CASS, W.Va. — West Virginia state dignitaries were among the passengers Friday on a special Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad train to dedicate the opening of the Trout Run Bridge and with it, reopening of the northernmost 15 miles of the former Chesapeake & Ohio Durbin route. Shay No. 5, West Virginia’s official state locomotive, […]
Train Topic: Railroad Operations
Portal Bridge issues resolved, NJ Transit reports
KEARNY, N.J. — Repair work at the Portal Bridge has been completed, NJ Transit reports in an update on its website, ending signal issues that disrupted operations for Amtrak and the commuter agency since Thursday. The NJ Transit update says its trains are operating at or near normal schedules today (Saturday, May 13). Regular operations […]
Genesee & Wyoming opens new dispatching center (corrected)
ST. ALBANS, Vt. — Genesee & Wyoming held a grand opening ceremony on Thursday for its American Rail Dispatching Center, from which the company dispatches movements on 100 railroads in 42 states. G&W announced plans for the 10,000-square-foot facility early in 2022 [see “Plans set for new Genesee & Wyoming dispatching center,” Trains News Wire, […]
Issues at Portal Bridge to continue into weekend for NJ Transit, Amtrak
KEARNY, N.J. — Operational problems caused by signal issues at New Jersey’s Portal Bridge will continue into the weekend for Amtrak and NJ Transit, although the lighter weekend schedules for both mean fewer schedule changes are planned. NJ Transit plans to resume normal commuter rail operations on Saturday and Sunday. Its trains may still be […]
News photo: Another Metra SD70MACH delivered
CHICAGO — Metra has taken delivery of another SD70MACH, part of an order of 15 of the remanufactured freight locomotives currently in progress for the commuter agency. No. 505, the fourth in the series to arrive in Chicago, was delivered on Thursday, May 11. This unit is slated to have positive train control equipment added […]
Five Amtrak maintenance workers hurt in Boston incident (updated)
BOSTON — Five members of an Amtrak maintenance-of-way crew have been taken to a hospital following an incident at a Boston rail yard Friday morning, WXFT-TV reports. The injuries are non-life-threatening, Amtrak said in a statement. The incident occurred about 4:30 a.m. at the Readville commuter rail station in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood, about 8 […]
Preservation group goes to court over Bismarck bridge
BISMARCK, N.D. — The preservation group seeking to block demolition of a 140-year-old BNSF Railway bridge has taken its effort to court. The Bismarck Tribune reports that the group Friends of the Rail Bridge has filed an appeal with the state’s South Central District Court seeking to overturn a decision by the state Department of […]
FRA issues safety advisory in wake of Union Pacific collision in Texas
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration issued a safety advisory this week in the aftermath of an April collision and derailment on Union Pacific that involved a misaligned hand-throw switch. The FRA continues to investigate the April 16 collision in Texas that occurred in dark territory with no positive train control overlay. The National Transportation […]
Problems at Portal Bridge disrupt Amtrak, NJ Transit service
NEW YORK — Amtrak and NJ Transit are experiencing major service issues today as a result of problems that began Thursday at the infamous Portal Bridge in Kearney, N.J. An Amtrak advisory issued Thursday afternoon says all trains traveling between New York and Newark are experiencing delays because of signal issues at the bridge. All […]
UP releases ‘Building America’ sustainability report
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific has released its 2022 Building America Report, outlining the company’s efforts to address sustainability, safety, corporate accountability, and community engagement by outlining its actions in areas ranging from workforce training to cybersecurity to contributions to nonprofit organizations. “This report highlights our progress to achieve the goals outlined in our Building […]
CPKC launches first Midwest Mexico Express intermodal hotshots
CALGARY, Alberta — CPKC today launched the Mexico Midwest Express premium intermodal service linking Chicago, Kansas City, and Laredo, Texas, with Monterrey and San Luis Potosi in Mexico. A nighttime photo on CPKC’s home page showed train MMX-181 about to break through a CPKC de Mexico banner on its inaugural northbound run. The newly merged […]
Whistle signals
Before radio communication came into wide use in the 1960s, a locomotive’s whistle was an important tool in conveying information to other employees, both on and off the train, and many signals were on the books. The General Code Of Operating Rules, used by many railroads, contains the following list of whistle signals and their […]