Bill Purdie, Southern’s steam master, dies NEWSWIRE

Southern Railway’s master mechanic-steam occupies the engineer’s seat of Tennessee Valley 630 during a 1980s excursion. Jim Wrinn ATLANTA – Bill Purdie, the beloved master mechanic for Southern Railway’s extensive steam locomotive excursions in the 1960s and 1970s, died yesterday evening. He was 95. Purdie joined Southern Railway as a helper in 1936 and progressed […]

Read More…

Inside Alstom’s high speed train factory NEWSWIRE

mid-train articulated TGV car

The seldom-seen end of a mid-train articulated TGV car. Keith Fender New TGV disc brakes. Keith Fender TGV Duplex cars emerge. Keith Fender Monitoring systems are tucked into the sides of some TGV Duplex cars beneath upper-level windows. Keith Fender TGV cars are moved around the plant on temporary trucks. It takes three weeks to […]

Read More…

Iowa Interstate’s Rock Island ‘Heritage Unit’ emerges NEWSWIRE

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific

This Rock Island paint scheme served as the prototype for Iowa Interstate’s new ‘Heritage’ locomotive (pictured above). Electro-Motive Mid-America Car KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Iowa Interstate ES44AC No. 513 has emerged from the paint shop at Mid-America Car wearing Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific colors. The unit will serve on Interstate’s ex-Rock Island route between […]

Read More…

Amtrak restores ‘Lake Shore’ dining car NEWSWIRE

NEW YORK — Amtrak will replace modified café cars on its Chicago-New York/Boston Lake Shore Limited with “Heritage” dining cars, beginning with westbound train No. 49 today, Dec. 14. The cars, operating to and from New York, feature booth-style seating, large picture windows, and modern cooking equipment, and an expanded menu will result. “Putting dining […]

Read More…

Extra 2200 South: Still in business NEWSWIRE

MILFORD, Ohio – Though subscribers report no new issues this year, the owner of locomotive news magazine Extra 2200 South said today the magazine is alive and well. With luck, Doug Cummings said, a new issue could be out in the next 30 days, but he said he wouldn’t promise that. The delay, Cummings said, […]

Read More…

Union Pacific changes colors NEWSWIRE

Three Union Pacific employees conduct a job briefing at Colton, Calif., wearing new high-visibility green vests. David Lustig OMAHA, Neb. – Most Union Pacific employees will switch from wearing orange to green safety vests. The railroad said it believes the green vests afford better visibility than traditional orange. Workers that maintain structures must continue to […]

Read More…

Trains Unlimited Tours to close NEWSWIRE

RENO, Nev. – Trains Unlimited Tours is closing its operations owing to business downturns in a depressed economy. Speaking for the company, Ron Burkhard said TUT is failing to generate enough clientele in a recession economy. The company is exploring a search for another group to operate two of its charters scheduled for next year: […]

Read More…