PUEBLO, Colo. — Dr. Rand Ghayad, the Association of American Railroads’ senior vice president of policy and economics, will be the keynote speaker at the 31st annual AAR Research Review, hosted by MxV Rail in Pueblo on April 28-30, 2026. Ghayad will open the conference by addressing policy and economic issues shaping the rail industry […]
CHICAGO — Metra will open an online merchandise store on Wednesday, Dec. 10, offering Metra-branded merchandise such as replica station signs, T-shirts and hoodies, and mugs and water bottles. It is the first time the commuter rail operator has offered such products for sale. “This new store is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen […]
SQUAMISH, British Columbia — The Railway Museum of British Columbia has received a $50,000 Heritage Legacy Fund grant from Heritage BC to assist with work on its car shop. The museum matched the grant, netting $100,000 for the project. The grant funds the reconstruction of the shop’s five rail doors. Each 14- by 22-foot door […]
WASHINGTON — Inadequate training methods contributed to a November 2024 incident on the Coastal Carolina Railway in which a conductor suffered amputation of his left leg after being struck by a railcar in a gravity-drop move, the National Transportation Safety Board said its final investigation report released today (Dec. 8, 2025). The Nov. 19, 2024, […]
News & Products for the week of December 8th 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 December 8th, 2025. […]
Milwaukee and model railroading share deep, historic ties. Model Railroader Magazine, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., and the National Model Railroad Association all had their humble beginnings in the beer city. This rich heritage has fostered a healthy and diverse group of model railroad clubs throughout Southeast Wisconsin that are still active today. Finding these clubs […]
PECOS, Texas — The heavy haul trucking company whose rig was stopped on a grade crossing and struck by a Union Pacific Z-train a year ago, killing the train crew, has filed a lawsuit against the railroad. The countersuit, filed last week by Boss Heavy Haul and Optimized Process Designs in Reeves County District Court […]
It isn’t much of a stretch to proclaim the 2-8-4 Berkshire-type steam locomotive as the “poster child” of the Super Power era of steam locomotives. “Berkshire,” “Kanawha,” “Big Emma” — regardless of what they were called, the wheel configuration helped advance steam technology through size, speed, and power. The development of the Berkshire all started […]
Last week, CPKC took delivery of its 100th Tier 4 @WabtecCorp Evolution Series diesel electric locomotive, unit number CP 7549, as part of a multi-year investment in American manufactured locomotive power. These locomotives, being built in Fort Worth, Texas, already are in… pic.twitter.com/O9zRUzaS8A — CPKC (@CPKCrail) December 8, 2025 CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas […]
Amtrak should be asking itself a $7 billion question about the future of its long-distance trains. Should it spend that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law windfall on nearly 600 new bilevel cars that would replace aging Superliner equipment — and continue with a problematic procurement process? Or would that money be better spent on a national single-level […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Marty Thomas has been named president of TTX Co., the railcar pooling company announced today (Dec. 8, 2025). The promotion is effective immediately. Thomas will assume day-to-day leadership of TTX, reporting directly to CEO Tom Wells. Thomas joined TTX in November 2024 as executive vice president, overseeing supply chain, information technology, finance, […]
RACINE, Wis. — A new agency leading a revived and revised effort to develop passenger rail service between Kenosha, Wis., and Milwaukee has been launched. The Milwaukee Area-Racine-Kenosha (MARK) Passenger Rail Commission held its first meeting last week in Racine. The commission met Dec. 5 at Racine City Hall, the Racine County Eye reports, adopting […]
