News

  • ‘Duchess’ demolishes Devon banks record

    ‘Duchess’ demolishes Devon banks record

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    STANIER Pacific No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland put in a storming performance on August 4’s ‘Royal Duchy’, using its immense power to set a new record time for steam on the Plymouth to Exeter leg.  The 50 miles, including steep climbs to Hemerdon and Dainton and numerous curves and speed restrictions, were reeled off in just…

  • Branch Line Society and Vintage Trains team up for West Midlands ‘Balti bash’

    Branch Line Society and Vintage Trains team up for West Midlands ‘Balti bash’

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    VINTAGE Trains and the Branch Line Society are offering an opportunity to enjoy the tasty combination of rare track, Class 20s and a curry – all on the same train! Starting from Solihull, the September 22 tour will run to Shrewsbury via Warwick, Sutton Park and the Ironbridge branch.  After a break in Shrewsbury, the…

  • Three Type 3s – to the sea!

    Three Type 3s – to the sea!

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    THREE Class 37s at the head of a heavy freight train used to be a regular sight in South Wales and around Glasgow in BR days, but such a trio has always been a rare event on passenger trains.  On August 11, the Branch Line Society completed its two-day ‘Type 3 to the Sea’ trip…

  • Stanier pair celebrate Conwy Valley reopening

    Stanier pair celebrate Conwy Valley reopening

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    NETWORK Rail and Transport for Wales Rail Services hosted a special main line steam trip on August 3 to celebrate the reopening of the Conwy Valley line in North Wales. ‘The Conwy Quest’, double-headed by West Coast Railways’ Stanier ‘8F’ No. 48151 and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander, ran from Chester to Blaenau Ffestiniog.  At Llandudno Junction there…

  • Rail operator MARC using new and rebuilt locos for Maryland commuters

    Rail operator MARC using new and rebuilt locos for Maryland commuters

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    MARYLAND commuter rail operator Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) has recently taken delivery of eight Siemens-built SC44 ‘Charger’ diesel electric locos.  These are currently largely used ‘under the wires’ between Baltimore and Washington DC on Penn Line services.  MARC has replaced all of its older AEM7 electric locos with the new diesels, but has refurbished…

  • Chicago’s Metra adds diesel locos

    Chicago’s Metra adds diesel locos

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    CHICAGO commuter rail operator Metra is buying 24 former Amtrak California diesel locos, and has ordered 15 rebuilt freight locos to replace older diesels.  Metra bought 24 F59PHI locos from Amtrak in 2018 and is currently overhauling and repainting them into its livery. They have entered service in 2019, mainly operating from Chicago Union on…

  • Battery-fitted trams for Oklahoma

    Battery-fitted trams for Oklahoma

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    THE new light rail system in Oklahoma City opened on December 14, 2018, and is operated as two loops: a 7.8km north-south Downtown Loop, which also shares tracks with almost all of the route used by the 3.2km Bricktown Loop in the Bricktown entertainment district.  The system is electrified at 740V DC except for several short…

  • Stadler ‘FLIRTs’ in service in Texas

    Stadler ‘FLIRTs’ in service in Texas

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    TEXAS gained a new commuter railway in January, which is operated using eight Stadler-built ‘FLIRT’ DEMUs, incorporating central diesel power pack units. Stadler assembled the trains at its new factory in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The 43km TEXRail line links two stations in central Fort Worth with DFW Airport, and currently has five other intermediate…

  • High Speed 1 rail line ‘to cost companies £26 million a year’

    High Speed 1 rail line ‘to cost companies £26 million a year’

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    Rail companies will have to pay £26 million per year to keep the High Speed 1 train line operational, more than quadruple the amount they were paying a decade ago.

  • Network Rail to provide station free WiFi for millions of passengers

    Network Rail to provide station free WiFi for millions of passengers

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    Passengers are set to benefit from a fast, free and reliable WiFi service thanks to a ‘significant digital investment’ announced by Network Rail.


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