SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco is far from a center of cutting-edge computer technology — when it comes to its light rail system. KGO-TV reports that a portion of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, or Muni, rail system still uses an Automatic Train Control system installed in 1998 that requires its software to be […]
WILMINGTON, Del. — Wohlsen Construction Co. has been awarded the contract for Amtrak’s Unified Operations Center project in Wilmington, Del., the company announced on Friday. The project, expected to cost more than $53 million, will built a 24-hour operations center for national operations, including fleet and onboard crew assignments and coordination of the response to […]
REGINA, Saskatchewan — Thirteen railroads will receive a total of C$530,000 in provincial funding under Saskatchewan’s Short Line Railway Improvement Program, as announced Friday by Highways Minister Lori Carr. “Short line railways play an important role in getting Saskatchewan’s food, fuel and fertilizer on their journeys to worldwide markets, which helps keep our export-based economy […]
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — After 63 years operating at the Milwaukee County Zoo, steam locomotive No. 1916 Harry J. Grant went back home to the Riverside & Great Northern Railway in Wisconsin Dells. The Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works built the 15-inch gauge 4-4-2 at what is now the R&GN shops in 1960-61. Today, a crew […]
CARBONDALE, Ill. — For a few hours Thursday, travelers along Illinois’ Chicago-Carbondale Amtrak corridor could book a daytime round trip to next Monday’s solar eclipse “path of totality,” thereby avoiding monumental traffic jams along parallel highways that occurred during a similar event in August 2017. But that window of opportunity closed when seats that briefly […]
MONTREAL — Canadian National will purchase a plug-in, hybrid diesel-battery mainline locomotive from Progress Rail, the companies announced today. The first-of-its kind unit for North America will be evaluated on CN’s main line in British Columbia, starting in Prince George and the northern part of the province, to increase the railroad and rail industry’s knowledge […]
ATLANTA – Norfolk Southern has pruned its intermodal network and made the operating ratio a key component of its executive compensation plans, the railroad announced yesterday amid its proxy battle with activist investor Ancora Holdings. NS has eliminated 53 low-volume intermodal lanes — or 15% of its intermodal network — that had limited growth prospects. […]
Class I railroads can continue business as usual and watch their earnings stagnate and profitability fall as their freight volume declines through 2030. Or they can make meaningful service improvements, become easier for customers to deal with, and launch new intermodal services that capture freight from trucks. Adopting a successful growth strategy will boost revenue, […]
CHICAGO — Metra will make major increases to weekend service on its BNSF Line, adding six trains on Saturdays and 16 on Sundays to create equal schedules for both weekend days. The commuter operator will also make some weekday changes as part of a new schedule effective on Monday, April 29. The new weekend schedule […]
CAPE BRETON, Nova Scotia — The government of Nova Scotia has ended a subsidy for a dormant section of short line in the province because it sees no chance the line will be restored to operation any time soon, the CBC reports. The move regarding the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway comes after […]
LYNNWOOD, Wash. — Sound Transit’s next addition to its light rail system — the Lynnwood Link extension of Line 1 — will debut on Aug. 30, the agency announced Thursday. The 8.5-mile addition into Snohomish County will add four stations to the north of the current endpoint of Line 1 at Seattle’s Northgate station. In […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Administration on Thursday announced $20.5 billion in federal funding will be available in fiscal 2024 for transit projects. Funding can be used to modernize, maintain, and operate transit systems; upgrade station, track, and maintenance facilities; plan and design new corridors; and prvide access for seniors and riders with disabilities. State-by-state […]
