Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 pauses overnight at Rawlins, Wyo., in May 2019. Big Boy’s bell is painted red to keep it looking clean and well-kept. 19143-50 Ryan Nicolay Q: Why are the insides of the bells on Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 No. 4014 and 4-8-4 No. 844 painted red? — Scott Zygutis, Antioch, […]
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. — Transit issues were among the topics when the governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island held their first private meeting on Tuesday. The lunch meeting at Eastern Connecticut State University was organized by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, with Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker […]
A grant will significantly boost the restoration of Louisville & Nashville No. 152, but more funds are needed. KRM NEW HAVEN, Ky. — A federal grant will boost — but not complete — the restoration of a beloved Louisville & Nashville steam icon that is the official steam locomotive for Kentucky. According to the Kentucky […]
LOWELL, Ark. — Executives of trucking giant J.B. Hunt are moderately optimistic about intermodal for the second half of 2019 and about the effects of Precision Scheduled Railroading on Hunt operations. Intermodal, which makes up more than 50 percent of Hunt revenues, had a difficult first half of 2019, due to PSR-driven lane closures in […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland-area officials are beginning to explore the possibility of building a light-rail tunnel under downtown to address the bottleneck at the center of the city’s rail system. The Oregon Metro website says the idea, still in its early stages, was first floated two years ago as transit agency TriMet looked at ways to […]
PHILADELPHIA – Nearly 27,000 daily riders on three regional rail lines operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will face longer commutes for the next two weeks as major work on the Arsenal Interlocking, south of Philadelphia, takes place. Beginning July 20, the Airport Line will be closed in its entirety, and the Media/Elwyn Line […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Cost-cutting, efficiency gains, and higher revenue per carload helped Union Pacific post record second quarter financial results despite declines in traffic and revenue and the impact of flooding that shut down key routes in the Midwest. The railroad’s operating income rose 8%, to $2.2 billion, even as revenue declined 1%, to $5.5 […]
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific confirmed today that it has shut down the hump at Proviso Yard in Chicago and curtailed operations at several other yards across its system as the railroad reduces the number of times cars are handled en route. “Proviso, in particular, was a very old and inefficient hump yard, still using […]
A northbound Amtrak Hiawatha passes the closed tower at Rondout, Ill, on June 2, 2019. TRAINS: David Lassen MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin officials announced plans to add three Amtrak Hiawatha round trips to the Chicago-Milwaukee route over the next five years, and should be able to add two of those trains with or without cooperation from […]
Follow along with Trains Editor Jim Wrinn in this third compilation video from Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 No. 4014’s Great Midwest Tour. This video focuses on Big Boy’s trek through Iowa on its way to Mason City, Iowa. […]
Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 13. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,908 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.6% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending July 13 were 260,762 […]
James Foote, CSX Corp. CEO CSX Corp. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation reduced its full-year revenue outlook on Tuesday after revenue and traffic volumes came in lower than expected for the second quarter. The railroad, which had been projecting low single-digit revenue growth, now expects revenue to decline by 1% to 2% this year. CSX […]
