Cienega Creek, Arizona

CienegaCreekMap

About 20 miles east of Tucson, Ariz., is a vastly underrated train-watching location: Cienega Bridge. The bridge carries Union Pacific’s former Southern Pacific Sunset Route over itself and Cienega Creek. The main line is split through this section of the desert, and each main track has its own dedicated right-of-way. In 1880, SP built what […]

Read More…

Flagstaff, Arizona

FlagstaffMap

Bobby Troup called out Flagstaff, Ariz., in “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66,” and railfans will too. The city of 65,000 is surrounded by ponderosa pines and flanked by the San Francisco Peaks. At 7,000 feet, Flagstaff offers comfortable summers, snowy winters, and fall colors. The city is home to BNSF’s Seligman Subdivision, part of […]

Read More…

Arlington, Virginia

Arlington2

A location to safely watch trains has opened near Washington, D.C. Arlington County recently opened Long Bridge Park adjacent to control point RO on CSX’s RF&P Subdivision. Arlington is at the south end of CSX’s Long Bridge across the Potomac River. This double track bridge was opened in 1904. The name “RO” comes from the […]

Read More…

Chicago’s “Racetrack”

ChicagoRacetrackMap

Chicago is still the railroad capital of the country in most people’s opinion. What puts it on top over other cities like Kansas City is the strong passenger-train presence. It’s Amtrak’s midwestern hub (8 routes), and hundreds of Metra commuter trains (11 routes) hustle in and out of the city daily. Much of the railroad […]

Read More…

Digest: Legislation introduced to transfer Keystone Line ownership from Amtrak to Pennsylvania

Amtrak logo

Still more Friday morning rail news: Bill seeks to transfer Keystone Line from Amtrak to Pennsylvania Legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this week would require Amtrak to transfer ownership of its Keystone Line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa., to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Keystone Line for the Commonwealth Act would […]

Read More…

Digest: FBI still seeking suspects in 1995 Amtrak derailment

Still more Monday morning rail news: FBI investigation continues, 25 years after ‘Sunset Limited’ derailment Twenty-five years after a fatal derailment of the Sunset Limited in Arizona, the investigation continues and a reward remains available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those response. An article posted on the FBI website on Friday, the 25th […]

Read More…

Digest: Amtrak to resume service to Holdrege, Neb.

Still more Friday morning rail news: Amtrak completes new platform, will resume stops in Holdrege, Neb. Amtrak’s California Zephyr will again stop in Holdrege, Neb., after an absence of several months after completion of a new station platform in the community. KHGI-TV reports that after the passenger railroad could no longer reach agreement with the owner of the 1910 […]

Read More…

Digest: Amtrak Capitol Corridor adds occupancy tool to website

More Friday morning rail news: Capitol Corridor website now offering occupancy information on trains, connecting buses Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor has added an occupancy information tool on its website to provide passengers awareness of how full a given train may be. The tool, available here, uses recent ridership numbers to indicate vacancy rates on individual trains. […]

Read More…

Homewood, Ill., station to get $29 million rebuild

HOMEWOOD, Ill. — Shovels were out Monday, manned for the cameras by masked Amtrak, Metra, and civic officials that helped arrange $29 million of federal and local funding that will enhance the original 1923 Illinois Central Homewood, Ill., facility with features that make it completely accessible to passengers with disabilities. Construction began in July on […]

Read More…