BATH, Maine — The first stage of what Midcoast Railservice President Mike Smith says is a “sequential laboratory experiment” he expects to culminate in scheduled passenger service between Rockland and Brunswick, Maine, is set to begin this weekend at Bath Heritage Days. On display at Bath, about 9 miles from the Brunswick terminus of Amtrak […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Short circuit on door system led to MBTA passenger fatality, NTSB determines
WASHINGTON — A short circuit in a system designed to keep a train from operating when a door is open or obstructed is the probable cause of the 2022 death of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority passenger, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report released Tuesday. The passenger, 39-year-old Robinson Lalin, was caught […]
Work begins on wall to protect rail line in San Clemente
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Work began Monday on a temporary restraining wall to be built at the site of a landslide that has halted passenger rail service through south Orange County since June 5. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports heavy equipment was being staged at the base of the slope below San Clemente’s Casa Romantica […]
LA’s Metrolink expands weekend service on Ventura County Line
LOS ANGELES — Commuter rail operator Metrolink will expand service on its Ventura County Line beginning this weekend, adding a round trip to the existing Saturday schedule and adding operations on Sundays. The schedule for one existing train will also change to offer more weekend service options. As of July 1, schedules for both Saturday […]
NTSB investigating CSX employee death at Port of Baltimore
BALTIMORE — The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation after a CSX Transportation employee was killed after being struck by a train Monday evening at the Seagirt Marine Terminal at the Port of Baltimore. The Baltimore Banner reports an NTSB representative said two investigators were on the scene today to begin fact-finding into […]
MRL and BNSF detour trains as Yellowstone River bridge derailment cleanup progresses (updated)
REED POINT, Mont. — The Montana Rail Link bridge over the Yellowstone River, which collapsed on Saturday, passed inspections in November 2022 and last month, railroad President Joe Racicot said at a unified command news conference on Monday evening. “We feel confident that this bridge was suitable for stream flows,” Racicot says. A combination of […]
Canadian agricultural firm to expand elevators served by CPKC
CALGARY — Canadian agricultural firm Richardson International will expand eight grain elevators served by CPKC in Western Canada, allowing them to be served in the future by the railroad’s 8,500-foot High Efficiency Product trains. Work on the elevators in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta will start this summer and be complete by the end of 2024, […]
Penn Station remodel to move forward without high-rise development
NEW YORK — Plans to remodel Penn Station will move forward without being tied to a controversial plan to build adjacent high-rise office buildings, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday. Previously, plans had called for up to $7 billion in funding for the station remodel to come from development of 10 skyscrapers — nine […]
Pacific Surfliner to offer fare discount, additional service during X Games
VENTURA, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner Service will offer fare discounts and add an additional late-night train during the three-day run of the X Games action sports event in Ventura, July 21-23. The Surfliners’ Ventura stop is in the parking lot for the Ventura County Fairgrounds, site of the X Games. Ventura is normally served […]
First portion of Montreal light rail network could open in 30 to 45 days
MONTREAL — Service on the first segment of Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain light rail system could begin within 30 to 45 days, CTV News reports. REM officials shared that news with public transportation areas on Monday as they said the final phase of testing would begin Wednesday on the 10.3-mile, six-station segment between Central Station […]
Amtrak abruptly suspends ‘Adirondack’ after CN imposes heat restriction
MONTREAL — Following a 47-mile run last week that reportedly took four hours because of a 10-mph speed restriction imposed by Canadian National, Amtrak has suspended operation of the New York-Montreal Adirondack north of Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., as of Saturday, June 24. The Adirondack — the last Amtrak route to return after pandemic-related cutbacks — had […]
TSB to investigate CN derailment in Saskatchewan (updated)
LENEY, Saskatchewan — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has begun an investigation after 23 cars of a Canadian National train derailed Sunday evening near Leney, Sask., the CBC reports. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were reported to be involved, according to the TSB. The derailment occurred about 5 p.m. Two TSB […]