CSX debuts RF&P heritage locomotive

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX has released its 10th heritage locomotive, No. 1836 honoring the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac. “Here is our latest ONE CSX Heritage Locomotive … the RF&P #1836! This one is from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, founded in 1836,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs wrote on LinkedIn today. “Richmond was the headquarters […]

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The evolution of EMD’s GP60-series locomotives

orange BNSF locomotive hauling heavy-tonnage trains

GP60-series locomotives EMDs GP60 model was the last of a series of four-axle locomotives built with ever-increasing horsepower, designed to lead a railroad’s priority trains. Short, fast intermodal trains were perfect for a GP60s 3,800 horsepower V-16 to send 950 horsepower to each axle. Unfortunately, the double stack era was underway, with longer heavier trains […]

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Amtrak board still lacks geographically diverse nominees

Locomotive on passenger train carrying blue maintenance flags during station stop

WASHINGTON — After the U.S. Senate confirmed two new members for the Amtrak board of directors and reconfirmed Chairman Anthony Coscia last month, President Joe Biden has renominated a previous candidate without advancing anyone based outside the Northeast Corridor for the four remaining term-expired or vacant voting board positions. Nominated is Delaware River and Bay […]

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New proposal calls for ground-level light rail for eastern Montreal

Map of proposed light rail project for eastern Montreal

MONTREAL — The latest concept for light rail service for eastern Montreal involves a ground-level system which, in its initial phase, will serve 22 stations in 21 kilometers (13 miles) of track, the CBC reports. The proposal by transit agency Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, or ARTM, is estimated to cost C$10.4 billion. It follows […]

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UP coal train derails in Feather River Canyon

Derailed coal hoppers in canyon, some in river

BLAIRSDEN, Calif. — Fourteen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed this afternoon (Sunday, Feb. 11) in the Feather River Canyon, sending cars and coal into the Middle Fork of the Feather River, KOVR-TV reports. The California Office of Emergency Service’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response said it was assessing the environmental impact. Union […]

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NS train derails in eastern North Carolina

Derailed tank cars as seen from a distance

AURORA, N.C. — Fourteen cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed early Saturday morning near the town of Aurora, leading to a leak of molten sulfur from one car. WITN-TV reports the derailment occurred about 1 a.m. Beaufort County Public Information Officer Brandon Tester told the station the sulfur hardened as it met the cold […]

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From the Cab: Memories, miles, and money

A locomotive engineer in a teal-colored shirt is seen in the cab of a silver-painted Amtrak locomotive standng at a train station platform

It always bothered me that I couldn’t identify the engineer in this picture of Amtrak train No. 98, departing Main Street Station in Richmond, Va., on Sept. 14, 1974. He wasn’t the regular throttle jockey, whom I knew. Still, it’s one of my favorite images and was used to promote my first book, From the […]

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BNSF coal train derails in Nebraska

Derailed orange locomotives and coal hoppers

CAIRO, Neb. — Three locomotives and 57 cars of a BNSF coal train derailed early this morning (Friday, Feb. 9) near Cairo, News Channel Nebraska reports. No injuries were reported in the incident about 4:45 a.m. along State Route 2, which blocked crossings in a 3-mile stretch from High Street in Cairo to 110th Road southeast […]

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2024 Valentine’s Day train rides

table in train with food and flowers

Valentine’s Day train rides Sometimes doing something together and on the spur of the moment is the best. Because even the best laid plans can go awry, trust me I know. So … here is a quick, last-minute guide to some of the 2024 Valentine’s Day-themed train rides in the U.S. — just in case […]

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Union Pacific seeks to block BNSF access to Arkansas quarry

WASHINGTON – For the second time in the past three months, federal regulators are being asked to settle a dispute related to Union Pacific’s 1996 acquisition of Southern Pacific. BNSF Railway has requested that the Surface Transportation Board allow it to access a UP-served quarry in Arkansas. In a filing that appeared on the STB […]

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