KANONA, N.Y. — Alstom and Norfolk Southern are collaborating on a project that converts two locomotives from traditional diesel engines into battery-powered hybrid locomotives that rely on a smaller Tier 4 diesel engine for battery charging. The project is made possible by a $15.9 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and […]
If you look closely at a diesel locomotive, you’ll see the letter “F” stenciled near the stairs. As obvious as it seems, the “F” stands for Front, and it’s required under the Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards section of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Title 49 CFR Part 229.11 reads, “The letter “F” shall be […]
PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Railroad Board will provide $12.6 million for upgrades to rail service at the state’s largest soybeen processing plant. The South Dakota Searchlight reports that the funds, in the form of a loan to the Davison Regional Rail Authority, will be used to build 6.2 miles of rail line, 22 […]
WASHINGTON — Railroads are winding down the final weeks of 2024 with support from strong international intermodal volumes, a healthy grain harvest, and modest GDP growth at 4% year over year. Economically, inflation is still a problem, as groceries cost more than they did four years ago. Unemployment hangs around 4% and fuel prices are […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has released a new mobile app, MBTA Go, to provide real-time information on all fixed-route train and bus services and improve communications with riders, the agency announced. The initial release is only available for Apple iPhones; release of a version for Android devices is anticipated in February 2025. […]
WASHINGTON — An incorrectly lined switch — the result of an error by a crew member of a train not involved in the incident — led to a collision between two trains at Union Pacific’s yard in Chico, Texas, on April 16, 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board said in an investigation report released today […]
NEW YORK – Here are notes, quotes, and quips from the annual RailTrends conference, held Nov. 14-15. CPKC plans to build more hydrogen fuel cell locomotives Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel says the railway’s handful of hydrogen fuel cell locomotives are proving themselves in revenue service every day. There are a lot more […]
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, the umbrella group that includes all railroad labor unions, today urged Congress and federal regulators to protect workers whose jobs are affected by the rollout of automated and autonomous railroad technology. In a broadside against technological advances — including automated track and train inspection systems, automated […]
REGINA, Saskatchewan — Grain and pulse crop processor AGT Food & Ingredients has sold its MobilGrain short lines and its rail and port terminal operations to an infrastructure fund. The sale to GCM Grosvenor, announced Wednesday (Nov. 20), includes MobilGrain’s two Saskatechewan short lines, Last Mountain Rail and Big Sky Rail, both of which connect […]
MANLY, Iowa — Construction has begun on the new Manly Junction Railroad Museum just north of the community of Manly. The $7 million museum, the brainchild of Iowa Northern Railway Chairman Dan Sabin, is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2025. The museum is designed to look like a railroad station and also […]
New Year’s Eve train rides Themed train rides are a fun, slightly different way of experiencing train travel. There are endless opportunities for railroads to host events that are multigenerational, and thus, keep them growing in popularity. From holiday decor to murder mysteries to food-oriented trains, themed excursions offer a unique way for friends to […]
FORT WORTH, Texas — Members of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers have ratified a new five-year contract with BNSF Railway, the union and railroad have announced. The agreement includes average wage increases of 3.5% as well as improvements to health care and vacation time. It was one of two tentative deals announced by BNSF in […]
