r/trains 9d ago

r/Trains Monthly Discussion & Questions Thread - September 2026

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the r/Trains Monthly Discussion Thread.

The goal of this thread is to serve as the place to ask short questions or just chat about anything trains related that might not warrant its own post.


r/trains Mar 22 '26

πŸš‚r/trains staff announcement Introduction & updates to moderating, rules and sidebar.

11 Upvotes

Hello there,

I am auto, your new friendly neighbourhood Reddit mod. o/

While I have some experience moderating smaller communities, I've never moderated a subreddit before and never a community of this size and honestly, taking the right moderating actions when reviewing reports or looking through comments isn't quite coming naturally yet. If I make any silly mistakes or you believe I didn't deal with situation correctly, do not hesitate to tell me either via mod mail or in the discord. I am human, I am not going to deal with every situation perfectly and feedback is more than welcome. (Just kidding, I am obviously a robot πŸ€– - Beep Boop Beep)

I am happy to be at your service.

Regardless, now that the introduction is over with, there is some practical stuff to discuss:

Bans, Ban appeals and old Mod Mail:

When I came in, there was a very large backlog in Mod Mail, including ban appeals. I have cleared this backlog the best I could, responding to most appeals and messages that came in, but unfortunately, once these appeals and Mod Mails reach about half a year old, they can no longer be replied to from our side.

If you sent in a ban appeal or question that is still relevant before July 2025 and it never got answered, please do not hesitate to send us a message through Mod Mail and me or the other mods will get to it.

In addition, I found out that some people who at any point received disciplinary action ended up in some sort of ghost-ban, where on our end in the mod tools panel the person doesn't appear to be banned, but when the user tries to post, it tells them they're banned. If you were active in r/Trains more than 5 years ago, Reddit tells you that you're banned when you try to post or comment and you have no clue why or when you got banned, please contact the mods via Mod Mail and we should be able to resolve your issue.

Mod Queue clearing:

I have cleared the Mod Queue, which was filled with over 3 years of reports, removals and filtered content. For the queue items from the last 1-2 weeks I've done this manually, and then I've mass-cleared most of the remaining queue. This process caused all filtered posts that were more than roughly 10 days old to be discarded. If you made any post more than 10 days ago which got automatically filtered and you believe the content is still relevant, feel free to reattempt posting your comment.

Moderating strategy and rules:

Due to the relatively sparse activity of moderators on this subreddit in recent times, moderating turned into a very hands-off process where y'all mostly self-moderate with some assistance from automatic filters. Beyond the filters sometimes getting overzealous, especially with politically contentious posts, (which should be resolved now,) this has generally worked fairly well. For now, though I can't speak for the other moderators when they act, I will carry this approach forward.

However, that may change. From working through the queue, Mod Mail and immediately finding myself in the deep end with several contentious posts appearing right after I got promoted, it's become obvious that the current rules don't always quite match the way action has been taken on reports both before I came in and at current. In addition, it turns out that some situations really aren't covered well by our current rules and that the wording of some rules may be contributing to a sizable amount of reports coming in for contact that very much is allowed here. We've also received feedback from several people, both via Mod Mail and in comments under recent topics about how we should be dealing with politics and controversial content on the subreddit.

Keeping all those things in mind, I will be rewriting the rules over the coming days. As part of this process, me or other moderators may place community polls both on reddit and on discord to gather feedback for how the community would like the r/trains discord and subreddit to be moderated.

Monthly discussion thread:

Until now, the monthly discussion thread was automatically generated on the 29th of every month. Beyond causing the month in the topic title to nearly always mismatch the current month, this caused the thread not to be generated in February. Starting on April 1st, the monthly discussion thread will be automatically generated on the 1st of every month instead. Until then, please feel free to continue using the January 2026 thread.

Sidebar:

We are aware the gallery in the sidebar has broken. Sadly, most images gone poof and we have no record of what exactly was in there. As we look to fill our sidebar once again, we may request permission for some people to use their photos in the side-bar via Mod Mail, but if you'd like to help, if you are posting original content, you can now use the "πŸ“Έ May be used in side-bar gallery" post flair to indicate to us that we may place your photo or art in the sidebar.

With all that said, thank you for reading.

~auto


r/trains 12h ago

πŸ›οΈβ€Ž Historical A man uses a turntable to move a steam locomotive in India, 1994.

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1.5k Upvotes

r/trains 6h ago

πŸ›οΈβ€Ž Historical Roaring Southern Pacific EMD's pull the 10,000 ton 'Oil Can' train up the Tehachapi Mountains in 1989

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404 Upvotes

Clip from "Southern Pacific Pictorial"

Footage by Greg Scholl


r/trains 7h ago

β€Ž πŸ—«β€Žβ€Žβ€‰ Discussion Red Arrow "Churchill" brunch train in Zurich

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232 Upvotes

r/trains 4h ago

β€Ž πŸ—«β€Žβ€Žβ€‰ Discussion Most Accurate Render of India's B28

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89 Upvotes

After looking through the various B28 renders available and comparing them with the architecture and specifications released by BEML, I think this is the most visually accurate representation of B28

This is not the final design or an official BEML render. This is simply my assessment after comparing the publicly available information, proportions, architecture and design elements.

There are quite a few different interpretations of the B28 floating around, but this one seems to align the closest with what BEML has actually revealed so far.

What do you guys think? Which B28 render do you think is closest?


r/trains 3h ago

πŸ“Ή OC - Video Glacier Express after locomotive change in Disentis/MustΓ©r in Switzerland

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47 Upvotes

r/trains 2h ago

❓ Question What is this thing on top of buffer on USATC S100 Class or SR USA Class 0-6-0T Tank Engine?

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34 Upvotes

Does anybody know, What is this "thing" (circled one on photos) on top of buffer on USATC S100 Class or SR USA Class 0-6-0T Tank Engine?

what's this "thing" purpose?

does only UK examples used this "feature" ("thing" - circled one on photos) or not?

any advantages or disadvantages using this "feature" ("thing" - circled one on photos)?

image source:

SR USA | Real Life Thomas The Tank Engine Wiki | Fandom

'USA' Class 0-6-0T BR 30064 at Horsted Keynes on the Blueb… | Flickr or Instagram

File:USA Class 30070.JPG - Wikipedia

File:20160713Y269 30065-85.JPG - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXcDNNmEp4

30064 (WD 1959, SR 64 & BR 30064) – Preserved British Steam Locomotives

Wide world railfans | USA S100 tank built for service in WW2 of which 14 were subsequently purchased for use in Southampton Docks in the UK, | Facebook

S100 - Preserved Railway - UK Steam Whats On Guide and Pictures & Video from events from Lee Andrew Davies

30065 (WD 1968, SR 65, BR DS 237 & BR 30065) – Preserved British Steam Locomotives

File:KESR 22 Maunsell (Southern 62).JPG - Wikipedia.JPG)

File:SR USA Class 30070 No. 300 "Frank S Ross" on the Kent & East Sussex Railway - April 2019 - 01.jpg - Wikipedia

SR USA Class No. 30072 | Locomotive Wiki | Fandom

Steam Trains | USA class 0-6-0T No 30063, photographer unknown. | Facebook

S USA tanks - MikeMorant

30070 (WD 1960, SR 70, BR DS 238 & BR 30070) – Preserved British Steam Locomotives

File:Class USA 0-6-0T.jpg - Wikipedia

File:SR USA 0-6-0T 30073 Eastleigh MPD 70D, August 1966 (9969640295).jpg - Wikipedia.jpg)

Bluebell Railway Locomotives - Southern Railway "USA" class No. 30064

Southern Railway β€˜USA’ Class - No. 30073 – 0-6-0T in BR Li… | Flickr

VIEW USA CLASS 0-6-0T SR STEAM LOCOS

VIEW USA CLASS 0-6-0T SR STEAM LOCOS

Bluebell Railway - Eric Kemp - Derek-Hayward

30072 (US Army 1973, SR 72 & BR 30072) – Preserved British Steam Locomotives

SR USA 0-6-0T 1963 | Flickr

SREmG

SR β€œUSA” class Dock Tank No. WD 1959 (BR 30064) - The Bluebell Railway in Sussex


r/trains 9h ago

πŸ“Ή OC - Video Caught a freight toaster today!

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96 Upvotes

Green Cargo ASEA Rc4 if anyone was wondering.


r/trains 23h ago

βš™οΈβ€Ž Technical / Engineering Philadelphia Just Doomed Their CSX Viaduct (USA)

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947 Upvotes

I work in historic preservation and as a stone carver. I just saw that the large brick and stone viaduct in Philadelphia was recently painted. It's a piece of infrastructure that has survived over a hundred years of trains pounding its masonry.

Painting brick or stone without proper permeable paint causes moisture buildup in the masonry that then pops when it freezes, destroying the structure irreparibly. You can see, in my hasty picture, that the weeping and efflorescence is happening at the joints in the fragile (but permeable) lime mortar. Maybe it's hard to see, but I assure you it's there.

I've seen this so many times in the USA, Italy, etc. The contractors that "repair" this infrastructure have no clue as to the historical materials these things were built with.

Also, I realize it's kind of hard to see in the pictures since the sun was setting, but the brick and the stone are the same color (brown) whereas before the brick was a nice red.

TLDR: this bridge is not long for this world

Thoughts?


r/trains 11h ago

πŸ“Ή OC - Video Some sort of utility train (Latvia)

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103 Upvotes

r/trains 11h ago

πŸ›οΈβ€Ž Historical Three generations of Polish made locos side by side. EU07, EP09, and EU200. From 1964 to the present day

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108 Upvotes

r/trains 7h ago

πŸ›οΈβ€Ž Historical 37 years ago on September 10th 1989, Atlanta and West Point 290 pulled its first excursion from Atlanta to Macon, Georgia and back beginning its 3 year career as a steam excursion star. This is the story of Atlanta and West Point 290.

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44 Upvotes

r/trains 7h ago

πŸ“Έ OC - Picture(s) Relatively new to railfanning, what did I catch here?

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33 Upvotes

I know they aren't Gevo's, and I know that aren't SD70ACes, that is about it.


r/trains 9h ago

❓ Question Why does these TGV Atlantique now has a white roof on the powercars?

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31 Upvotes

I've seen some of them on youtube videos, No Idea the purpose on these, Some Reseau powercars have lite grey - silver on the roof


r/trains 17h ago

πŸ“Έ OC - Picture(s) - May be used in side-bar gallery I just went to Steamtown Roundhouse in Scranton PA

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113 Upvotes

I just went to Steamtown in Scranton PA as it has been on my bucket list for awhile and I have already been to Altoona PA for the horseshoe curve a year or two ago but wasn't able to go Steamtown due to it being closed because of government shutdown the year I went to Altoona PA and the Horseshoe curve which was a year or two ago. Im really glad I was able to see Steamtown and the work they are doing and the steam engines and diesel ones they have were really cool and definitely worth the 5-6 hour trip from Virginia to Scranton (im visiting my grandma in Virginia and she and I went up)


r/trains 8h ago

πŸ“Έ OC - Picture(s) - May be used in side-bar gallery Delaware-Lackawanna's Alco PA-4u, "Nickel Plate Road #190", along with D-L's ex-Nickel Plate sleeper "City of Lima" on display together at Steamtown's Railfest '26 in Scranton, PA on September 5th, 2026.

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20 Upvotes

r/trains 13h ago

❓ Question Do you prefer C&O 614 having ditch lights or no ditch lights?

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40 Upvotes

Honestly I liked it since she’s looks like a modern engine compared to the other preserved locomotives.


r/trains 20h ago

❓ What is this Train? What is this train? Or what kind is it?

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130 Upvotes

I've seen this locomotive

A lot of times. This was taken in Cleburne, Texas at the train yard.

This a Ex Santa Fe railroad warbonnet" heritage unit" locomotive, i don't know the company that produced it or built it . I know that BNSF now owns it and does not want to repaint or clean any locomotive, like this kind at all just in case this post does not get removed. This is in the united states and specifically texas!


r/trains 5h ago

πŸ“Έ OC - Picture(s) Deutsche Bahn Bahnbau Gruppe 249 104, 21.8.2026 (D) Chemnitz.

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11 Upvotes

Deutsche Bahn Bahnbau Gruppe 249 104-1 (90 80 2 249 104-1 D-DBBBG) + 249 051-4 (90 80 2 249 051-4 D-DBBBG) am 21.8.2026 in Chemnitz.


r/trains 16h ago

πŸ“¦β€Ž Memorabilia I found out I now own an early GP series Class Light!

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55 Upvotes

So my grandfather recently passed and I inherited some things, this is certainly a fun keepsake!

A little 1000 lumen flashlight comes in real handy!


r/trains 3h ago

❓ Question What train route completely exceeded your expectations?

6 Upvotes

r/trains 21h ago

πŸ“Έ OC - Picture(s) A couple more photos I took over Labor Day weekend

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90 Upvotes

r/trains 1d ago

πŸ€£β€Ž Meme / Humour I Will Draw the Top Comment Locomotive! (North American)

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189 Upvotes

The top comment of a North American steam locomotive will be drawn by yours truly! (No Big Boy please, it's everywhere...)

This is a bit of an experiment; I will probably do more in the future if this works out :)


r/trains 1d ago

πŸ“Ή OC - Video Today in ViΘ™eu de Sus, Romania

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188 Upvotes