WASHINGTON — Three Democratic Senators from Pennsylvania and Ohio have called for new rail safety legislation they say is intended to build on provisions of the Rail Safety Act introduced earlier in March by addressing wheel-related failures and enacting new inspection rules, among other provisions. The Railway Accountability Act was introduced Thursday by U.S. Sens. […]
Explore Gregg Condon’s HO scale (1:87.1) model railroad based on 1950s-era Milwaukee Road operations along the Shullsburg Branch in Wisconsin! You’ll enjoy following the action over the rails, plus all the realistic scenes, structures, and details modeled around and about the right-of-way. All of this is a pre-cursor to even more in-depth coverage of the […]
CHICAGO — Union Pacific is working with commuter rail operator Metra to “safely and seamlessly transfer its commuter operation in Chicago, including the employees who perform the work,” UP announced today (Thursday, March 30), setting the stage for an exit from the commuter rail business long sought by the freight operator. UP said Metra will […]
Explore Gregg Condon’s HO scale (1:87.1) model railroad based on 1950s-era Milwaukee Road operations along the Shullsburg Branch in Wisconsin! You’ll enjoy following the action over the rails, plus all the realistic scenes, structures, and details modeled around and about the right-of-way. All of this is a pre-cursor to even more in-depth coverage of the […]
RAYMOND, Minn. — Evacuated residents have begun returning home after an early morning derailment of approximately 22 cars of a BNSF Railway train, some carrying ethanol, and subsequent fire. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office reported at midday that the evacuation for Raymond, ordered after a derailment about 1 a.m., had been lifted, and said there […]
BRADY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Fifteen cars of a Canadian National train carrying iron ore derailed Wednesday, WTAE-TV reports. The derailment occurred about 8 a.m. Wednesday. No injuries were reported, and the railroad told the station that no hazardous materials were involved. Video footage on the station website showed cleanup in progress at the site continuing […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislation setting the stage for the Cincinnati Southern Railway passed the Ohio House and Senate on Wednesday, sending the bill to Gov. Mike DeWine. HB23, the state transportation bill, passed the state House by a 93-2 vote and the Senate by a 30-1 vote. A conference committee on Tuesday reconciled differences between […]
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is the latest state to consider a law limiting how long trains can block grade crossings. House Bill 1752, introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Denise Jones Ennett (D-Little Rock) would prohibit trains from blocking a crossing for more than 15 minutes. It sets penalties from $400 to $1,000, escalating to […]
FOLEY, Minn. — A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for climbing aboard a BNSF Railway train last year and attacking the engineer with a knife. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Samuel D. Hohman of Sauk Rapids, Minn., was sentenced Wednesday in Benton County District Court after pleading guilty in February […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. rail traffic slump continued in the week ending March 25, with volume down 7.5% compared to the same week in 2022, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Total traffic was 469,958 carloads and intermodal units. That included 236,526 carloads, down 0.2% from the corresponding week a year ago, […]
PORT ALLEN, La. — No chemicals were released after about 25 tank cars carrying liquid petroleum gas and butadiene derailed Wednesday morning, WAFB-TV reports. The Union Pacific derailment, on a spur serving a plant for industrial gases firm Air Liquide America, led to a response by the Louisiana State Police hazardous materials unit, Louisiana Department […]
DEL MAR, Calif. — The California Transportation Commission has awarded more than $37 million to the San Diego Association of Governments for its continuing project to stabilize the rail line along Del Mar Bluffs, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The next phase in the project, scheduled to begin in November, is expected to cost more […]
