Tour the HO scale (1:87.1) Chicago, Peoria & Western, John Brennan’s masterfully designed model railroad depicting the flatlands of Illinois in September 1940. Housed in a dedicated 35 x 45-foot building, this expansive walk-in empire features a 230-foot mainline modeled after the CB&Q, EJ&E, and Illinois Central. The open-grid benchwork supports meticulously handlaid code 70 […]
MEMPHIS — Three passengers were injured on Sunday (Feb. 22) in a low-speed collision between Amtrak’s City of New Orleans and a Canadian National freight train. Amtrak said in a statement that the incident occurred about 11 a.m. in New South Memphis, Tenn., when southbound train No. 59, which was stopped, was “contacted by a […]
NEW YORK — Amtrak is making “service adjustments” today (Sunday, Feb. 22) and Monday, Feb. 23, because of dangerous weather conditions, the passenger railroad said on Saturday. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NJ Transit, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and CTRail’s Hartford Line and Shore Line East have also announced service changes. More than 50 […]
WASHINGTON — Federal Railroad Administration officials have briefed the Rail Passengers Association on a plan that would recast Amtrak as a holding company that would oversee separate entities responsible for operations, equipment management and leasing, and infrastructure and construction. According to a statement on the RPA website, there are only cursory details of how the […]
COLMA, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation providing a $590 million loan to transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area, avoiding service cuts until a ballot initiative can go to voters. The money provided under AB 117 will go to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the agency coordinating transit funding and planning […]
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments has approved plans to help fund expanded Pacific Surfliner passenger service, which would create a rail commuting option for Ventura County residents working in the Santa Barbara area. The new service could begin in late April or early May. At its Feb. 19 meeting, […]
TRUCKEE, Calif.— The eastbound California Zephyr arrived in Truckee today (Feb. 20) just after 1 a.m. Pacific Time, 11 hours late. But it won the battle against massive snowdrifts that had shut down parallel Interstate 80 through the Sierra Nevadas. Televised news reports like this one described multiple I-80 closures throughout a week that saw […]
MONTREAL — Shortened consists resulting from a Jan. 11 accident involving VIA Rail Canada’s triweekly Ocean continue to limit capacity even though the Montreal-Halifax, Nova Scotia, train resumed operation on Jan. 30. Meanwhile, 1950s-vintage Rail Diesel Cars serving remote Ontario communities between Sudbury and White River on CPKC’s main line are finally set to return […]
KEARNY, N.J. — Work is about 25% complete on the cutover of the first track of the new Portal North Bridge, Amtrak and NJ Transit officials said at a Thursday news conference at the construction site. “We’re on track and on schedule,” Jason Hoover, Amtrak assistant vice president, major programs-bridges, said, according to a NorthJersey.com […]
For many years Hobbyshop Window was a popular department in the pages of Model Railroader magazine. We’re excited to bring it back as an occasional feature on Trains.com. Here’s a recap of some of the items that arrived at our offices for the week ending February 20th 2026. Keep up to date on the latest […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — The Reading & Northern has announced its 2026 schedule of mainline excursions to Jim Thorpe, Pa., featuring operations from Pittston and Reading, Pa. Trains will run Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 20, as well as St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. The railroad will also offer its […]
AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin agency overseeing the city’s planned light rail network has selected the construction contractor for the project. The selection of Austin Rail Constructors, a joint venture of firms Stacy Witbeck and Sundt Construction, was approved on Wednesday (Feb. 18) by the board of the Austin Transit Partnership, the local government corporation […]
