The Fairplex Garden Railroad in Pomona, California is located in the middle of the Los Angeles County fairgrounds. The 100′ x 300′ railway has occupied the same space since 1935 and has been a part of the annual fair every year except for the war years of 1942-1947. However, the fair’s train display is […]
SAN BRUNO, Calif. — National Transportation Safety Board officials say they will be trying to determine why positive train control didn’t prevent the accident as part of their investigation of the March 10 collision and fire involving a Caltrain commuter train. Thirteen people were reported injured after the train struck on-track equipment involved in the […]
SAN BRUNO, Calif. — At least 13 people were injured Thursday when a Caltrain commuter train struck a vehicle described as “on-track equipment” and caught fire. Southbound train No. 506 struck the vehicle at about 10:38 a.m. near Scott Street in San Bruno, and caught fire, leading to evacuation of those on board. KGO-TV reports […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will begin using a higher percentage of biodiesel fuel in its Wabtec locomotives, the companies announced Tuesday, as part of its effort to increase its use of low-carbon fuels. On Wednesday, Wabtec and BNSF announced similar testing plans. Union Pacific will test the use of B20 biodiesel (20% biofuel) and […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — The California Coastal Commission is now threatening “enforcement actions” against the North County Transit District if it builds a safety fence along its right-of-way on the Del Mar Bluffs without obtaining a development permit from the Commission. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the latest twist in the dispute between the transit […]
What was your first train set (or locomotive)? When I was very young, I had several Marx wind-up trains. They would circle the loop of track several times and then run down. My first “real” train set was an S gauge American Flyer with an Atlantic type steam locomotive and several cars. I was probably […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Bay Area commuter operator Caltrain will begin three weeks of reduced weekday service on March 14 to accommodate electrification of the service’s route between San Francisco and San Jose. Work at the Broadway, Burlingame, San Mateo, Hayward Park, and Hillsdale stations will require single-tracking, which in turn necessitates the schedule reductions. […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mid-America Car of Kansas City has completed the cosmetic restoration of former Santa Fe SD45-2 No. 5704 — donated to the Southern California Railroad Museum in Perris, Calif., in 2021 — to the eye-catching bicentennial paint scheme it wore in the mid-1970s. Mid-America’s craftsmen took several months to recreate the appearance […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — The City of Del Mar’s opposition to safety fencing along the rail line traversing the Del Mar Bluffs is likely to result in a larger fence than might otherwise have been the case. The San Diego Reader reports that on Monday, Feb. 28 — the deadline for the city to reach […]
BURBANK, Calif. — Hollywood Burbank Airport has filed suit against California’s high speed rail agency, arguing that the planned route and nearby underground station could affect airport operations. The suit comes as the California High Speed Rail Authority released the final environmental impact studies for the Northern California segment connecting San Jose and Merced. The […]
SAN JOSE, Calif. — As it approaches the point of needing to order replacements for its light-rail vehicle fleet, the transit agency serving the San Jose area is considering a more existential question: whether its light rail system even has a future. The San Jose Spotlight reports that at a recent meeting of the Santa […]
GUADALUPE, Calif. — Equipment from the former Fillmore & Western continues to find its way to new locations. A GP35 from the defunct tourist and movie-filming operation in Southern California is now in operation at the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, the 14-mile operation on the Central California coast interchanging with the Union Pacific at Guadalupe. […]
