NEWINGTON, Conn. — Trains will be replaced by buses on Metro-North’s Danbury Branch Aug. 23-25 to accommodate a switch replacement project, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced. Buses will replace trains between Danbury and South Norwalk. They will operate earlier than the scheduled trains they replace, and will serve all stations between those two […]
Zone & Region: Northeast
Green Line’s B Branch has all speed restrictions removed during latest MBTA project
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority says the rapid transit Green Line’s B Branch is now free of speed restrictions as a result of a maintenance shutdown Aug. 2-11, the latest major project under the agency’s effort to eliminate a backlog of slow orders. The suspension of operations between Boston College and Babcock Street […]
Arcade & Attica steam excursions to return Aug. 24
ARCADE, N.Y. — The Arcade & Attica Railroad will begin offering steam operations this month with its 1920 Alco 2-8-0 for the first time since the locomotive was sidelined for repairs in 2018. The railroad announced today (Aug. 13) in a Facebook post that locomotive No. 18 has passed inspection and will begin excursion service […]
URHS adds third car for Hudson River Rail Excursions
BOONTON, N.J. — The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey has expanded the car fleet for its popular Hudson River Rail Excursions, adding a third car, New York Central sleeper-buffet-lounge Swift Stream, built by the Budd Co. in 1949. Tickets for space on this car will go on sale Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. […]
Congressman wants Amtrak, NJ passengers to get refunds for significantly late trains
GLEN ROCK, N.J. — A New Jersey congressman wants Amtrak and NJ Transit passengers to receive full refunds for significantly late trains, as well as those that are canceled. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Bergen County) on Monday announced plans to introduce the “All Aboard Act.” It would include a Passenger Bill of Rights requiring automatic […]
East Broad Top reopens two grade crossings on dormant main line
ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. – Pressing its drive to restore a narrow gauge main line that has lain dormant for 68 years, the East Broad Top Railroad this week reopened two long-paved-over grade crossings south of here. Following up on earlier work to install track panels by the joint EBT Foundation and Friends of the East […]
MARC, VRE begin cross-honoring passes
BALTIMORE — While through-running operation for MARC and Virginia Railway Express trains beyond Washington, D.C., remains a wish-list items for some passengers and both agencies, the two commuter rail operators are now making it a little easier and less expensive for some riders to make use of both services. A new agreement, announced Thursday and […]
EBT 0-6-0 No. 3 leaves Pennsylvania for new home in Alabama
MOUNT UNION, Pa. — East Broad Top Railroad’s last remaining standard-gauge 0-6-0 switcher, a 1923 Baldwin Locomotive Works engine, on Wednesday left the only place it has called home for 101 years aboard a specialized heavy-haul low-boy trailer. The 68-ton locomotive is destined for display at a park in Red Bay, Ala., more than 800 […]
Lehigh Valley NRHS to host Alco Seminar
NORTHAMPTON, Pa. — The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society/Railroad Historians of the Lehigh Valley are hosting an “Alco Seminar” on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Northampton Event Center. The event will feature speakers who had a hand in the design and operation of Alcos, officials from railroads with Alco power, and […]
Connecticut’s Valley Railroad to host two-day steam photo event
ESSEX, Conn. — The Valley Railroad Co. will be the site of a two-day photography event Oct. 8-9 featuring the heritage railroad’s steam locomotives. Steam Charters, hosted by Dak Dilon Photography, is organizing the event. Plans for Oct. 8 call for a freight train from Old Saybrook to Goodspeed station to be pulled by Valley […]
‘Through running’ concept not enough to address Penn Station growth, officials say
NEW YORK — Reorganization of commuter rail service with through running — in which Penn Station would no longer be a terminus for NJ Transit and MTA commuter operations, but see trains serve both commuter networks — would not be enough to address future needs transit needs at the station, officials told a Monday forum […]
Genesee Valley Transportation sells two Alcos to heritage railway
BATAVIA, N.Y. — Genesee Valley Transportation has sold two Alco RS3 locomotives to heritage railway Saratoga Corinth & Hudson, the two operations announced today (Aug. 2). Locomotives No. 4103 and 4118, which wore the same numbers with the Delaware & Hudson, were purchased from the Octoraro Railroad and rebuilt at Genesee Valley’s South Scranton Shop. […]