Among the delights of railroad travel is departing and arriving at great stations. I have more than a few favorite stations, so I’ll limit today’s essay to active stations served by regularly scheduled trains. This excludes favorites that are gone but not forgotten, such as Philadelphia’s magnificent Broad Street Station; station buildings that survive but […]
Even though track wiring is in place, our hosts still need to install a Digital Command Control (DCC) system before trains will run on the HO scale (1:87.1) East Troy Industrial Park project layout! David and Bryson first examine the components of the NCE PH5R Power Pro DCC system before working to integrate the parts […]
WASHINGTON — Although the Trump Administration’s budget for fiscal 2026 provided little rationale for boosting Amtrak’s National Network funding by almost 23% while decreasing Northeast Corridor money by 25.5%, the proposal provides insight for Congress and company leadership on what their priorities should be. The recent release of budget details [see “Trump budget calls for […]
CHESTERTON, Ind. — The start of service on South Shore Line’s new West Lake Corridor, the 9-mile spur between Hammond and Dyer, Ind., has slipped back further, and now is not likely until at least the end of this year, General Manager Mike Noland said in a recent message to riders. The message on the […]
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Construction of the long-discussed, much-debated rail line to Santa Cruz using a former Southern Pacific branch line could cost up to $4.3 billion, according to a document released Friday (June 6, 2025). The draft version of the executive summary of an upcoming report on the project, known as the Zero Emission […]
The latest edition of News Wire Recommended Reading ranges around the world, looking at everything from a new rail line in India to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s long, strange trip to replacing some of its rapid transit equipment. — The New York Times provides a look at India’s new rail line to Kashmir, which […]
LOS ANGELES — Direct rail service to and from Los Angeles International Airport is a step closer to reality after the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center on Friday, June 6. The long-awaited bus and light rail terminal, east of the airport will eventually provide connection to an automated people mover system serving airport terminals. […]
NEW YORK — Four Long Island Rail Road employees at the Hillside Maintenance Complex in Queens have been disciplined for timekeeping abuse discovered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Office of Inspector General, Inspector General Daniel G. Cort announced. Three of the employees were suspended for periods ranging from 120 days to nine months, while a […]
FALL RIVER, Mass. — Residents voiced complaints about unreliable service and noise from idling trains on Thursday at a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority public meeting about early issues with the South Coast Rail service that debuted in March. The Fall River Herald News reports that about 100 people were on hand for a meeting with […]
NEWARK, N.J. — NJ Transit is beginning the process of building a new rail maintenance-of-way equipment facility in Clifton, N.J., preparing a Request for Qualifications this month, pending approval from the state comptroller’s office. The Request for Qualifications for Special Prequalification will be the initial step in a two-phase procurement process to select a team […]
The Rio Grande’s Tennessee Pass line traversed Colorado’s Royal Gorge west of Pueblo on the road’s route to Utah. Here, the Royal Gorge passenger train with an Alco PA for power pauses for its customary sightseeing stop in its namesake. W. A. Peters photo […]
WASHINGTON — Metra’s request to the Surface Transportation Board for terminal trackage rights in the Chicago area is an effort to maintain below-market rates for access to the Union Pacific system, UP says in a filing responding to Metra’s initial arguments to support that request. Such a financial dispute “is not the board’s problem,” UP […]
