Sound Transit chooses CEO candidate

Sound Transit logo

SEATTLE — Sound Transit has selected its preferred candidate to become the agency’s new CEO and is beginning negotiations with that candidate. The Seattle Times reports that the final five candidates for the position include chief executives of four other U.S. transit agencies, as well as King County Executive Dow Constantine, currently part of the […]

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Columbia Basin Railroad donates line to Moses Lake project

Map of rail lines in Moses Lake, Wash., area

MOSES LAKE, Wash. — The Columbia Basin Railroad has donated about 3 miles of rail line to the Port of Moses Lake, aiding the port’s effort to expand its rail network as part of the North Columbia Basin Railroad Project. The project seeks to rebuild or rehabilitate approximately 8 miles of rail line, restoring rail […]

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Amtrak mobile app now allows seat selection

Amtrak logo.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has updated its mobile app to include the ability to select seats when booking tickets on trains with assigned seating. The feature is available when purchasing tickets for Acela trains, as well as for business class on the Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter, and Carolinian. Other features include updates on train status and […]

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Santa Clara VTA seeks court order to end strike

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority logo

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is going to court in an effort to end a strike by more than 1,500 of its workers. Public broadcaster KQED reports the VTA has filed a complaint in Santa Clara County Superior Court alleging the strike is a breach of contract and an act […]

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U.S. weekly rail volume remains up

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail traffic by commodity type, plus overall intermodal volume

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained above 2024 levels for the week ending March 8, 2025, the Association of American Railroads reports. According to AAR information, traffic for the week was 497,412 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.4% gain over the same week a year ago. The overall figure included 219,457 carloads, up 2.6%, […]

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Patriot Rail to build transload facility on CPKC in Texas

Patriot Rail logo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Short line and regional rail company Patriot Rail Co. is set to expand its transload services in Texas. In partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Patriot Rail will establish a new multicommodity transload facility on CPKC’s network in Denton, Texas. The move aims to enhance transload services and logistics solutions for customers […]

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Trump nominates Robert Gleason for Amtrak board seat

Passenger train at station

WASHINGTON — The former head of Pennsylvania’s Republican Party has been nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the last remaining vacancy on Amtrak’s board of directors. But unlike those Trump advanced during his first term, this nominee has been actively involved in pushing for increased Amtrak service from an area the passenger operator currently […]

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Metra’s SD70MACHs working well, chief operating officer says

Blue locomotive on commuter train under clear blue skies

CHICAGO — Metra is having “great luck” with its fleet of SD70MACH locomotives, Chief Operating Officer Kevin McCann told the Sandhouse Rail Group today (Wednesday, March 12, 2025). McCann and Chief Engineering Officer Scott Schiemann updated those attending the Northwestern University Transportation Center event at Metra headquarters on a wide variety of projects and initiatives […]

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OmniTRAX acquires California short line under new joint venture

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – OmniTRAX has entered into a joint venture for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, which becomes the short line holding company’s 29th rail operation. Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the SMV provides Central Coast Valley commercial and agricultural customers a connection to Union Pacific. The acquisition is a joint venture […]

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