For more than two decades, Larry Price has crafted the country’s most comprehensive youth model railroad program. More recently, William K. Walthers president Stacey Walthers Naffah has changed the dynamic of one of the industry’s oldest and largest companies by encouraging youngsters – and everyone else – to interact with trains.

Their work has been so valuable to ensuring model railroading’s future, enough to earn two of the industry’s highest honors in August.

Price was inducted into the Model Railroad Industry Division of the Hobby Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame and Naffah received the Bobbye Hall Award at a breakfast earlier this month that coincided with the NMRA National Train Show in Collinsville, IL. The awards were presented in person for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020.

Price, the hall’s 51st member, founded Youth in Model Railroading (YMR) in 1997, a nonprofit organization dedicated to children ages 8-18 that has publicly promoted model railroading. For over 25 years the organization has helped educate the next generation of rail enthusiasts by teaching techniques in modeling, electronics and the artistry of model railroading.

Union Pacific Railroad signed a historic deal with Wabtec Corp. this week for 600 locomotive modernizations featuring a suite of digital solutions and innovations. The agreement, worth more than $1 billion, is the largest investment in modernized locomotives in rail industry history, and part of UP’s fleet strategy to move more freight efficiently and sustainably across its service territory.

Wabtec will modernize 525 of UP’s AC4400 and AC6000 locomotives, as well as 75 Dash-9 locomotives. The modernized locomotives will feature a suite of digital solutions and innovations such as the FDL Advantage engine upgrade and Modular Control Architecture, a next-generation controls technology that is applicable throughout Wabtec’s locomotive installed base.

The modernizations will extend the locomotive’s life and provide benefits, including a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 18 percent; more than 80 percent increase in reliability; and haulage ability increase of more than 55 percent.

“UP is taking thoughtful, deliberate steps to reduce our environmental impact and to help our partners improve theirs,” said Lance Fritz, Chairman, UP president and CEO. “Wabtec’s modernization program helps make our existing fleet more fuel efficient, capable and reliable. The resulting increased tractive power enables us to move more freight with fewer locomotives, which improves efficiency and reduces emissions.”

ScaleTrains announced today that it acquired Fox Valley Models, a small Midwest model manufacturer specializing in HO- and N-scale model trains. It then announced upcoming runs of two FVM N-scale models – the GE ES44 GEVO locomotive and Trinity RD-4 Coal Hopper.

Just over a year ago, FVM owner Matt Gaudynski joined ScaleTrains as a full-time senior product developer focused on bringing the ex-M.T.H. Trains HO- and S-scale tooling back to market as well as expanding ScaleTrains’ N-scale offerings of several new locomotives and freight cars.

ScaleTrains purchased some of M.T.H. Trains’ assets in late 2020.

ScaleTrains owner Shane Wilson said it became apparent that the company would make a good home for the Fox Valley line. Gaudynski will continue to work on product development.

Passenger service on Valley Metro Streetcar began Friday in Tempe, AZ, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring local leaders and elected officials. The three-mile streetcar route will take riders to major employment centers, entertainment and event destinations, historic neighborhoods and connect to the regional transit network.

“We are so pleased to help support the Tempe Streetcar, which will provide a fast, convenient, car-free option connecting downtown Tempe and Arizona State University,” said FTA Regional Administrator Ray Tellis, whose agency provided $75 million to support the project in addition to $17 million in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan. “With connections to Valley Metro’s light rail system, destinations like Phoenix, Mesa and Sky Harbor Airport are now just a train ride away.”

Valley Metro is the regional public transportation of metro Phoenix.

The hybrid streetcar vehicle travels to 14 stops in Tempe and connects to Valley Metro Rail in two locations. The three-mile route serves Tempe destinations such as Tempe Beach Park, Marina Heights, Gammage Auditorium and ASU sports facilities and will support growing travel demand in the central city and region.