Amtrak’s Winter Park Express ski train expands dates, route

Passenger train in snow with people waiting to board

DENVER — Following several years of growing ridership and sold-out trains on many weekends, this ski season’s version of Amtrak’s Winter Park Express will advance its previous January debut into December, and then will operate five days per week beginning Jan. 9. The train will operate Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on Dec. 20-22, Dec. 27-29, […]

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FRA slows Class I railroad implementation of improved track and train inspections

WASHINGTON – In the wake of the disastrous hazardous materials derailment last year in East Palestine, Ohio, the Federal Railroad Administration has repeatedly said it’s doing everything it can to improve rail safety. Yet under Administrator Amit Bose the FRA has stymied Class I railroad efforts to combine automated track and equipment inspections with traditional […]

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Ask Trains.com November 2024 compilation

Ask Trains.com November 2024 compilation | This month, Host Cody Grivno addresses your questions about model railroading and 1:1 scale railroading too! Topics range from identifying buffer service cars; decoding a particular marking commonly found on a caboose; selecting the optimal adhesive for use with foam insulation board; plus a wide array of other modeling […]

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Full-court press continues on trespassing, safety near tracks

Commuter locomotive with information on blue grade-crossing signs

CHICAGO — Operation Lifesaver’s “See Tracks-Think Train!” nationwide information blitz during the last week of September was the latest attempt to heighten public awareness of inherent dangers around railroad property. A recent symposium sponsored by the Chicago-area DuPage Railroad Safety Council took that initiative a step further, featuring presenters who discussed the scope of recent […]

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BNSF reports higher profits as volume grows and costs fall

Low-angle view of orange locomotives with train of containers

OMAHA, Neb. — BNSF Railway’s profits, revenue, and volume all increased for the third quarter, thanks to surging intermodal and agricultural shipments. BNSF’s parent, Berkshire Hathaway, reported on Saturday that the railroad’s quarterly operating income increased 13.4%, to $2 billion, as revenue grew 2.8%, to $5.9 billion. Expenses declined 2% for the quarter. The railway’s […]

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Metro-North introduces Siemens dual-mode locomotives

Three-quarters view of blue and silver passenger locomotive

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday introduced the first of its newest locomotive for Metro-North Railroad, a dual-power variant of the Siemens Charger. Siemens SC42-DM locomotives Nos. 301 and 302, the first of 33 units, were unveiled in a ceremony at the Harmon Shops in Croton-on-Harmon. The locomotives feature a 4,200-hp diesel […]

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Norfolk Southern files for abandonment of Saluda Grade

Map of rail line in North and South Carolina

  WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern has filed a notice to abandon 31.3 miles of the long-inactive Saluda Grade in North and South Carolina, a prelude to previously announced plans to sell that section of the route to a consortium of groups who plan to create a biking and hiking trail. The abandonment would be effective […]

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Consultants hired for scoping of Eau Claire-Twin Cities passenger rail proposal

Map of rail line between Eau Claire, Wis., and Minneapolis-St. Paul

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission has hired a consultant team led by HDR Engineering and including HNTB Corp. to carry out the scoping work for proposed Eau Claire-Twin Cities passenger rail service. The scoping work is the first phase in development of a new route under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor […]

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Miami-Aventura commuter rail project advances to engineering phase

Train at station in area with construction

MIAMI — The Federal Transit Administration has advanced the proposed commuter rail service between Miami and Aventura, Fla., into the engineering phase, and has made a preliminary commitment to provide $389.5 million in funding for the project, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Miami) announced this week. Wilson said in a press release that the FTA announcement […]

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Trains.com Insider Exclusive | Interview with Scott Griggs, Founder of Trainz.com

Peer in, as Trains.com staffer Lucas Iverson converses with Scott Griggs, Founder and Chief Engineer of Trainz.com. Scott was kind enough to carve time out of his frenetic fall 2024 calendar to drop into this exclusive Q&A interview via remote video feed. Throughout this extensive interview (edited), you’ll glean behind-the-scenes insights into the past, present, […]

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