WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to fine BNSF Railway $191,000 as part of a settlement for a Jan. 1, 2020, derailment that led to a spill of more than 3,400 gallons of diesel fuel into the Kootenai River near Katka, Idaho. The proposed settlement of a violation of the Clean Waters […]
You never know where change will lead you. What started out as an attempt to fine-tune my existing HO scale layout ended with a new house and a 2,600 square-foot, four-deck model railroad – the Sunset Valley Oregon System (SVOS). I started my previous Sunset Valley (SV) layout in 1959 and worked on it for […]
As the waterworks continue, David details his process for creating realistic waterfalls for the Olympia & Sand Creek On30 logging layout. He starts by making flexible waterfall sheets using multiple coats of Woodland Scenics water effects paste on plate glass. He also shows how to build containment dams across the river rocks using clear silicone […]
CHICAGO — In a change from recent operations, Amtrak was able to put together a makeup trainset to prevent cancellation of the westbound Empire Builder that departed Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Significant long-distance train delays have often resulted in cascading cancellations for lack of equipment since Amtrak lost nearly complete Superliner sets to devastating […]
SEATTLE — At its Sept. 11 meeting, the Sound Transit board enacted principles designed to address the financial issues threatening the system and its projects around the Seattle region. Sound Transit is facing a long-term financial shortfall estimated to be somewhere between $20 and $30 billion, according to local news sources. The anticipated financial gap, […]
In August 2025, my wife and I planned a trip to the Pacific Northwest to visit family and friends. While we frequently travel by air and rental car, and have taken shorter train trips in the U.S. and Europe, we’ve never done a long-distance rail experience. So, we decided to take Amtrak’s Empire Builder from […]
SEATTLE — In a milestone for Sound Transit’s ongoing expansion of its light rail network, a light rail train operated across Lake Washington’s Interstate 90 floating bridge late Monday night (Sept. 8, 2025). It was not only the first time a Sound Transit train has crossed that bridge under its own power, but, according to […]
In this episode, David Popp builds out a river with rapids and waterfalls for his Olympia & Sand Creek On30 logging layout. He gets things started by sharing his proven method for installing styrene dams to contain the resin “water” pour. Next, David focuses on creating the riverbed with a mix of sand, rock, and earth. […]
DAYTON, Wash. — Commissioners of the Port of Columbia have indicated they will not sell the port’s railroad to its current contract operator, raising the question whether that operator will continue to serve the 37-mile line. The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin reports that two of the port’s three commissioners said at a Sept. 3 meeting that […]
SEATTLE — The Sound Transit board of directors has authorized a $92.7 million overhaul of the railcar fleet used in Sounder commuter rail service. At its meeting last week, the board approved a contract with a Systra-Brookville Joint Venture to perform the overhaul work, as well as a motion increasing available funding for the overhaul […]
SEATTLE — Sound Transit will open the next segment of its Link light rail system — the 1 Line extension to Federal Way, Wash. — on Dec. 6, the agency announced today (Aug. 28, 2025). The 7.8-mile addition will include new stations at Kent Des Moins, Star Lake, and Federal Way Downtown. “Today’s announcement on […]
JOPLIN, Mo. — Jaguar Transport Holdings has completed its acquisition of two railroads in central Washington state and will begin operating them today (Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025), the company has announced. The Columbia Basin Railroad and Central Washington Railroad will bring Jaguar’s holdings to 13 short line railroads, as well as 13 transload locations and […]
