NEW YORK — Amtrak has said to expect “single-tracking delays and speed restrictions” as it resumes service between New York Penn Station and Albany, N.Y., today (Thursday, Nov. 16) following four days of disruptions because of structural issues with a parking garage above its tracks in New York City. A message on its AmtrakNECAlerts social […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
First of many battery trains enter service in Germany
KIEL, Germany — The first of what will be multiple fleets of new battery-electric multiple-unit, or BEMU, trainsets have entered passenger service in northern Germany. The Stadler-built, two-car FLIRT trains debuted two weeks ago. They are designed to replace diesel multiple units and operate as regular electric trains when running on electrified lines. Each of […]
Two injured as Portland streetcar, light rail train collide
PORTLAND, Ore. — A TriMet MAX light rail train and Portland streetcar collided in an intersection east of downtown Portland on Wednesday, briefly pinning the streetcar operator and sending that operator and one passenger to the hospital with minor injuries. The collision occurred about 10:20 a.m. at the intersection of Northeast 7th Avenue and Holladay […]
Railroads once again emphasize interline intermodal as way to compete with trucks
Class I railroads, which pruned their interline intermodal service as the Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model spread in the U.S. over the past few years, have rediscovered joint service and say it’s a way to capture freight moving on the highway. Several interline intermodal initiatives have been announced since May. Among them: The Canadian National-Union […]
Union Pacific eyes faster domestic intermodal schedules
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One of the first decisions that Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena made after rejoining the railroad in August was to take 24 hours out of the schedule for Falcon Premium interline cross-border intermodal service. At an investor conference on Tuesday, he was asked whether there were other similar opportunities to improve intermodal […]
Some Amtrak trains between Penn Station, Albany to resume Thursday
NEW YORK — Some direct Amtrak service between New York Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer will resume Thursday, Nov. 16, with the rest restored on Friday, WNBC-TV reports. Service has been disrupted since Sunday, Nov. 12, because of structural issues with a parking garage above Amtrak’s right-of-way in Manhattan [see “Amtrak disruption of service …,” Trains […]
Engineers, Amtrak reach tentative contract agreement
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Amtrak has reached a tentative contract agreement with its more than 1,400 locomotive engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has announced. If ratified, the agreement would run through 2028. Features include retroactive payments retroactive to 2022, a 30% wage increase (34.12% compounded); 10 weeks of paid parental leave; increased away-from-home […]
Metrolink adds trains to help address Los Angeles freeway closure
LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink is expanding service on its San Bernardino Line in response to the closure of a portion of Interstate 10, a major route into downtown Los Angeles traveled by some 300,000 cars per day. Metrolink will add three additional round trips between L.A. Union Station and its Covina station […]
Amtrak disruption of service between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon to continue
NEW YORK — Amtrak service will be disrupted on its New York-Albany route on Tuesday for a third straight day, according to an updated service advisory on Amtrak’s website, although the service suspension is now officially between Penn Station and Croton-Harmon. According to the advisory posted at 5 p.m. EST, service will be much as […]
BNSF and J.B. Hunt to shift Mexico cross-border intermodal service to Ferromex via Eagle Pass gateway (updated)
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway and J.B. Hunt are shifting their Mexico intermodal service to Ferromex via the Eagle Pass gateway, a route they say is a day faster than the current BNSF-Canadian Pacific Kansas City routing via Laredo, Texas. The cross-border service will move to Eagle Pass on Jan. 1, BNSF and J.B. […]
Amtrak-VIA proposal for through Chicago-Toronto service revealed (updated)
WINDSOR, Ontario — The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, released a “fact sheet” to local media last week which outlines a $44 million plan to convert a daily Wolverine Corridor Amtrak round trip and a Southwest Ontario VIA Rail Canada round-trip from Toronto into a Chicago-Toronto train. First reported in an interview with radio station CKLW […]
BNSF train derails west of Denver, blocking Zephyr route (corrected)
PINECLIFFE, Colo. — Fifteen cars of a BNSF freight train derailed early today (Sunday, Nov. 12) in the Rocky Mountain foothills west of Denver, leading to a closure expected to block Union Pacific’s main line for 36 hours, according to preliminary estimates. KCNC-TV reports the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office was informed of the derailment at […]