RailNews
Your source for news compiled by the staff of Railfan & Railroad magazine. Please contact us if you have a story to share!
May 29, 2026
Cumbres & Toltec Delays Season Due to Fire Danger
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was supposed to begin its 2026 operating season over Memorial Day weekend, but has decided to push that start date back by at least two weeks due to extreme drought conditions across the Southwest.
May 28, 2026
Delaware-Lackawanna Releases Semiquincentennial Unit
Delaware-Lacakwanna M630 1776 wears a variation of the Delaware & Hudson’s bicentennial livery first released in the mid-1970s.
May 28, 2026
UPDATE: STB Accepts UP-NS Merger Application, But Asks for More Information
The STB announced Wednesday that it had unanimously voted to accept Union Pacific’s application to acquire Norfolk Southern, although it said it still needed more information before it could fully consider the proposal.
May 27, 2026
Southern 4501 Goes Green
Southern Railway 2-8-2 4501 returned to service in late May, wearing its iconic green-and-gold livery for the first time in more than 30 years.
May 26, 2026
Railfan & Railroad Announces 2026 Center Spread Contest
The Railfan & Railroad Center Spread Contest will provide a skilled and/or lucky photographer the opportunity to see his or her photo grace the center spread of the September 2026 issue.
May 22, 2026
Finger Lakes Rail Experience Expands for 2026
After a successful debut season in 2025, where it moved more than 11,000 passengers, the Finger Lakes Rail Experience is back with an even bigger season in 2026.
May 21, 2026
First Amtrak Airo Train Arrives in Pacific Northwest
The first Amtrak Cascades Airo trainset arrived in the Pacific Northwest on May 16.
May 20, 2026
Amtrak President to Step Down
Amtrak President Roger Harris will step down on July 31 and be replaced by Byl Herrmann while the railroad’s board of directors searches for a new permanent chief executive officer.
May 19, 2026
Former UP ‘Desert Victory’ SD40-2 Preserved
A former Union Pacific SD40-2 that was painted in the 1990s to honor military members who served during Operation Desert Storm has been saved.
May 18, 2026
UPDATE: Long Island Strike Ends
It was the first strike on the nation’s busiest commuter railroad in more than 30 years.
