Campaigning to preserve the route of the Southwest Chief

FULL SCREEN Bob Johnston A 120-car BNSF empty coal train slinks west through a 30-mph speed restriction 10 miles east of Syracuse, Kan., on July 13. Once a raceway for the Super Chief and other streamliners, the Kansas portion of the line was downgraded under the current operating contract to 60 mph maximum passenger speeds […]

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Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 14 – Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry

A wide angle shot of model trains in an indoor layout.

Host Drew Halverson heads trackside again, but this time from a slightly different perspective aboard Amtrak and Metra intercity trains. His trek from Milwaukee, Wis., routes him to Chicago’s historic Union Station to the downtown lakefront to the Museum of Science and Industry, featuring The Great Train Story, a magnificent HO scale layout, and a […]

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Drew’s Trackside Adventures: Episode 14 – Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry

A wide angle shot of model trains in an indoor layout.

Host Drew Halverson heads trackside again, but this time from a slightly different perspective aboard Amtrak and Metra intercity trains. His trek from Milwaukee, Wis., routes him to Chicago’s historic Union Station to the downtown lakefront to the Museum of Science and Industry, featuring The Great Train Story, a magnificent HO scale layout, and a […]

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Amtrak crew districts

Screen Shot 20140514 at 100137 AM

At the beginning of February 2006, the company had 56 active “T & E” (train and engine) crew bases at 53 locations, where conductors and engineers reported to work, ready to handle from 233 to 286 daily departures. (New York, Washington, and Harrisburg, Pa., have two districts originating from one base.) That year, Amtrak closed […]

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Photo gallery: Amtrak’s Michigan Line track improvements

FULL SCREEN Ties await installation on the unused brick platform at Chelsea, Mich., east of Jackson. FULL SCREEN A Norfolk Southern tie gang finishes up for the day east of Chelsea. FULL SCREEN One mile further east, a tamper pushes gravel under and around newly installed ties at Chelsea, Mich. FULL SCREEN A laser beam […]

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Amtrak ‘Crescent’ to be canceled on select dates this winter NEWSWIRE

ATLANTA – Service will be canceled on Amtrak’s Crescent route between Atlanta and New Orleans will be canceled on select dates between Jan. 6 and Feb. 6. The cancellations are due to track work being performed by Norfolk Southern. Train Nos. 19 and 20 normally operate between New York and New Orleans. Service will be […]

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