WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern today asked a federal court to dismiss the Justice Department’s lawsuit over the railroad’s handling of Amtrak’s Crescent, arguing that the government’s “extreme” interpretation of passenger train right of preference doesn’t hold water. NS says the Justice Department “complaint depends on the idea that freight railroads must totally clear their tracks […]
SEATTLE — Growing reliability issues with the expanding Link light rail system have led Sound Transit CEO Goran Sparrman to declare “the existence of an emergency” in the system, which will allow the agency to move more quickly to address operational issues. The Seattle Times reports the emergency declaration made on Jan. 21 is a […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific’s decision to shift its local switching operations in Eugene, Ore., to Genesee & Wyoming short line Central Oregon & Pacific could be a model for improving carload service and turbocharging growth elsewhere on UP’s system, CEO Jim Vena says. The deal, announced last month, combines a Class I’s strength of […]
WASHINGTON — While Amtrak’s string of weather-related cancellations in the Midwest is officially over, the company continues to deal with a pattern of equipment issues on the Northeast Corridor. Six Acela trains have been cancelled to begin today (Jan. 24, 2025) because of “equipment unavailability,” while a seventh has been scrubbed because of mechanical issues. […]
SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Caltrain’s electrified equipment is performing far more efficiently than expected, the agency announced at its month board meeting, which could result in $3 million annually in electric savings. The regenerative braking on Caltrain’s Stadler trainsets is sending approximately 23% of the energy consumed by the system. Electric use is averaging 207 […]
NEWARK, N.J. — N.J. Transit’s CEO says he is ready to “work all night” in an effort to reach an agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which is ready to strike in March if it does not reach a deal on a new contract. “Let’s do it tomorrow,” Kris Kolluri, who became […]
CALGARY, Alberta — Track that buckled in an area of deteriorated structure led to the derailment of 41 cars of a Canadian Pacific train near Bassano, Alb., on July 13, 2022, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an investigation report released today (Jan. 22, 2025). The 11,758-foot, 29,021-ton train had five locomotives — […]
LINCOLN, Neb. — An 18-year-old accused of derailing a BNSF train last April will be tried as an adult after a Nebraska court turned down his appeal of the decision to move his case out of juvenile court. KLKN-TV reports juvenile court Judge Roger Heideman ruled last August that Zachary Hertzler, 18, should be charged […]
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 is poised for reassembly after spending the 2024 season sidelined for planned maintenance work, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad officials say. The Mallet has undergone a laundry list of in-house projects and subcontracted work aimed at positioning the locomotive for long-term operation. The tourist railroad tapped D&G […]
CHICAGO — Amtrak’s cold-weather cancellations in the Midwest continue to mount, with the cancellations now extending into Thursday, Jan. 23 — seven days after the first trains were cancelled. The newest cancellations, according to an update at 4:20 p.m. ET today (Jan. 21, 2025); an update on Thursday, Jan. 23 has added new information on […]
PORT CLINTON, Pa. — With a change in traffic mix more than offsetting a decrease in carloads, the Reading & Northern achieved record freight revenues in 2024, the railroad has announced. The privately held railroad had previously announced record passenger ridership [see “Reading & Northern marks record excursion ridership …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 8, […]
BOSTON — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has reached a tentative agreement with Keolis Commuter Services, contract operator of the Masschusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail network, for a five-year contract retroactive to July 1, 2023. If ratified, the agreement would provide for five years of 5% wage increases, plus an additional $2 […]
