The Rio Grande passenger train named Royal Gorge paused for 10 minutes of sightseeing at the bottom of the chasm in the 1960s. Here we see the train running in its namesake Colorado gorge. Photo by Bob Borcherding […]
‘Royal Gorge’
Tag: Passenger/Transit
News & Products for the week of September 15th 2025
News & Products for the week of September 15th 2025 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 September 15th, […]
NYC commuters safe — for now: LIRR strike postponed
NEW YORK — A strike of unionized Long Island Railroad workers has been averted, for now. Workers voted overwhelmingly Monday authorizing leaders to call a strike if a new contract agreement isn’t reached. The strike could have been called as early as Thursday, Sept. 18, under federal rules. Officials representing locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and […]
Sound Transit Faces $30B Shortfall: What It Means for Seattle
SEATTLE — At its Sept. 11 meeting, the Sound Transit board enacted principles designed to address the financial issues threatening the system and its projects around the Seattle region. Sound Transit is facing a long-term financial shortfall estimated to be somewhere between $20 and $30 billion, according to local news sources. The anticipated financial gap, […]
East Troy Industrial Park, Ep. 22 | Backfilling with foam and plaster
Host David Popp shows viewers how to build realistic scenery around the high embankments of the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout. In this instructional video, you’ll learn how to use foam board, packing peanuts, and plaster cloth to create a durable base for additional ground cover and fine scenery materials. It […]
Amtrak’s bold move: Tracksuits meet Acela travel
NEW YORK — Amtrak, looking to garner more publicity for the Aug. 28 launch of its new premium NextGen Acela fleet, has piggybacked a tracksuit promotion onto New York’s Fashion Week (Sept. 11-16). According to Amtrak: The most comfortable way to travel just got even more comfortable; as it is launching its first-ever line of […]
What’s next for Mardi Gras Service? Analysis
Second of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Although the Mardi Gras Service’s twice-daily departures are off to a good start, as outlined in Part 1 of this report, it appears more outreach along the route and attention to operating detail will be necessary to get the best results moving forward. Community engagement ‘For day-to-day onsite […]
Mardi Gras Service off to a solid start: Analysis (updated)
First of two parts NEW ORLEANS — Confetti cannons that showered Amtrak’s 10-car Mardi Gras Service inaugural special as it headed to Mobile, Ala., on Aug. 16, 2025, have moved on to other celebrations. Meanwhile, the twice-daily, New Orleans-Mobile round trips have proven that the day’s enthusiasm has survived the transition. The next tasks: completion […]
California legislature clears path for ballot measure to support Bay Area transit
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California legislature today (Sept. 13, 2025) passed a bill allowing a ballot measure for a sales tax in five Bay Area counties to help fund public transit in the area. SB 63, introduced by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin, would place the measure on the November 2026 ballot. It […]
Staten Island Railway now has full fleet of new railcars
NEW YORK — The Staten Island Railway has completed its conversion to a fleet of R211 subway cars, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced. In an event at St. George on Staten Island, MTA officials celebrated the fact the isolated 14-mile, 21-station segment of the New York City Transit rail system now has a full […]
WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car
WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $94.98 Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com WalthersProto HO heavyweight RPO-baggage car features: 30-foot postal apartment with mailbag stanchions, sorting cases, and more Based on prototypes in service from 1914 to 1970s Clear window glazing Detailed underbody with […]
Riding Amtrak’s Empire Builder
In August 2025, my wife and I planned a trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family and friends. While we frequently travel by air and rental car, and have taken shorter train trips in the U.S. and Europe, we’ve never done a long-distance rail experience. So, we decided to take Amtrak’s Empire Builder from […]
