Joe Boardman, near his home in Rome, N.Y., in 2018. Bob Johnston Reactions to the passing of former Amtrak president and CEO Joe Boardman, who died Thursday at age 70 From Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews: “Joe Boardman believed in his bones that all Americans should have the ability to choose to […]
Magazine: Trains Magazine
Virgin Trains bond request in limbo as meeting ends without decision NEWSWIRE
A Brightline train passes through Lantana, Fla. The company, now Virgin Trains USA, is seeking bonds to help finance its expansion to Orlando, but a meeting on the bond proposal adjourned Wednesday without resolution. TRAINS: David Lassen ORLANDO, Fla. — A meeting to review Virgin Trains USA’s request for $2.7 billion in private activity bonds, […]
Wabtec, workers reach 90-day agreement to continue negotiations, locomotive production in Erie NEWSWIRE
LAWRENCE PARK, Pa. — Locomotive laborers will soon be back to work under a 90-day agreement reached late Wednesday between Wabtec Freight and members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Locals 506 and 618. The Erie Times-News reports that the deal is only for 90 days to allow locomotive work to progress […]
Trains’ last interview with former Amtrak President Joe Boardman NEWSWIRE
Former Amtrak President Joe Boardman seated at his former office in Washington, D.C. Bob Johnston EDITOR’S NOTE: This Q&A interview was originally published in the March 2019 issue of Trains Magazine. It is being re-published on news of his death in March 2019. Since retiring as Amtrak’s president and CEO in 2016 after eight years […]
Big Boy – Back In Steam
Also in this issue: Big boy inside and out, pg. 21 Cutaway drawings show the guts behind the king of steam’s glory […]
AAR: Cold weather, economic uncertainty, and trade tensions depressed carload traffic in February in the US NEWSWIRE
Association of American Railroads Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 2, as well as volumes for February 2019. U.S. railroads originated 999,978 carloads in February 2019, down 2.7 percent, or 28,238 carloads, from February 2018. U.S. railroads also originated 1,094,499 […]
CSX Transportation CEO says service improvements will bring traffic back to the railroad NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK — Railroads can only regain traffic lost to the highway if they can provide dependable, trucklike service, CSX Transportation CEO Jim Foote says. A typical carload customer — be it plastics, chemicals, paper, or lumber — might send only 60 percent of its business via rail, while the rest goes by truck, Foote […]
New England photographer Alan Thomas passes NEWSWIRE
WOODSTOCK, N.H. — Rail photographer and historian, Alan Thomas, 85, of Woodstock, N.H., passed away Feb. 3, 2019. Not only was Alan a talented rail photographer, he was generous about allowing others to use his work, said Trains author Chuck Bohi. “I met Alan while chasing a B&M train at Bath, N.H., and benefited from […]
Proposed budget would give NJ Transit a $100 million boost NEWSWIRE
Two NJ Transit Morris and Essex Line trains meet at the Maplewood, N.J., station. The train on the left is headed to Dover; the one on the right is bound for New York’s Penn Station. The proposed state budget for fiscal 2020 would provide an additional $100 million in funding for the transit agency. Ralph […]
Report: Denver light rail train speeding at time of derailment that seriously injured passenger NEWSWIRE
AURORA, Colo. — A light rail vehicle was going more than three times the speed limit when it derailed on a curve in Aurora in January, ejecting a passenger whose leg was severed by the moving train, the Denver Post reports. The Post report on the Jan. 28 derailment is based on a police report […]
SEPTA police go on strike NEWSWIRE
PHILADELPHIA – The police force of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has gone on strike as of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Philadelphia Enquirer reports. The agency has 270 officers. SEPTA expects to deploy its 49 supervisors to patrol during the labor action, who will receive assistance from city police. […]
Union Pacific remains committed to new Texas hump yard, but may use it differently NEWSWIRE
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz Union Pacific NEW YORK — Construction is proceeding on the new hump yard Union Pacific is building in Texas, but the railroad will use the yard differently than originally envisioned due to its shift to Precision Scheduled Railroading. “We continue to evaluate exactly how are we going to use it,” […]