ALBANY, N.Y. — Amtrak will not operate the annual Toys for Tots Train in upstate New York this year, area media outlets have reported. The passenger railroad cited its policy toward chartered trains, announced in March. [See “Amtrak to stop operating special trains, charter moves,” Trains News Wire, March 28, 2018]. The train, supporting U.S. […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Investigators rule UP 844 excursion death accidental; family agrees
BRIGHTON, Colo. — Investigators say the death of a woman photographing Union Pacific steam locomotive No. 844 July 21 suggests the woman was more focused on her cellphone screen than the approaching train. In an interview, the woman’s husband agrees with that assessment, saying that he would not want the accident to deter steam excursions. […]
NS intermodal train crashes next to Pittsburgh tourist hot spot NEWSWIRE
This photo shows a derailed and crashed Norfolk Southern intermodal train from a Pittsburgh “T” station platform for Station Square — one of the Pennsylvania city’s busiest tourist attractions. Port Authority of Allegheny County (Pa.) PITTSBURGH — Don’t even think of taking a T train into downtown Pittsburgh on Monday — there’s a 7,000-foot intermodal […]
Amtrak to buy new MoW equipment for the Northeast Corridor NEWSWIRE
WASHINGTON — In the latest step for better service for Northeast Corridor passengers, Amtrak officials said in late July that they’ll spend $370 million on new maintenance-of-way equipment over an estimated three-year period. This capital expenditure will accelerate maintenance work, doubling Amtrak engineering work on the Boston to Washington line upon full implementation of the […]
Kentucky Steam Heritage group forms Eastern Kentucky Railway Co. NEWSWIRE
An overview of the Ravenna car shops and rail yard facilities that will become the future site of the Kentucky rail heritage center and home to Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716. The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. seeks approval from the Surface Transportation Board to operate its own railroad for switching purposes. Kentucky Steam Heritage […]
Short lines in Tennessee and Iowa open for business on Jan. 1, 2019 NEWSWIRE
A successful short line operator in the East is now setting his sights on the Heartland. On Jan. 1, 2019, the Wolf Creek Railroad, at Milan, Tenn., and the Iowa & Middletown Railway near Burlington, Iowa, will join the Raritan Central Railway in Edison, N.J., and Pennsylvania & Southern in Chambersburg, Pa., in the newly […]
Maine two-foot locomotive steams again NEWSWIRE
Boothbay Railway Village S.D. Warren 0-4-0T No. 2 as it was test-fired on July 30. Submitted photo A view of the firebox of Boothbay Railway Village 0-4-0T No. 2. Submitted photo BOOTHBAY, Maine — A steam locomotive from one of Maine’s most obscure two-foot gauge railroads will return to the rails under its own power […]
N&W No. 611 to steam for the public in September NEWSWIRE
N&W No. 611 will run at Spencer, N.C., in September before returning to Roanoke, Va. Trains: Jim Wrinn SPENCER, N.C. — Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 No. 611 isn’t pulling mainline steam trips this year, but it’s got a busy late summer lined up. The streamlined 1950 passenger engine will operate on site at […]
Progressive Rail assumes control of California short line NEWSWIRE
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Progressive Rail, the Lakeview, Minn., short line operator, is poised to assume control of the 31-mile Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay Railroad from its former operator, Iowa Pacific Holdings, according to a petition filed Aug. 1 with the Surface Transportation Board. The petition notes that Iowa Pacific ceased operations in June. […]
UP rail shipment delayed nearly six weeks; Trump’s tariffs involved NEWSWIRE
Crews unload long rail segments from the Pacific Spike at Stockton, Calif., in this undated photo. David Lustig The Pacific Spike rail ship. This is the ship that was delayed for week in San Francisco Bay. It is unclear why the ship was delayed. David Lustig SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Union Pacific is facing increased costs […]
PHNX caboose
This bright red caboose and its sister, No. 101, escort special rail loads and are owned by PHN LLC. Timothy J. O’Malley Q Last year I saw a caboose on the tail end of a BNSF Railway train with PHNX reporting marks. Is it escorting the three hopper cars in front of it? Who owns […]
Comparing Amtrak’s ‘contemporary’ and traditional dining NEWSWIRE
In mid-July, Amtrak announced it had added a hot-meal option to the pre-packaged lunch and dinner service on the Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited, where it replaced full dining-car service. The original form of that service, as sampled on the Lake Shore, was examined in “Amtrak debuts cold ‘contemporary’ meals” [“Passenger, September 2018 Trains] […]
