El Paso, Colo., county board voices opposition to passenger rail district Officials in Colorado’s El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, have indicated their opposition to a proposed Front Range Rail Passenger District, expressing concern that taxes raised by the district could be better used to fix local roads or could be spent elsewhere in […]
Customs and Border Protection to introduce new rail cargo scanners at 12 key border crossings The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has announced a $46 million program to install new technology to inspect rail cargo at a dozen sites around the U.S. The new high energy scanners will us linear accelerators to generate X-rays […]
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration “has been unable to obtain access to all the data and analysis necessary” to properly review the issues involved in Amtrak’s effort to restart Gulf Coast passenger service, the agency said in a Monday filing to the Surface Transportation Board. A letter penned by FRA Acting General Counsel John […]
Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of May 13, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division GP40-2 and GP40-2L diesel […]
MONTREAL – As part of its proposed acquisition of Kansas City Southern, Canadian National envisions spending $250 million to create an upgraded route linking Kansas City, Mo., with Eastern Canada via Springfield, Ill. The big prize in a CN-KCS merger is connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. But the combined CN-KCS route to Kansas City would […]
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday announced a deal with Norfolk Southern allowing the extension of Amtrak service to the New River Valley in the southwest portion of the state, as well as additional service to Roanoke. The agreement, known as the Western Rail Initiative, includes $28.2 million to acquire 28.5 miles […]
Product news Model railroad operators and builders can get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more by reading Model Railroader’s frequent product updates. Here are the products Model Railroader editors have news on for the week of May 6, 2021. HO scale locomotives Electro-Motive Division SD60M and SD60I diesel […]
WASHINGTON — On the day it marks the 50th anniversary of its launch, and the day after an event marking that anniversary that featured President Joe Biden, Amtrak is reiterating its desire to add up to 160 communities to its network through an expansion of routes and train frequencies over the next 15 years. At […]
Dutchtown Southern, the smallest railroad you’ve never heard of, just might be the biggest story in railroading. The Watco short line began operations in January on 1.76 miles of track leased from Canadian National in Geismar, La. Located some 20 miles south of Baton Rouge along a bend in the Mississippi River, the Dutchtown Southern […]
West Virginia fails to fund MARC service, placing future in doubt The future of MARC commuter rail service to West Virginia is again in doubt after the state legislature failed to include service for the funding in its 2021-22 budget. The Martinsburg Journal-News reports state Senate President Craig Blair said he struck the commuter train […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Southern board of directors will have to weigh dueling bids for the railway, pitting Canadian Pacific’s friendly $29 billion deal against Canadian National’s unsolicited $33.7 billion offer. Analysts say that CP’s bid, while lower, is almost certain to gain regulatory approval. CN’s bid is more attractive for investors, but […]
WASHINGTON —The latest salvo in Amtrak’s attempt to launch two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., has landed at the Surface Transportation Board in the passenger railroad’s 80-page “Response in Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss.” Responding to a 284-page filing by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern on April 5, the passenger […]
