Crossties 101

Railroad ties are pushed out of freight car onto ground next to right-of-way

Crossties Back in 1830, track structure was different from today: stone blocks supported wood stringers (or rails) surfaced with strap iron. During the harsh winter of 1832, shipments of stone blocks to the Camden & Amboy Railroad in New Jersey were curtailed. John L. Stevens, president and chief engineer of the railroad, ordered the substitution […]

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Wabtec to modernize more CSX AC4400 locomotives

Blue and yellow locomotive outside shop building

PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. and CSX have announced a deal to modernize more than 200 locomotives, providing hardware and software upgrades to the railroad’s remaining AC4400 units. The locomotives will receive upgrades including the FDL Advantage engine and digital improvements such as Locotrol Expanded Architecture, which the companies say will provide fuel savings and carbon […]

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Bill seeks to block Arizona from accepting funds for passenger rail service

Logo of Arizona Department of Transportation

PHOENIX — Republican legislators in Arizona are seeking to block rail service between Phoenix and Tucson as a condition of continuing legislation to maintain the state’s Department of Transportation, the Arizona Daily Star reports. One of the conditions added to the continuing legislation, SB1184, by the Senate Committee on Transportation, Technology, and Missing Children is […]

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Ohio considers rejoining regional passenger rail group

Logo of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio legislators are preparing to introduce bills to rejoin the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, an organization the state left in 2013, Statehouse News Bureau reports. State Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood) said the House version of the bill will be introduced in the next month or so, and several Republican legislators will sign […]

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One thousand ‘Trains’ Magazine covers down!

Trains Magazine covers Whether past or present — staff, correspondents, and contributors — were asked to submit one of their favorite covers since the magazine’s inception in November 1940 — 84 years of railroading history in the making. This is what they came up with and why. If there is a particular cover you like, […]

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TSB to investigate CPKC incident in Alberta

Transportation Safety Board of Canada logo

LETHBRIDGE, Alberta — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is sending two investigators to the scene of a collision and derailment at CPKC’s Kipp Yard near Lethbridge, the agency said Sunday. Lethbridge News Now reports that CPKC officials said eight cars derailed Sunday while being moved at slow speed. There were no injuries or spills […]

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BNSF intermodal train derails in south central Kansas

Stacks of containers and cars from derailed intermodal train

HAZELTON, Kan. — Seventeen cars of a BNSF intermodal train derailed early this morning (Monday, Feb. 12) east of Hazelton on the railroad’s Southern Transcon, KWNS-TV reports. Officials from Barber County Emergency Management told the station no hazardous materials were involved. BNSF told KWNS in a statement that the crew was not injured in the […]

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