U.S. Sugar steam photo charter set for Jan. 17-18

CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar’s Sugar Express will host a two-day photo charter in January featuring steam locomotive No. 148 in a recreation of 1950s-era railroading. The event on Jan. 17-18, 2026, will feature No. 148 — the Alco 4-6-2 built for Florida East Coast in 1920 and sold to U.S. Sugar in 1952 — […]

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Union Pacific to ensure job security of National Conference of Firemen and Oilers members in event of merger

Logo of National Conference of Firemen and Oilers

OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has announced an agreement with the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers to ensure job security for members of the union if UP’s proposed merger with Norfolk Southern is approved. The agreement announced today (Nov. 10, 2025) commits that hundreds of NCFO members employed at the time of the merger […]

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News & Products for the week of November 10th 2025

An orange and black model locomotive

News & Products for the week of November 10th 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 November 10th, […]

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News photos: Metro-North introduces locomotive honoring veterans (updated)

Red, white, and blue locomotive with labels for all branches of U.S. Armed Forces

NORTH WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.  — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad has introduced the eighth in its series of heritage locomotives, wrapping P32AC-DM No. 216 to honor U.S. veterans. The locomotive will be on display at Grand Central Terminal on Tuesday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day — and Wednesday, Nov. 12. It will enter service […]

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SEPTA Regional Rail cancellations increase as Silverliner inspections continue

Electric multiple-unit railcars in shop building

PHILADELPHIA — The ongoing inspection process for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s fleet of Silverliner IV electrical multiple-unit cars has led to a significant increase in train cancellations as of today (Nov. 10, 2025). A SEPTA message posted on Sunday says Regional Rail service is “running with extremely limited vehicle availability” because of the inspections, […]

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News photo: Norfolk Southern debuts new locomotives for executive train

Tuscan red and black diesels with office car train

CLEVELAND — Norfolk Southern has introduced a pair of specially painted SD70ACe locomotives for use on its executive train with a unique design blending Norfolk & Western Tuscan Red — matching the office cars — with the standard NS black-and-white scheme. Locomotives 1230 and 1231 are shown on their first trip on Sunday, Nov. 9, […]

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Five model railroad painting hacks

Color photo showing HO scale 1950s farm tractor painted red with driver figure wearing bib overalls and the bristles of a paintbrush touching the left rear tire.

Painting is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, though I guess that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. My father and grandfather were auto body repairmen, so painting (albeit on vehicles, not model trains) has been a part of my life from an early age. I started airbrushing model trains in my early […]

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The astonishing 5-week transformation of No. 331

1800s replica steam locomotive in rail yard. The astonishing 5-week transformation of No. 331.

Horneman Enterprises, an engineering firm specializing in rail equipment restoration, has rebuilt 4-4-0 Harrisburg, Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad No. 331 — formerly No. 63 Leviathan — from a completely torn down to the boiler, to operational in 5 weeks. The rebuild completed the locomotive’s FRA 1,472 day inspection, which was accomplished over the course of […]

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CTA plans 24-hour rail service to Midway Airport thanks to new funding

Map of Chicago Transit Authority rail system

CHICAGO — The Chicago Transit Authority will add 24-hour service on a third rail line and look to increase frequencies across its rail system, the CTA’s acting president said this week in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. Acting President Nora Leerhsen told the newspaper the agency is looking to turn the Orange Line — […]

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Mexico begins work on passenger line to Nuevo Laredo

Map showing planned passenger rail projects in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday (Nov. 7) announced the start of the country’s latest major rail project, the Gulf of Mexico Train, a planned passenger route linking Nuevo Laredo at the U.S. border to the cities of Saltillo and Monterrey. Groundbreaking was held Friday in Nuevo Laredo for the first phase […]

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