Fourteenth person dies from Mexican derailment

Aerial view of passenger train derailment

OAXACA, Mexico — A 73-year-old woman died Thursday (Jan. 1) from injuries suffered in Sunday’s derailment of the Interoceanic Train, the Mexican Navy announced, raising the accident’s death toll to 14. The Dec. 28 derailment on the trans-isthmus service between Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos saw one locomotive and four cars of the northbound train derail, […]

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Proposed schedule released for return of Canada’s Northlander

Side-view illustration of blue and yellow passenger locomotive

NORTH BAY, Ontario — In another step toward restoration of Northlander passenger service, Ontario Northland has released a proposed timetable for the train, expected to resume this year. The timetable released in December calls for 10 hour, 40-minute service on the approximately 740-kilometer (460-mile) route between Toronto and Timmins, Ont. The trains will serve 13 […]

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U.S. weekly rail traffic shows small gain to conclude 2025

Weekly table showing U.S. rail volume by commodity type, plus overall intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail volume eked out a small gain over 2024 levels in the final full week of 2025, ending a nine-week string of declines compared to the prior year. According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 392,295 carloads and intermodal units — well below the weekly […]

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Reading & Northern again hits 1-million ton mark in coal shipments (updated)

Close view of Reading & Northern hopper car

PORT CLINTON, Pa. — Reading & Northern Railroad has shipped more than 1 million tons of anthracite coal for the third straight year, the company announced on Dec. 31. That figure came despite a downturn in export volume, the railroad said in a press release, thanks to the domestic market that mainly supports U.S. steel […]

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Classic Toy Trains new products for January 2026

dark blue model boxcar

Locomotives & rolling stock Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205, offers an O gauge Gunderson 60’ Hy-Cube Boxcar as part of the Master series. The boxcar features several roadnames and O-54 operation. Expected delivery in third quarter of 2026. Price: $109.95. Website: shop.atlasrr.com MTH Electric Trains, 7393 Washington Blvd. Ste. […]

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Trains’ top stories of the year, 2018-2025

Black locomotive with train with yellow locomotives in background

As 2026 begins, and with Trains’ top railroading story of 2025 announced on the final day of the just-completed year, we today a look back at the top stories in our previous annual countdowns. This year’s pick, the planned Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, was a rare unanimous choice among our voters. And while it’s impossible to […]

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News photo: Last train on the Central New England Railroad

Green locomotive passes black locomotive at small railroad yard

EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — After 30 years of operation on 14 miles of state-owned former New Haven Railroad track, Central New England Railroad operated its last train on the final day of 2025, as Genesee & Wyoming’s Connecticut Southern prepared to take over the line on Jan. 1, 2026. GP9 No. 3760 moved a single […]

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Channel Tunnel service resumes, but delays, cancellations linger

LONDON — Rail service has resumed through the Channel Tunnel after a Tuesday shutdown, but delays continue today (Dec. 31) for trains packed with delayed travelers. The UK newspaper The Independent reports 30 Eurostar trains were cancelled Tuesday, and at least one that did operate arrived in Paris some 12 hours behind schedule. In all, […]

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The Five Days Around Christmas | Day 5 – Airbrush Weathering

On the final day of 2025 and the Trains.com seasonal mini-series, David Popp transforms the Alturas & Lone Pine boxcar from a pristine model into a grimy road warrior. Using three colors and a double-action airbrush, David demonstrates how to achieve realistic weathering in under an hour. Join David as he shares expert techniques, from […]

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Light rail collision with pickup in Phoenix sends four on train to hospital, kills vehicle driver

Logo of Valley Metro Transit, Phoenix

PHOENIX — A collision between a pickup truck and Valley Metro light rail vehicle has killed the driver of the truck and critically injured two people aboard the train. Four people aboard the train were hospitalized. The accident occurred about 5 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 30, 2025) at the intersection of Central Avenue and Indian School […]

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Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern outline yard and terminal expansion projects

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern say their yard and terminal capacity expansion plans will help ensure that the combined railroad can handle an anticipated traffic surge within three years of their merger. The transcontinental combination, if approved, will lead to 11% volume growth compared to 2023, the railroads say in their merger […]

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Trains’ top stories of 2025: No. 1, the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger

Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern — an $85 billion deal that would create the first U.S. transcontinental system and potentially lead to additional consolidation among the Class I railroads — is Trains’ top story of 2025. The deal was hardly a surprise when it was announced on July 29. Rumors had been swirling […]

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