Steam locomotives dropped their fires for last time in everyday use in China in mid-January with the end of operations at a coal mine in Xinjiang Province, ending three decades during which the country became famous with railfans worldwide as the last refuge of steam operation. New steam locomotives were still being built in the […]
PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennyslvania Transportation Authority has received a $317 million federal grant to replace the railcar fleet on its Market-Frankford Line, which will help fund an $800 million order for 200 new cars, the news site Philly Voice reports. On Friday, members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, led by U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and […]
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority eliminated eight speed restrictions during a 10-day shutdown of portions of the rapid transit Red Line that concluded Feb. 14, the agency announced Friday. The latest shutdown, part of a year-long effort to eliminate slow orders on the rail network, saw the Red Line shut down completely between […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight service has been halted between Portland and Seattle for 48 hours because of a landslide earlier today, Amtrak announced shortly before noon PT today (Friday, Feb. 16). It is the fourth slide disruption on the route in less than a month. For both today and Saturday, Feb. […]
Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City have both filed Notices of Dispute with Canada’s Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the railroads announced today (Friday, Feb. 16) in separate press releases. The filings request appointment of a Federal Conciliation Officer to assist in reaching agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference. CN, in its […]
Trains LIVE — Inspecting Black River & Western No. 60 — 2-16-2024 — Tucked away in the Black River & Western Railroad shop in Ringoes, N.J., a group of Black River Railroad Historical Trust volunteers are working to complete the Federal Railroad Administration Form 4 inspection on No. 60, a 2-8-0 Consolidation built by Alco […]
Nearly three years after Amtrak said it would launch Gulf Coast service with or without host railroad cooperation, its passenger trains still are not running between Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans. And as the saga drags on you have to wonder if they ever will. After years of frustration with CSX, Amtrak in 2021 took […]
Storing locomotives Changing traffic levels affect the amount of equipment in operation, from freight cars to locomotives. When events occur such as a softening of the economy, losing a major contract to haul goods, or the end of a cyclical demand such as a grain harvest, a railroad will occasionally have to store equipment when […]
VERO BEACH, Fla. — County Commissioners in Indian River County, Fla., will not seek to develop quiet zones at 22 grade crossings in unincorporated areas along Brightline’s route in the county, preferring the safety impact of having trains continuing to sound their horns. The TC Palm reports that the commissioners made that decision at a […]
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Landowners who sued BNSF Railway last year over damages from a 2018 derailment near Doon, Iowa, have settled the lawsuit against the railroad, the Sioux City Journal reports. Phillip, Kirsti, John, and Helen Kooima of Rock Valley, Iowa sued the railroad for negligence over a June 22, 2018, incident that saw […]
DURANGO, Colo. – Last weekend’s coal-fired photographer’s snow-train special marked the end of an era as the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad moves to complete its conversion to recycled motor oil as a fuel for its fleet of a half-dozen active steam locomotives. The all-day excursion was powered by 2-8-2 No. 481 (Baldwin Locomotive […]
PORTLAND, Ore. — Mount Emily Lumber No. 1, a three-truck Shay locomotive, has arrived at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, completing its move from its former home at the City of Prineville Railway. The locomotive, built by Lima in 1923, was donated by the lumber company to the Oregon Museum of Science and […]
