SIBLEY, Iowa — The evacuation order resulting from the derailment of a Union Pacific train in Sibley was lifted Monday evening, after fears of an explosion eased greatly authorities discovered a car believed to be carrying ammonium nitrate was actually empty. KCAU-TV reports about 400 people had been affected by the evacuation order, which was […]
Zone & Region: Midwest
Michigan Amtrak speeds increase; second Wolverine round trip to be added in July
LANSING, Mich. — Maximum speeds for Amtrak trains on one segment of the Chicago-Pontiac, Mich., corridor will increase to 110 mph as of Tuesday, May 25, and that corridor will see an additional round trip beginning July 19. The higher speed limit will come on 45 miles of state-owned tracks between Kalamazoo and Albion, Mich., […]
Digest: Supreme Court case asks whether a stopped train is ‘in use’
U.S. Supreme Court asks Solicitor General for opinion in case involving injured Union Pacific engineer The U.S. Supreme Court is asking the Biden Administration to take a position in a case involving Union Pacific that could affect the railroad’s liability for worker injuries. Reuters reports the court asked the U.S. Solicitor General’s office for an […]
Northern Pacific Railway freight trains
The Northern Pacific Railway is Classic Trains‘ Railroad of the Month for May 2021. Please enjoy this freight train photo gallery sourced from the archives of the David P. Morgan Library at Kalmbach Media. Only from Classic Trains! […]
Digest: Evacuation continues near Sibley, Iowa, derailment
Evacuation continues after UP derailment in Iowa Iowa State Troopers said they planned to allow the fire to burn overnight after a Union Pacific train derailed and caught fire in Sibley, Iowa, on Sunday afternoon. KELO-TV reports an evacuation remains in effect in a 2½-mile radius of the derailment site, with those evacuated sheltering in […]
Digest: Sound Transit places first of new light rail trainsets in service
Sound Transit places first of new Siemens LRVs in service Sound Transit has placed the first of its new Siemens light rail vehicles in service, part of an order that will more than triple the agency’s fleet. A total of 152 vehicles, from two orders totaling will be delivered from Siemens’ plant in Sacramento through […]
Route of the Rockets
Route of the Rockets The 1,600-hp Alco RS3 was an all-time best-selling road switcher with more than 1,200 built from 1949 to 1956. Rock Island No. 492, built in 1951, operated in Chicago area commuter service. Rock Island photo […]
UP train derails, catches fire in Sibley, Iowa (2nd update)
SIBLEY, Iowa — For the second time in about 24 hours, a Union Pacific train derailment in the Midwest has created a hazmat situation. This time, the derailment has triggered a fire that is leading to an evacuation of part of Sibley, a town of about 2,800 just south of the Iowa-Minnesota border and about […]
Tank cars leaking acid at site of UP derailment in Minnesota
ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Some 28 cars of Union Pacific train MITDM derailed in Albert Lea at approximately 1:45 p.m. today. The southbound train was en route from Itasca Yard in Superior, Wis., to Des Moines, Iowa. The derailment occurred along Goose Lake in Albert Lea, just north of the small UP yard in town, with […]
Digest: House transportation committee asks for investigation of PSR
House committee asks General Accountability Office to investigate Precision Scheduled Railroading The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has asked the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate the impact of Precision Scheduled Railroading on shippers, Amtrak and commuter railroads, employees and others. In a letter earlier this week from committee chairman Peter […]
Analysis: Amtrak’s ‘ConnectUS’ map fails to prioritize low-hanging fruit of additional service
ST. PAUL, Minn.— If there is any “no brainer” on Amtrak’s recently unveiled “Connects US” map of potential routes, it is adding an extra train to the Chicago-Twin Cities portion of the Empire Builder’s route. Amtrak has plenty of built-in corridors like this one, routes between major population centers it already serves that could […]
What’s the timeline for a Canadian National merger with Kansas City Southern?
If Canadian Pacific does not top Canadian National’s $33.6 billion offer for Kansas City Southern in the next five days, a CN-KCS merger would proceed toward the approval process. First, KCS shareholders must approve the deal announced yesterday, which would give them $200 per share in cash, along with 1.129 shares of CN common stock, […]