PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has asked the Federal Railroad Administration for more time to complete inspections of its Silverliner IV car fleet, a SEPTA spokesman said today (Oct. 29, 2025). Public broadcaster WHYY reports that the SEPTA has asked for an additional two weeks to complete the inspections of the 223 Silverliner […]
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Transit Authority has doubled its order for new Stadler light rail vehicles, exercising an option for 20 of the company’s Citylink trainsets. The original order for 20 of the light rail vehicles — the first Stadler light rail equipment to be ordered in the U.S. — was placed last […]
News & Products for the week of October 27th 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 October 27th, […]
Athearn Genesis HO GATC tank car Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: $54.99 Era: 1970s+ to 1990+ (varies based on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Athearn Trains, 2904 Research Rd., Champaign, IL 61822; 800-338-4639; athearn.com Athearn Genesis HO GATC tank car features: 70- or 100-ton screw-mounted, roller-bearing trucks with rotating bearing caps Based on 20,000-gallon prototype Body-mounted McHenry double-shelf […]
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday said the Federal Railroad Administration could order the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to remove unrepaired Silverliner IV cars from service if SEPTA does not meet the FRA’s 30-day deadline for addressing issues with the cars. Duffy, in an Oct. 23 letter to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, […]
BOSTON — Improvements to the rapid transit Green Line, a new commuter rail layover facility, and new locomotives are among the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority projects that will benefit from $850 million in state funding under an Interdepartmental Service Agreement approved by both the MBTA board and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board of directors. […]
BERLIN — InnoTrans, the biennial event that is the world’s largest transportation trade fair, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026 with a fully booked display area, organizer Messe Berlin has announced. Almost a year ahead of the 15th InnoTrans, set for Sept. 22-25, 2026, all of the more than 200,000 square meters of display […]
Rapido N Southern Pacific 3/4 dome lounge Scale: N (1:160) Price: $89.95 Manufacturer: Rapido Trains, 382 High St, Buffalo, NY 14204; 905-474-3314; rapidotrains.com Rapido N Southern Pacific 3/4 dome lounge features: Body-mounted magnetic knuckle couplers Designed from original blueprints and field measurements of existing cars End doors with porthole windows Flicker-free, track-powered lighting (compatible with […]
CHICAGO — Its trials completed at the Federal Railroad Administration’s Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., Amtrak’s first Siemens Airo trainset is now headed east to the company’s Philadelphia coach yard, where it will be based for Northeast Corridor testing and commissioning. That trip included a stop in Chicago today (Oct. 22, 2025). The train […]
LONDON — Eurostar, operator of the high speed passenger service between London and Europe via the Channel Tunnel, will spend €2 billion ($2.32 billion) on a fleet of up to 50 new double-decker trains to be built by Alstom. The agreement announced today (Oct. 22, 2025) includes a confirmed order for 30 trains, with an […]
News & Products for the week of October 20th 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 October 20th, […]
The Burlington Northern RR began operations in March 1970, the product of a merger between the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; Great Northern; Northern Pacific; and Spokane, Portland & Seattle. It was also the railroad I grew up with in Crookston, Minn., my hometown in northwest Minnesota. For many years, I’ve been researching the early years […]
