Paul’s Blog – May 16, 2026
On Saturday, May 16, volunteers Dwight, Colin, Bruce, Dannis, Nick, Gabriel, Reilly, Angelo and Paul got busy replacing ties on our main running track. The crew replaced three more ties that will help keep our track stable and in gauge. The work was straightforward with only a minor issue with some tie plates under a […]
The liberalization of passenger rail transport in France is reshaping competition
Photo: SNCF Voyageurs The process of liberalizing passenger rail transport in France has reached a decisive stage, as French authorities seek to transform one of Europe’s largest and busiest rail markets. After decades in which the incumbent operator SNCF dominated nearly all transport services, French regions and the French state are accelerating the opening of […]
One Of America’s Deadliest Train Disasters
Home › Fallen Flags › Great Northern › Wellington Avalanche Published: May 16, 2026 By: Adam Burns In the early morning hours of March 1, 1910, the remote mountain hamlet of Wellington, Washington, became the site of one of the worst railroad disasters in United States history—and the deadliest avalanche on record in the country. A […]
SNCF is launching a railway lottery with 10,000 prizes
SNCF Voyageurs, the French passenger rail operator, is launching “La France à gratter,” a “scratch-and-win” promotional campaign offering 10,000 prizes to customers of the TGV INOUI, OUIGO, and INTERCITÉS services. The campaign features a virtual “scratch-and-win” game available on the campaign’s dedicated website. After registering, participants can try to instantly win one of the prizes […]
APTA Backs Senators’ Call for ‘Robust’ Investment in FY27 THUD Bill
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is applauding 44 senators, led by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), for their call to “ensure robust transportation investment,” including advance appropriations, in the FY 2027 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations bill, “or risk cutting public transportation investments to the lowest level in a decade.” […]
France: Intercités on the cusp of renewal
Long overshadowed by the prestige of the TGV, France’s conventional inter-city services — Trains d’Équilibre du Territoire, which encompass traditional day and night services — are finally on the road to modernisation. Jérémie Anne investigates the transformation of this important business. Between the high speed TGV services and regional TER networks, a specific category of […]
LS&I Railroad Timetables (January, 1930)
LS&I Railroad Timetables (January, 1930) May 17, 26 12:17 AM Featured here is the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad’s timetable listing from the January, 1930 edition of the “Official Guide Of The Railways.” Read More The Wellington Avalanche: One Of America’s Deadliest Train Disasters May 16, 26 11:31 PM The Wellington Avalanche was the deadliest […]
Siemens Mobility acquires key businesses from italian group MERMEC
Siemens Mobility has signed an agreement to acquire several key businesses from the Italian group MERMEC, a company specializing in railway signalling, electrification, diagnostics, and measurement technologies. The transaction aims to strengthen Siemens’ global portfolio in the field of railway technology, with a focus on diagnostics, data analysis, and signaling systems. The parties have not […]
Transit Briefs: WMATA, TTC, Valley Metro, Caltrain
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rolls out a redesigned website and app to simplify trip planning. Also, some Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) stations staff are now equipped with body-worn cameras to improve safety on transit; Valley Metro launches a new AI chatbot for rider information and trip planning; and Caltrain is named one […]
International-Great Northern Timetables (January, 1910)
International-Great Northern Timetables (January, 1910) May 16, 26 01:44 PM Featured here is the International-Great Northern’s timetables listed in the January, 1910 edition of the “Official Guide Of The Railways.” Read More Illinois Terminal Timetables (January, 1930) May 16, 26 12:08 PM Covered here is the Illinois Terminal’s timetables from the January, 1930 edition of […]