4” medium density […]

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MBTA Green Line resumes operation after Tuesday derailment (updated)

Aerial view of derailed light rail trainset

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Service resumed late this morning (Thursday, Oct. 3) after a day and a half of shuttle-bus substitutions on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Green Line in the wake of Tuesday’s derailment of a Green Line train near Lechmere station in Cambridge. On Wednesday, the MBTA had said it was “unclear” when service […]

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