Here are our links to all the Current Train, Railroad, and Model Railroad News events that have made headlines. The most recent events are shown first. Clicking on a link will take you to the news item on the source website. Past events are archived but are not currently shown on the website.

This Weekend’s Railway Weekender

Our listing of ‘All Things Railroad’ – Events that are on this weekend!

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View the Railway Weekender: This Weekend – See Below! | Next Weekend

During January and February the Midland Railway – Butterley has been running trains every Saturday and Sunday and every day over the half term holiday despite the poor weather.

As a special offer every passenger can enjoy a free hot drink from Butterley Buffet to help keep the winter chills at bay.

Over the winter the railway has been using Diesel Multiple units. These trains allow visitors to have a Drivers eye view of the track and even see the driver at work. They also allow a much more frequent service.

The Railway Museum, and Country Park have been open, weather permitting, as has the demonstration Signal Box and Victorian Railwayman’s Church. The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust West Shed is open.

Alan Calladine the Midland Railway Trust Development Officer said “We run trains throughout the year with a range of special events. The Winter Warmer Trains are a chance to enjoy the railway at a quieter time of the year. Although the weather has been against us this winter we have run trains on every day and the weather has given the chance for some great photos of trains in the snow.”

Trains will run through out the year with an impressive range of special events.

Email; midland.railway@btconnect.com
Web www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk

Updated 2/15/2012 Easter is coming and if you are looking for something special to do with your loved ones, and they happen to enjoy trains as well, then we have the perfect list for you.

Below is our List of train related Easter Trains. Many have Easter Egg Hunts and/or a visit from the Easter Bunny. A few are more ‘grown up’ and offer Wine and Dinner trains. Remember, these trips are usually limited seating and often sell out in advance so click through and get your seats booked now.

If you have a train related Easter story, please, share it with us!

You can also download a .pdf of the Easter Train Rides here:
http://www.traintalk.tv/weekender/EasterEvents.pdf

This winter we celebrate all the different types of trains to be seen on a fully working railway, with Express Inter-city passenger trains and freight trains hauled by our resident fleet of Diesel locos, as well as our Railcar service

Intensive timetable Passenger & Freight trains
Launch of our Railcar Bar Intercity Restaurant Car
All available home fleet locos out over the weekend

More Infromation: http://www.mnr.org.uk/

The Romance of the Rails – large steam engines pulling streamlined passenger trains – sleek diesel locomotives in front of hot-shot freight trains – switchers busily sorting freight cars in the yards – mainline tracks snaking through rocky forested hills and scenic clear lakes.

Take a trip back with us in time to the late 1950’s: steam is still king – passenger service is frequent – diesel engines are the newest word in railroading. The CENTRAL ONTARIO RAILWAY is a thriving, bustling railroad in the heart of Eastern Ontario.

The CENTRAL ONTARIO RAILWAY is a world in miniature, an “O” Scale (1/4”= 1 ft.) model railroad located in a 110‘ by 40‘ room. Trains travel over 5,000 feet of track, passing by hills, forests and lakes typical of Central Ontario, connecting two major cities each with full yard and engine facilities. Several smaller towns and villages are located along the way and a branchline serves a busy port where lake freighters regularly dock. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific trains appear regularly on Central Ontario track.

Come and spend an afternoon with us, and journey to another time and another place. Enjoy the fun of model railroading.

MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES WELCOME: Whether you are an experienced modeller or an interested novice, there is room for new members. Possession of “O” Scale equipment is not a must.

Feel free to ask questions of any Club member. For more details, call 416 536-8927 or visit the Club (Wednesday evenings).

We regret that our premises are not wheelchair accessible.

Sundays, February 12, 19 & 26, Family Day – Monday February 20. 12:00 – 4:30 pm

www.modelrailroadclub.com

When all the modern railways are unable to cope with the wrong or even the right kind of snow, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway are fully prepared and ready for families this February half term with help from an historic snow plough poised and ready for action.

Philip Benham General Manager explains “We will be open as usual throughout February half term with trains running from Pickering to Grosmont from Saturday 11th until Sunday 19th February. We just ask our visitors to wrap up warm and take their time and care on the roads.”

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has teamed up with the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, to run their lovely little green steam engine JOEM as a shuttle service between Goathland and Grosmont stations this half term. To complete the journey to Pickering, the Railway’s Scenic Diesel Railcar will be in action providing an enchanting day out in the North York Moors.

Trains depart daily from Saturday 11th to Sunday 19th February from all stations between Pickering and Grosmont. Three return services run each day, the first train departs Pickering at 10.15 and at 10.30 from Grosmont. Day rover fares are £15 for adults, £13 for concessions, £7.50 for children and £31 for a family ticket of up to 2 adults and 4 children.

For more information, please call 01751 472508, visit www.nymr.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @NYMR or Facebook @North Yorkshire Moors Railway

One of the Corris Railway’s original locomotives is set to visit the revived section of the railway for which it was built. This is No.3, the sole survivor of the three 0-4-2ST’s built at the Falcon Works, Loughborough by Hughes’s Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works Ltd. in 1878. The locomotive last visited its old home in 2003, the year after the line officially reopened to passengers.

The locomotive survived the closure of the original Corris line in 1948, and was purchased by the newly preserved Talyllyn Railway in 1951. The railways are near neighbours, and both operate on the rare 2’-3” gauge. The locomotive has operated on the Talyllyn for most of the time since, carrying the name “Sir Haydn”.

Loco No.3 – pictured double-heading a Talyllyn train with Corris No.7 during the latter’s visit to the Talyllyn in 2011 – will arrive at Corris soon after Easter, and will be in service until the 17th of May when its boiler ticket will expire. For the rest of the summer it will remain on display at Maespoeth as a static exhibit, raising interest for the railway’s new Falcon steam loco, No.10, for which funds are currently being raised.

No.3 will star at the Corris Steam Gala over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (May 5th to 7th), when, along with the railway’s new-build “Tattoo” class locomotive No.7, it is planned to operate two-train running – possibly the first time this has been done with two steam locomotives on the Corris since the early 20th Century – as well as double-headers and demonstration works trains. This will be the first opportunity since 1948 to see the two classes of steam locomotive used on the Corris Railway together at the railway’s 134-year old slate-built engine shed at Maespoeth.

Subject to availability, No.3 will also be in steam at Corris on the 12th-13th May.

More details can be found on the railway’s website at www.corris.co.uk.

Photo by Sara Eade

After a successful first season in 2011, East Lancashire Railway’s Rail Ale Trail is returning again this year with a packed calendar of classic and new tours.

Starts on the 18th February, this year’s programme promises to be even bigger and better. Visitors can expect the popular Ramsbottom and Summerseat route and Halloween Pale Ale Tour, as well as new and exciting trails including ‘Beer-n-Boots’, Father’s Day Specials, Chocolate & Beer and behind-the-scenes brewery tours. Further events are to be announced later in the year such as Meet the Brewer and themed tasting sessions.

Joining the dots from station to station and pub to pub, the Rail Ale Trail is a great way of spending a day out with friends or family and visit some genuine local free houses, learn about the areas’ history and of course sample some of the fine ales that are being produced in this part of the country.

A joint project between the East Lancashire Railway and Bury, Rochdale and Rossendale Council, and supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the trail encourages visitors to discover what is on their doorstep by leaving the car at home and join a steam-powered pub crawl through the beautiful Irwell Valley.

For those wanting to do the trail at their own pace, free Rail Ale Trail guides are available at any East Lancashire Railway station, local tourist information centre or to download from www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

The self-guided trail can be followed all year around using East Lancashire Railway’s standard timetables and can be started and finished at any station. Guided tours are available from February until December but pre-booking is essential. Visit www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk to find out more about the tours and dates available.

Peninsula, OH – The Board of Trustees of Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) has begun the search for the railroad’s next President & Chief Executive Officer, retaining Cleveland-based Waverly Partners, LLC as its executive search firm. CVSR Board Chairman George Snider heads an eight-member search committee that will work with Waverly Partners to identify qualified local, regional and national candidates.

“Our committee has developed a profile with the experience and leadership characteristics of our preferred candidate,” Snider said. “We are open to considering executives who have backgrounds in railroad and transportation operations, nonprofit organization leadership, private sector, or related experience. In addition, we expect a new CEO to embrace CVSR’s commitment to serve as an outstanding excursion railroad and one that works closely with our partners.”

The CEO position profile is available on the CVSR website: www.cvsr.com/news

Steven Wait, the CVSR’s current CEO, has announced his decision to retire Spring, 2012.

For more information about the search, contact search consultants Eric Peterson or Heidi Milosovic at CVSR@Waverly-Partners.com; all inquiries will be held in confidence.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad provides transportation to and within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) under a joint operating agreement. CVSR is a private sector, not-for-profit 501 c(3) volunteer supported organization operating in partnership with Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is dedicated to the preservation of passenger rail transportation in Cuyahoga Valley and along the historic Ohio & Erie Canalway. The railroad serves 200,000 passengers annually and has a $3million operating budget. CVSR was recently awarded $3.2 million in Federal grants for a variety of railroad projects. Scenic train excursions are offered twelve months of the year, along with a variety of special events, including The Polar Express™, Day Out With Thomas™, wine-tasting and beer tasting excursions, Bike Aboard!, and more.

CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural activities in one setting. For more information about the park, visit www.nps.gov/cuva/ or www.dayinthevalley.com/ or call (330) 657-2752.