News photos: Wheeling & Lake Erie unveils U.S. 250th birthday locomotive (updated)

Red, white, and blue locomotive outside shop building

BREWSTER, Ohio — The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway has unveiled a red, white, and blue locomotive to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. In a social media post, the railroad says the design was inspired by Norfolk & Western’s bicentennial locomotive in 1976, but with “a bold Wheeling twist, including chevron […]

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News photo: Latest Metro-North heritage unit makes revenue debut

Silver and blue locomotive on commuter train

NEW YORK — Metro-North’s latest heritage unit, P32AC-DM No. 203, made its debut in commuter operation today (June 20, 2025), powering Hudson Line train No. 734, a 7:58 a.m. departure from Croton-Harmon to Grand Central Terminal. As has been the case with the debut of other heritage locomotives, No. 203 led the inbound train, rather […]

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New York rail museum closed by flooding

Mudslide along railroad tracks

RUSH, N.Y. — The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum will be closed until Aug. 2 as a result of significant flood damage suffered on June 18, the museum has announced. Storms brought more than 7 inches of rain in a three-hour period, causing widespread damage throughout New York’s Monroe County. Museum damage included significant […]

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Storm damage halts some lines for NJ Transit, MARC (second update)

Portion of NJ Transit system map

Some NJ Transit rail has been disrupted because of storm damage, the operator has announced. Maryland’s MARC is also experiencing major storm-related disruptions, with one line suspended and two operating on reduced schedules. On NJ Transit, service on the North Jersey Coast Line has been suspended since Thursday night (June 19) and will remain halted […]

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Art Kear’s Wellsville, Addison & Galeton in HO scale

Title screen from layout visit video with title in upper left corner.

In the August 2025 issue of Model Railroader, we featured Art Kear’s HO scale Buffalo & Susquehanna to Wellsville, Addison & Galeton. The 12 x 32-foot multi-deck walk-in layout features a logging line circa 1910 and the steam-to-diesel transition era in 1950. “Once the train room was completed, it was time to get started on […]

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Art Kear’s Wellsville, Addison & Galeton in HO scale

Title screen from layout visit video with title in upper left corner.

In the August 2025 issue of Model Railroader, we featured Art Kear’s HO scale Buffalo & Susquehanna to Wellsville, Addison & Galeton. The 12 x 32-foot multi-deck walk-in layout features a logging line circa 1910 and the steam-to-diesel transition era in 1950. “Once the train room was completed, it was time to get started on […]

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Former Southern, NS diesel now playing major role for Pennsylvania’s Colebrookdale Railroad

High-nose diesel with ornate blue, black, white, and gold paint scheme

BOYERTOWN, Pa. — A former Southern Railway and Norfolk Southern diesel has found a new home — and a new look — on Pennsylvania’s Colebrookdale Railroad. High-nose GP38-2 No. 5128, built by EMD in 1974, has been acquired by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust thanks to a gift from Scott and Susan Bentley, and now […]

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Pennsylvania House passes bill to increase transit funding

White trolley car going uphill on street

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives has passed a bill to provide more than $290 million in funding for public transit statewide that could address major shortfalls for the transit systems in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas. However, the key legislative hurdle — passage by the Senate — remains. House Bill 1364 would provide […]

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Senate subcommittee to hold rail hearing

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — Officials from Brightline, Anacostia Rail Holdings, and the Association of American Railroads are scheduled to testify Wednesday (June 18) at a Senate subcommittee hearing on railroading. The Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation will hold the hearing, “On the Right Track: Modernizing America’s Rail Network,” at 10 a.m. in Russell Office Building room […]

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DC Metrorail expands automated operation systemwide

Rapid-transit train arrives at above-ground station

WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail is now operating its entire system with Automatic Train Operation, having expanded use of the automated system to the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines as of today (June 15, 2025). The system, which was part of Metrorail from its launch in 1976, was shut off in 2009 following a fatal collision. […]

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Budd SPV-2000

People walking alongside streamlined Budd SPV-2000 diesel self-propelled passenger car

  Whether they knew it or not, the Budd Co. was rolling out the final miles in its railcar manufacturing business as it headed into the 1970s. But they didn’t go down without a fight as manufacturing of passenger equipment continued for Amtrak and multiple commuter operations (mainly in the Northeast United States). Part of […]

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